Country Rhubarb Cake
It's rhubarb season again and my thoughts turn, as always, to finding the perfect rhubarb cake. Something that has that wonderful balance of tart;sweet; and the richness of cake -- and is not too time-consuming to make. I love Melissa Clark's recipe for Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake from the New York Times' Cooking site but it is a real labor of love. So I've been on the lookout for something a little quicker and simpler. This year, I think I found it. The recipe is also from the New York Times' site and is called a Country Rhubarb Cake. Julia Moskin found it in Reclaiming Ireland's Culinary Heritage, One Roast lamb or Sponge Cake at a Time. And I'm so glad she did! I used Omega-3 eggs to make it, of course, and grass-fed Kerry Butter (from Ireland), and I modified the recipe ever so slightly by replacing one third a cup of the flour with one third a cup of ground flax meal. I'm still searching for the right words to describe the result. Let me start by saying that I couldn't wait to have it again for breakfast. It is a perfectly cheerful dessert -- or breakfast -- for these -- or any times. Stay well. Susie
Time: 1 1/2 hours (but sixty minutes of that is for baking)
Yield: 8 servings
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013099-country-rhubarb-cake
INGREDIENTS
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, more for work surface
1/3 cup ground flaxseed meal
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar, more for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick (4 ounces) butter (grass-fed), cut into pieces, at cool room temperature
2 eggs, Omega-3 eggs, of course
1/2 cup buttermilk ( I make this by adding 1/2 tsp vinegar to 1/2 cup milk)
1 1/2 pounds (about 8 stalks) rhubarb, thinly sliced
Light brown sugar and softly whipped cream, for serving
PREPARATION
Heat over to 350 degrees. In a bowl sift or mix together flour, flax, salt, baking soda and 3 TBS of the sugar. With fingers, rub in the butter until the mixture is sandy. Beat one egg and add to the mixture. Add buttermilk and blend until a dough is formed. (It will be quite stiff and sticky). Turn out onto a floured surface and divide in two. Roll out each piece to fit a 10-inch baking dish. Line bottom of pan with one round allowing it to creep up the sides.
Cover the dough with the rhubarb and sprinkle the rhubarb with one cup of sugar (don't skimp). Place the second round on the top and pinch together the edges. Pinch together any holes. Beat the remaining egg w. one teaspoon water and brush it on the dough.
Place in a pan or on a baking sheet (to catch the drips) and bake until the crust is golden, about 1 hour. Immediately sprinkle w. granulated sugar and serve warm with a sprinkling of brown sugar and whipped cream. (I forgot to sprinkle the cake with sugar -- and didn't miss it -- and used cream instead of whipped cream.) Delicious!
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