Rhubarb Cake

One of the first recipes I learned to cook was Rhubarb Cake.  I was about nine and was creating a recipe card box for one of my first 4-H project for the county fair.  The hardest part about that project was all of the handwriting; I have horrible handwriting so it was slow going.  This particular recipe is so incredibly easy that even a kid can make it pefectly, it is very basic but something about the rhubarb mixed with a brown sugar and butter cake batter and the crisp sugar topping is really just wonderful.  It is, to me, a comfort food and it makes the house smell so homey. This is a recipe that has been in my family for as long as I can remember and based on the note in my mom's recipe book it came from my aunt.



There is little in terms of technical skill that one needs to know for this recipe.  It really is your basic 'cream this' then 'mix in that' then pour into a 9x13" pan type of recipe.  My only little trick might be that I add extra vanilla.  Not everyone likes their desserts as rich as me so I left the original amount on the recipe.  I tend to just pour vanilla until it seems like the right amount.  Rich flavors were the preference in my childhood home.  My dad is known to say "It needs a little something, don't you think?"



For the sour milk, just add a little apple cidar vinegar to your cup of milk.  About 3 tablespoons will do it.  And for the topping I did cut down the amount of sugar, if you like a crisper top the original calls for 1/2 cup sugar.  You can use granular sugar and it will be simple and lovely or you can use Torbino sugar for a little more flair.

Recipe: Rhubarb Cake
From: My family's recipe collection
Serves about 12 pieces

1 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup ‘sour milk’ (add about 3 tablespoons vinegar to the milk)
1+ teaspoon vanilla (for a richer flavor use 1 1/2 teaspoon)
2 cups chopped rhubarb

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream the brown sugar, butter, and egg. Mix in the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add the milk and vanilla. Then stir in the rhubarb. Pour into greased 9x13” baking pan.

Stir together 1/4 cup sugar (torbino, raw, or granulated) and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle on top of cake.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Enjoy!

- Tara