I have never cooked with rhubarb before. It has been one of those aspirational ingredients that I see when it appears in the seasonal displays and imagine making into wonderful treats. Then I either buy it and let it rot in the fridge because I have no idea what to do with it (not very Earth friendly or economical), or I decide to wait until I have a good recipe and then never actually get around to finding one or taking any further action. My mom always speaks fondly of rhubarb, and I have enjoyed it when other people have prepared it, but it somehow always daunted me.

But this week, I bought some. And I found a recipe. And I actually made it! The boys helped me and even so, it took less than half an hour to get the mixture into the oven. It bakes for a while (about 45 mins), but it was done in time to sample our handiwork after supper. The rhubarb was tart and zesty, the cake was moist and scented with vanilla. We added some strawberries because they were about to get mushy and that worked wonderfully too. Both boys absolutely loved the cake and had no concerns about the tart and unfamiliar rhubarb. And they loved mixing and measuring and sprinkling the top with colored sugar. The crunch from a sprinkle of sugar is really delightful, and if you have sugar in different colors, why ever not turn your cake into modern art?

This recipe is really very easy to make, and not at all intimidating. The rhubarb does not even need any cooking or special treatment. You just slice it and mix it right into the batter. And it plays really nicely and adds a whole new dimension to the cake. Please try it next time you see a beautiful fresh red display of rhubarb and see how friendly it really is! (This recipe is originally from The View from Great Island.)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup half and half  with 1tsp lemon juice (or use buttermilk or half greek yoghurt and half milk)
• 1 stick (1/2 cup, 113 grams) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 cup (214 grams) granulated sugar plus 2 tsp for sprinkling
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups (256 grams) all purpose flour, plus 1 Tbsp to toss with rhubarb
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cups thinly sliced rhubarb

Instructions

1. Set oven to 350F (180C). Butter or line a 9×9 square baking pan.
2. Cream the soft butter and sugar using a mixer or a willing child 😉 Beat in the egg and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
3. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Take 1 Tbsp flour to the rhubarb and toss well.
5. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend in. Add all of the half and half, and blend in. Finally add the rest of the flour and blend just until combined, don’t over mix. Fold in the rhubarb. Note: the batter will be thick.
6. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with a little sugar (or sprinkles or colored sugars of your choice!).
7. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is turning golden and a toothpick in the center comes out without wet batter clinging to it (moist crumbs are fine.)
8. Let the cake cool slightly before cutting.