Rhubarb Cake

This is a recipe from my mom and she has been making it ever since I can remember. It is perfect with either fresh rhubarb or any forgotten portions you may have hiding in the back of your freezer. It is less of a cake, and technically more of a square, but it is yummy no matter what you call it. There is a buttery shortbread-like base topped with a slightly tart creamy filling and a crumbly struesel sprinkled on top. This cake is perfection with a cup of coffee and some friends, or served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and kept all to yourself.

My favourite cake along with my favourite mug.

Ingredients

Base and topping:

2 cups all purpose flour

1 Tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1 egg

Filling:

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup melted butter

2 beaten eggs

4 cups chopped rhubarb

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 F. If you are using a glass or Pyrex baking dish, set the oven to 350 F. Get all your ingredients together before you start.

Look at that colour!

Sift 2 cups of flour, 1 tbsp sugar, salt and baking powder together in a medium bowl. Add butter and mix with your hands or a pastry cutter until it resembles crumbs. Add one egg and mix. Reserve 1 cup of the mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture into a 13" x 9" baking pan, or whatever you have that is close.

What the crumb texture looks like before adding eggs.

Mix all filling ingredients, except rhubarb together in a medium bowl. Once combined, add in the rhubarb and mix well. Spread mixture on top of crumb base, using a spatula to even it out and get to all the corners. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture evenly over top.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until golden brown on top. Cool at least 10 minutes in the pan and cut into squares. Can be served warm or at room temperature.

Yield depends entirely on how much room you have left in your tummy for dessert.

Variation: If it is later in the year and your apple tree is overflowing, feel free to substitute chopped apples for the chopped rhubarb. Just add 1/4 tsp cinnamon to the filling ingredients.

Yummy gardening everyone!

Note: My mom doesn't remember where she got this recipe from. It may be from an old purity cookbook (she used that one often) but I can't find it anywhere in there. If you know its origins, please let me know!