My Turn: Rhubarb Cakes

So, being the good food blogger that I am, I figured it's my turn to make something with rhubarb.

I have tackled the fiddlehead ferns, the ramps, the spring peas and asparagus, now it's time for rhubarb. Being a rhubarb virgin, I had no idea what to expect.

I was told rhubarb is not a fruit, but a vegetable. I found it at the farmer's market and I have always been intrigued by it's beauty and grace. Long and slender, slightly pink and green, with tinges of red.

What to make with these stalks of beauty?

I found recipes for rhubarb soda, rhubarb compote, rhubarb pie, and I settled on these little rhubarb pudding cakes that I found on this blog, Eggs on Sunday.

Except for the spillage mishap, these were EASY & EXCELLENT (there are the 2 E's again!).

We LOVED these. They were like little cobblers.
Next time I won't fill the ramekins to the top.



Rhubarb Cakes: (from Gourmet Magazine 2007)

1/4 cup water (I added more water to make more syrup)
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup sugar, divided
3 cups chopped fresh rhubarb stalks (I used 3 stalks)

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F with the rack in the middle. Butter 4 individual 1-cup ramekins (or, an 8-inch square baking dish.)

Mix together the water, cornstarch, and 1/2 cup sugar in a small saucepan, then add the 3 cups rhubarb. Bring to a simmer, stirring constantly, and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and remaining 1/2 cup sugar.

In another bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, melted butter and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined — you’ll have a thick batter.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the rhubarb syrup mixture.






Divide the remaining rhubarb mixture among the dishes, then spoon the batter evenly into each ramekin over the rhubarb. Drizzle the remaining rhubarb mixture over the top of the batter in each ramekin.



Bake (I put all my ramekins on a small sheet pan) until a tester inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes.

Cool on a rack slightly before serving.

My husband said this was one of the top 3 desserts I have ever made. Now that's a rave.



It's almost blueberry season in New Jersey, stay tuned.........