Rhubarb Breakfast Cake

Since I'm still nesting (aka baking) in anticipation of Baby No. 2, here's another rhubarb recipe for the archives! While this is technically a spin on Elizabeth Bard's "Rhubarb Yogurt Cake", I've taken to calling my version "Rhubarb Breakfast Cake". It has a decent amount of sugar and uses butter instead of oil, BUT it has whole grain flour and yogurt in it as well. So, I'm running with the healthy-ish aspects and encouraging you to serve this for breakfast or brunch (although it's also fantastic for teatime or an afternoon snack). I've made it three times in the past 2 weeks, both for us and as a hostess gift, so (imho) it's a winner. The nubbly-ness of the whole grains and the tartness of the rhubarb are irresistible.

Hints:

1 c. plain yogurt, stirred to combine if any whey has separated (full-fat recommended)
1 c. granulated sugar
1 pinch of good sea salt (I'm currently into Sea Change, harvested here in Maine)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 c. butter, melted and cooled to room temp
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c. whole grain flour - I really like using spelt or a mix of spelt and whole wheat
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, and cinnamon to taste
1 c. rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and tossed with a good sprinkle of sugar to macerate for 10 mins.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter or oil a 10" round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper or foil.

2. In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, sugar, salt, and extract and whisk until well-mixed. Add in the butter, mix well. Add in the eggs one at a time, stirring to combine well after each addition.

3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices in a smaller bowl or on a sheet of parchment or waxed paper. Add to the batter, stirring just til combined (be careful not to overmix).

4. Pour into cake pan, and evenly sprinkle the rhubarb mixture on top (it will sink to the bottom as it bakes, and that's okay!).

5. Bake for about 35 - 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean (mine have been done after 40 minutes).

6. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out and finish cooling on a wire rack. This part can be a bit tricky since it's a large cake. Just go slowly!


7. Because of the moist rhubarb, I preferred to store slices in a Tupperware in the fridge (or cover the top with foil and refrigerate), rather than risking spoilage at room temperature.

Angel Food Cake with Lemon Yogurt Cream and Fruit Recipe

Inspired by Martha Stewart's Rhubarb Tart with Lemon-Yogurt Mousse, I whipped up a faster, easier version for Mother's Day.

The Greek yogurt adds a really nice tang to this and, combined with the bright lemon notes, reins in the sweetness of the angel food cake without taking away from the decadence of the cream. Everyone was raving about the combination!

Hints:

1 boxed angel food cake mix

1 lemon, preferably organic

1 container CoolWhip or 1 pint heavy/whipping cream

1 container Greek yogurt (I used Fage)

confectioner's sugar

fruit of choice

Make your angel food cake, following the directions on the box. Angel food cake is one of the few things I will *NOT* make from scratch. I tried once and the whole thing plopped out of the pan like a big, old, wet fart shortly after I turned it upside down, and I laughed so hard I cried for the next five minutes. (A shocker for my family members, who assumed I'd be really upset since it was a birthday cake for someone.) The box mix is just easier, foolproof, and delicious!

Once your cake is cool and you're almost ready to serve dessert, get out your CoolWhip or whip your cream. Combine in a large bowl with the yogurt. I used about a 2 parts CoolWhip/cream to 1 part Greek yogurt ratio, but feel free to change this to suit your own taste. Wash your lemon and zest about half of it into the bowl (you won't need the juice). Add a few tablespoons of confectioner's sugar. I used about 2 I think, but again, use as much or as little as you like. Whisk together til thoroughly combined and set aside.

Prep your fruit. Here I used fresh raspberries, but on Mother's Day I stewed strawberries and rhubarb together (adding about a 1/4 c. sugar and some lemon juice) until softened and let the mixture cool slightly.

Slice your cake, top with as much of the lemon yogurt cream as you like, and spoon your fruit on top. That's it! Simple yet delicious.

Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcakes

 

Apparently my current version of "nesting" in anticipation of baby #2 mostly involves baking. I think at least some of this is that as the mom of a toddler, anything I spend hours cleaning or organizing is going to quickly get undone or destroyed by my 3 ft tall whirling dervish in about two seconds. But baked goods? Those can be put in a tin and stored safely on top of the fridge, where he can longingly look up at them but not pull them down and demolish them. Yet.

It's finally rhubarb season again, one of my favorite fruit seasons! My husband has strict instructions to buy at least a pound of it every time he sees it at the store, no matter how much is already in said fridge or freezer. I want it ALL before it disappears!

This week, I decided to pair the delicate pink stalks with their classic BFF strawberries and English cream scones to make a shortcake-style dessert or snack. Sometimes the simplest things are the best, right?

