Rhubarb Cake: A Delightful Spring Dessert
Rhubarb, a unique and versatile plant, offers a tangy flavor that’s perfect for baking. This rhubarb cake recipe combines the tartness of rhubarb with the sweetness of a moist, tender cake, creating a delectable treat suitable for any occasion. Whether you’re serving it at a dinner party or enjoying a slice with afternoon tea, this cake is sure to impress with its vibrant taste and beautiful presentation.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- 225g (2 cups) rhubarb, chopped into 1cm (½ inch) pieces
- 310g (2½ cups) plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 300g (1½ cups) caster sugar (granulated sugar)
- 115g (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 120ml (½ cup) buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 5ml (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 5g (1 teaspoon) baking powder
- 2.5g (½ teaspoon) bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 2.5g (½ teaspoon) salt
For the crumb topping:
- 60g (½ cup) plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 100g (½ cup) caster sugar (granulated sugar)
- 55g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
How to make Rhubarb Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour a 23x33cm (9×13 inch) baking tin (pan).
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), and salt. Cut in the softened butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Gently fold in the chopped rhubarb, ensuring it’s evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin (pan) and spread it out evenly.
- For the crumb topping, combine the flour and sugar in a small bowl. Cut in the chilled butter using a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle this over the cake batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer (toothpick) inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the tin (pan) for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, you can serve the cake as is or dust it with icing sugar (powdered sugar). It pairs well with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Enjoy your delicious rhubarb cake!