Saturday, June 27, 2009

Red, Ruby 'Barb

I still haven't gotten my fill of the stuff. Made a Rhubarb Upside Down Cake last night. Here's the recipe in case you're like me and think you still need some rhubarb as a spring (summer?) tonic.



RHUBARB UPSIDE DOWN CAKE



In the bottom of an 8 x 8" pan, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Combine 3-1/2 cups sliced rhubarb with 2/3 cups sugar in a mixing bowl and then place rhubarb/sugarmixture on top of butter in pan. Set aside.



For the cake batter, mix 3 (more) tablespoons softened butter, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 egg. Then add 1-1/2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup milk. Mix well. This will make a stiff batter.



Spread the batter over topping in pan. (Distribute blobs of the batter as evenly as you can over the rhubarb and then smooth it out . . . without making yourself crazy.)





If it looks something like this, you're doing fine.



Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto a plate.





The cake part is very flavorful, so moist! Pieces are great as is or in a bowl with milk or whipped cream or vanilla ice cream (yeah!) which makes it quite the treat.





I went to a meeting last week at a gal's home in town. She had rhubarb plants in her backyard like I have never seen before. There must have been 100 or 150 of 'em. (Well, at least fifteen or twenty. Really.) They were as tall as I am. (Okay, so I am slightly vertically challenged . . . but still.) I commented that I'd never seen rhubarb like that. She said she didn't think of them as rhubarb plants but rather as a privacy fence!





This is my one, lonely, but lovely rhubarb plant, just after I nearly snatched it bald this morning. It was grown out on both sides way over the marigolds on the left and strawberry plants on the right. (Last time I planted new strawberry plants, I had these few left over and [foolishly?] stuck them in the rhubarb bed.) Also pulled stalks that were hanging into the walkways, front and back, because my weed-whipper man couldn't get near the sides of the garden bed.



Ah, yes, if only ALL crops would grow as easily and plentifully as good ol' rhubarb. Time to get some put by in our freezer for winter usage. Nuthin' like a little spring tonic in January or February.



6 comments:

Chicken Mama said...

Mom, you should explain to everyone why you display your foodstuffs on a "quilt"! ;)

Mama Pea said...

Chicken Mama - Please see blog post of this morning (6-28-09). Hopefully, all will be explained!

RuthieJ said...

Oh Mama Pea, thanks so much for this recipe. I have bunches of rhubarb recipes, but not this one yet. I'm going to try it this afternoon!
The group of guys that I'm working with now all like rhubarb (well, any homemade treat really.....) and one of the guys has rhubarb growing in his yard. He brought in 6 lbs for me last Monday and I've been baking it up for our coffeebreak treats this week.

Mama Pea said...

Hey, Ruthie - Seems those fellas you work with have got your number! Of COURSE they're gonna bring you goodies from their yard/garden as they can be pretty sure THEY'LL reap the benefits.

I think you'll like this little cake recipe. Butter, rhubarb, a little sugar, a little flour . . . what could be wrong with that?

RuthieJ said...

Hi Mama Pea,
I made a pan of this rhubarb upside down cake on Sunday afternoon and we finished it up tonight! Non-rhubarb Rick even liked it! Could've been the ice cream, but I think it was just the delicious recipe -- easy and definitely a keeper!

Mama Pea said...

Hi, Ruthie - So glad the recipe worked out for you and that Rick liked it, too! I got a wonderful rhubarb cake recipe (rhubarb mixed up IN the cake) from MaineCelt earlier this season and I've been making rhubarb crips, bars, etc. but said to Roy this morning that I haven't made a rhubarb pie this year yet. He reminded me that I did, but it went to a potluck dinner so I think that's why I didn't remember it. Must make another one quick so I can stuff half of it in my mouth . . . I think rhubarb pie is my favorite still.