I threw in a little whole wheat flour because I'm *that* kind of mom, and was pleasantly surprised to find that the little bit of whole grain actually made these even more tender than usual. Especially the re-rolled ones! I also followed Joy the Baker's advice to grate the butter instead of cutting it in with knives or a pastry cutter. So much easier and it works like a charm.

Oh, and apologies for the less-than-stellar photo. Toddler naptime can be very short some days (I blame a growth spurt) and the sky was cloudy and grey during the only window I had to snap this shot. I'm trying to let go of perfection all the time and just go with things.

Hints:

Rhubarb "Jam":

Wash 1 pound of rhubarb, cut into 1/2" or 1 cm pieces. Place in medium-sized pot, add a couple of splashes of water or the juice of 1/2 a lemon and cook over medium/medium-low heat until it starts to break down. Add sugar to taste (I like mine less sweet, so I use only about 1/4 c. or 50 g of sugar). Continue to cook, turning down to low if it starts to boil too hard or you're worried about it scorching on the bottom, until rhubarb is completely broken down and has thickened. Stir in a teaspoon of vanilla extract if you're a fan. Any leftover rhubarb is excellent stirred into plain Greek yogurt or oatmeal.

Macerated Strawberries:

Wash and thinly slice ripe strawberries. Mix with a little lemon juice or vanilla extract and a sprinkle of sugar and stir well. Let sit while you make your scones.

Cream Scones (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

1 1/2 cups (210 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (70 grams) whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon (15 grams) baking powder
3 tablespoons (40 grams) sugar
1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) fine sea or table salt
5 tablespoons (70 grams) chilled, unsalted butter, grated
1 cup (235 ml) heavy cream

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425°F.

2. Mix together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl.

3. Stir in grated butter until evenly distributed.

4. Stir in the heavy cream until a dough begins to form, about 30 seconds.

5. Transfer the dough and all the leftover dry and flour-y bits at the bottom of the bowl to a clean countertop. Knead the dough by hand just until it comes together and forms a rough, sticky ball, about 5 to 10 seconds.

6. Pat the dough into a 3/4 thick square or rectangle on a lightly floured surface. For extra flaky layers, either fold into thirds (like a sheet of paper before you put it in a business envelope) or fold in half onto itself 2 - 3 times, patting the dough down into the correct thickness again after. Use a biscuit cutter to form scones, re-rolling scraps until dough is used up (although I only tend to re-roll twice).

6. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake until the tops are light brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Place on a wire rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

To Assemble:

Slice scones/shortcakes in half, slather with butter and rhubarb mixture, top with macerated strawberries. Eat at once. I won't judge you if you don't share, promise.

An Update, Of Sorts

Needless to say, it's been a busy few months around here! The little guy is constantly moving (and eating!). 

I haven't really done much in the way of crafting, although I did have a long string of started-then-unraveled knitting projects. Trying to correctly follow patterns while insanely sleep-deprived and barely coherent is not a good idea. I think I tried one pattern at least three times before I gave up amid tears of frustration. Okay, they were more like tears of not remembering what sleeping is like, but the emotions all kind of blend together in the early months.

Mostly, lately, I've been baking here and there in an attempt to make the best of late spring's first fruits. I'll admit that I can never get enough rhubarb! All winter long I dream of its appearance at the market, a bright ruby and chartreuse contrast to the snowy landscape's whites and grays.

This year, I've vowed to make as many different things with the scarlet stalks as possible instead of sticking to my trademark (although still delicious) stewed rhubarb spooned over Greek yogurt.

So far, I've made these Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Bars from Smitten Kitchen, this Rhubarb Syrup for Italian sodas without the mint from OrganicGardening, and this Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake from Martha Stewart. They all came out well, but the syrup and upside-down cake were my favorites. The latter, which is more like a coffee cake than a traditional cake, is so moist (gross word, but accurate description) with an almost creamy texture from the sour cream. It was even better on the second day, a rarity for baked goods.

Are you a rhubarb fiend as well? What have you been baking lately?

Bright Pink Rhubarb

I contemplated opening this with a "crickets" reference, but instead I'll just apologize right off the bat for the lack of posting. An unfortunate early-spring cold has me reeling, and I've spent too many hours in bed or on the couch.

About all I've been able to muster in the kitchen is this delightfully bright pink rhubarb conserve. It's as simple as it gets, and a lovely harbinger of spring. Just dice rhubarb stalks, put in a pot with the juice of half a lemon and sugar to taste (start with 1/4 c.), and simmer until the rhubarb breaks down into little strings.

Let it cool, and then try not to stand over it with a spoon, devouring the entire batch of sweet-yet-still-tart, lemon-tinged deliciousness. If you manage to do this, it's wonderful spread on toast the next day or stirred into vanilla yogurt or ice cream.