Rhubarb Buckle with Ginger Crumb
Yup, here I am to beat you over the head with a few new rhubarb recipes this spring. You didn’t think I’d let the whole season pass us by without at least one or two new ones, did you? Silly people. It is my Favorite with a capital “F”! I even planted two rhubarb roots in my new garden with the hopes I’ll be harvesting my own homegrown rhubarb pretty soon. Until then, there is still plenty at the market. This recipes fits neatly into the category of recipes you’d make for Memorial Day or to serve to summer house guests. Or, if you are like me, you will just make it for no special reason whatsoever. Anything with rhubarb needs to be made and enjoyed any/every day of the week. Right? Right.
I found this recipe on Food52 under one of my favorite columns: Genius Recipes. The genius in this lies in the terrific rhurbarb and ginger flavor that bursts forth from a relatively simple cake. It is so nice, almost a relief, that the recipe doesn’t call for any crazy egg white whipping or unusual ingredients. Even the crumb is simple! Mix it all together in two bowls: one of the cake, one for the crumb, and it is ready for the oven.
I had no trouble whipping this up during my little guy’s naptime earlier this week. But you could also do it at night or even early in the morning. Naturally we poured over the moist cake full of rhubarb and spicy ginger the second it was cool enough to touch. However, if you have stronger willpower than I, you can let it cool, wrap it up, and freeze it until you are ready to serve. This is something I’d never be able to accomplish, but more power to you if you can!
adapted from Food52
Ingredients
- Topping:
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup finely chopped candied ginger
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Cake:
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon dried ginger
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¾ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cups buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and thinly sliced
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round baking pan.
- To make the ginger crumb topping: Mix sugar, flour, and candied ginger together in a bowl, then stir in melted butter. Put the topping in the freezer while you mix up the cake.
- To make the cake: whisk flour, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Using a handheld mixer with beaters, or a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Stir in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients, and scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Gently fold in rhubarb.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan, then sprinkle the crumb topping over the cake. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until lightly golden, and firm on top.
