Rhubarb Crumb Cake

13. June 2007 Baked Goods + Desserts + Drinks 0

When Melissa Clark of The New York Times published this recipe, I read it over and over until I completely understood the process. I needed to make sure that making a crumb cake won’t require a Kitchen Air mixer. I don’t have one because I rarely bake, but the Dr. absolutely loves any type of dessert that has tart in it. The first time I ever baked with rhubarb, he ate every crisp. It’s spring and rhubarb is out in the markets–I wanted that reaction from him again. What can I say? I aim to please.

I made a mistake and left out 6 tablespoons of butter to make the cake. My version came out perfectly dense with the right amount of moisture and fluff, so I’m keeping the extra butter out from the recipe below. I started preparing at 9pm and the Dr. was eating his share by 11pm. At least he brought the vanilla ice cream with him.

Ingredients:
For the rhubarb filling:
6 stalks of rhubarb, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsps cornstarch

For the crumbs:
1 3/4 cups of flour
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 stick of butter, melted in microwave for 30 seconds
a pinch of salt

For the cake:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

1. Using some of the melted butter, grease an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Set aside.
2. Prepare the rhubarb filling. In a big glass bowl, toss the rhubarb with the sugar, ginger and cornstarch. Set aside.
3. Make crumbs. In another large glass bowl, whisk together brown and white sugars, spices, salt and melted butter until smooth. Stir in flour with a spatula. They should look like, well, crumbs. Set aside.
4. Preheat oven to 325Âº while preparing the cake. In another large glass bowl, stir together the sour cream, egg and egg yolk, with the vanilla. Mix in the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt using a spatula. Keep folding until it has the consistency of batter.
5. Scoop about half of the cake batter into the greased baking dish, covering the bottom. Spoon rhubarb filling over batter. Then cover with the rest of the batter over the rhubarb. This layering doesn’t have to be even. Using your fingers, scoop the crumbs and sprinkle on top of the rhubarb-filled cake batter.
6. Bake crumb cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean of batter, about 55 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on table counter before serving with vanilla ice cream.