Recipe: Rhubarb Coffeecake

I inherited a beautiful rhubarb patch when we bought our house and I enjoy being able to make this delicious recipe that comes from my Grammy. I find this to be a fairly adaptable and frugal recipe. Although it tastes best as written, I've substituted fresh ground whole wheat pastry flour and used leftover yogurt and even heavy cream or sour raw milk instead of the sour cream (use less, if you use milk or cream). I've used rapadura, sucanat, and plain white sugar (sometimes with a little molasses, sometimes not) with success. I always add more rhubarb, though I've also made the same recipe with frozen blueberries and raspberries (be very careful when folding these in). Recently, I've been making it in muffin tins because it cooks faster and is pre-portioned. The end product has always been delicious whatever my adaptations.



Rhubarb Coffee Cake

1 1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. butter

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

1 c. sour cream
1 t. baking soda

2 c. flour

1 1/2 c. chopped rhubarb

Crumble
1 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. softened butter

Mix flour and sugar. Cut butter into mixture until it resembles small pebbles. (If you want the crumble to be larger, press it together with your fingers as you put it on the cake.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together sugar, butter, and egg. Add vanilla and sour cream and mix well. Mix soda and flour seperately then add to wet ingredients. Mix well. Fold in rhubarb. Place in greased 9x13 pan or divide evenly among 18 muffin tins. Top with crumble (really heap it on!)

Bake cake for 40-45 minutes until tester comes out clean (be careful to avoid the rhubarb when testing, or you may overcook - bake until the top springs back when lightly touched). Muffins will take much less time (around 20, I think).