Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Girls Growing Up + A Rhubarb Cornmeal Cake

My niece Olivia graduated from High School this past weekend. Graduations are such a milestone in a family's life. The official ceremony of moving on can bring me to tears in an instant. This time I brought my camera to catch some of the fleeting moments for future glimpses of the past. My sister Laurie and her husband Bruce were throwing Livvie a big party and as with all large families, I got the call, "Do you think you can make something?" Laurie had most everything planned out, lists made with chores to be done for all the nieces, nephews, aunts, and grandmothers. The lists were great because at least we knew what our responsibilities were. What a fun and busy weekend we had. I hope some of you have been able to share in family milestones this busy month of June!


When Laurie called, I jumped at the chance to make a cake I have fantacizing about but didn't want to make knowing I might eat the whole thing. Yes! A perfect excuse to bake a cake - a party with a lot of people. The rhubarb in my garden has been calling me. This cake is so moist it almost reminds me of a cross between a clafouti and a cake. The cornmeal adds a really nice texture. And it is super easy.

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoon butter
3 cups chopped rhubarb
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoon flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs 
1/2 cup yogurt or sour cream
1 cup chopped strawberries and more for cake decoration
2 Tablespoons sugar (demerra if available - I buy it at the food coop but you can also use white sugar)

Cook rhubarb with 2 Tablespoons butter for about 4 minutes or until some of the crispness goes soft. Pull off heat and add 2 Tablespoons sugar and 2 Tablespoons flour. Stir into rhubarb and let cool.


Stir together cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time to butter mixture. Stir in yogurt or sour cream. Fold in flour mixture.

Grease a 9" springform pan. Pour 2/3 of the batter into the pan. Add cooked rhubarb, then fresh strawberries in a layer across the batter.

 

Pour remaining batter over top of fruit. Sprinkle with 2 Tablespoons Demerra sugar. 


Bake at 350 degree for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then remove sides of pan and cool 30 minutes more. Dust with confectioners sugar and decorate with strawberries.


I'd say this cake is more of an adult cake considering it isn't loaded with all kinds of sweet and sticky frosting but boy is it good! Enjoy!

12 comments:

D said...

Holy moly, that cake looks amazing! I NEED to try this. Thanks for posting the recipe :)

Abbie said...

Great job with the food photography--the cake looks lovely and delicious, as I'm sure it is. Thanks for posting the recipe.

Sallie said...

Oh my! That does look really, really good. Thank you for sharing your recipe.

Susan said...

That looks so yummy! Now if I can just find some rhubarb in GA that doesn't cost my whole paycheck!

Marcia said...

Yum! I'm going to the farmer's market tomorrow where I can get rhubarb and berries.
This is on my schedule for this weekend.

thanks much

Sally said...

I love rhubarb! Thanks, Kristin!

Susan B. Anderson said...

Hi Kristin,
I have a big bag of chopped rhubarb from my neighbor's garden sitting in my fridge. When I get back from tnna I am going to make your cake! That looks and sounds so delicious. A slice and a cup of coffee - yum.

I agree on the graduations for the kids in our lives. You are so proud and happy and kind of sad at the same time. Congrats to Olivia.

I'll miss you at tnna. Hope you are well.
susan b anderson

Betsy said...

Looks yummy! Cant wait to try!

Dianne@sheepdreams said...

I am so into icing-less cakes right now. Thanks for the recipe. I'll be trying it this weekend. (I also need to bake it when there are other people around!)

Lynda - TasteFood said...

I'm always on the lookout for new recipes with rhubarb. I'll be sure to try this!

tjf said...

Thanks for sharing this recipe. It looks wonderful and reminds me of my grandmother who loved rhubarb with a passion.

Tricia

Fleecebumpkin said...

Oh, my salivaries are still sluicing from this delicious cake! I just washed my plate from enjoying a still-warm wedge with my afternoon tea. The cornmeal grain added an interesting subtle texture. Cold and rainy day, perfect to get the oven going and make the most of my rhubarb which is looking a bit tired in its abundance and to introduce the waves of my ripening strawberries. Thank you for posting this recipe, it is scrumptious and one I will certainly add to my garden baking repertoire.

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