Rhubarb Coffee Cake

This is one of my favourite springtime desserts. Rhubarb is only in season for a short time, so I always make this coffee cake recipe when I have the chance.

This coffee cake recipe is a twist on one my mom used to make. Her's didn't have rhubarb, and the coffee cake layer was on top, but I much prefer it in the middle of my coffee cake, hence why I made this recipe! I barely bake, I much prefer to cook, so you know when I'm putting up a baking recipe it's a winner! This isn't a thick cake, it's thinner, which makes it the perfect dessert for after a big meal or with a coffee or tea in the afternoon. This recipe is also egg-free!

Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Serves 6-8

What you'll need:

Filling/topping

1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar

1 1/4 cup (156g) all-purpose flour

4 tsp cinnamon

10 tbsp (145g) cold butter, cubed

Cake

1 1/2 cup (300g) brown sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup sour milk (mix 1 cup milk with 1 tbsp white vinegar)

2 cups choppped fresh rhubarb

1/2 cup (115g) butter, melted

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 X 13 baking pan (or 2 8-inch round cake pans (if using cake pans, you also want to line them with parchment paper on the bottom)), set aside.

To make the filling/topping: combine packed brown sugar, flour and cinnamon in a medium bowl. crumble in the cubed butter and use your hands to mix until the texture is similar to wet sand (some large chunks of butter can remain), keep in the fridge until ready to use. For the cake: combine brown sugar, salt, baking soda, and flour in a large mixing bowl until well mixed. Then add the vanilla, sour milk, rhubarb and melted butter, mix until not steaks of flour remain, but do not over mix. If using a 9 X 13 baking pan: pour half the cake batter into the pan, remove the filling/topping from the fridge and sprinkle half the filling over the cake batter, doing your best to sprinkle it in an even layer. Top the filling with the remaining cake batter, followed by the remaining topping. If using 2 8-inch cake pans: pour 1/4 of the cake batter into both cake pans, remove the filling/topping from the fridge and sprinkle 1/4 of the filling over the cake batter in both pans, doing your best to sprinkle it in an even layer. Divide the remaining cake batter in half then add each half to each of the cake pans (on top of the filling). Divide the remaining topping in half, then add to each of the cake pans. Bake for 45-50 mins until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cut and serve the 9 x 13 cake straight from the pan. The 8-inch cakes can be turned out of the pans once completely cool, but be careful as the cake is delicate. Top with icing sugar and serve.

Enjoy, my friends!