First rhubarb of the season!!! The patch in my backyard is large and wild and I am about to be swimming in humongo pink stalks of the stuff within the week. There will be rhubarb in everything.
Last year we ended up eating so much rhubarb. I didn't really have much of a game plan for it, I just ended up sticking it in everything and for the most part, it worked out great. Cakes, pies, salads, and soups. Rhubarb can find a place in anything. But for the first rhubarb of the season, I wanted to make something that was all about the rhubarb without too many other flavors to contend with. And I wanted to make something pretty. Rhubarb cake with poppyseeds Sweet and tangy with a little earthiness, great texture, and color. A spring celebration cake if you will and made me very happy.
The mr and my sister were very much pleased with how this cake came out. (It was gone pretty much gone the next day) A cake win for sure and a good start to rhubarb in everything season.
The stuff. Rhubarb and poppyseeds. for all the flavor. Then you need flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, oil (I used coconut but I think any oil would be fine) soy milk, vanilla and a little apple cider vinegar.
Once you get the oven going, chop 2-3 stalks of rhubarb into small pieces about 1/4 inch thick until you have 1 1/2 cups. Take another stalk and cut lengthwise into thin strips for the top of the cake.
In a small bowl mix the oil, sugar, and vanilla together. Add the vinegar to the soy milk.
Whisk together all the dry, add in the poppyseeds then mix in the chopped up rhubarb to coat each piece.
The wet mixture goes into the dry along with the soy milk. Everything mixed until just combined.
Dump the mixture into a well greased pan, level off and sprinkle the top with poppyseeds . Take the thinly sliced rhubarb you reserves and lay on top any way that looks nice to you, giving in a little press into the batter so it stays put.
Now into the hot oven it goes.
And after a time in the oven you get yourself this gem of a cake.
Cooled a bit and ready for eating. A piece or two celebrate.
Rhubarb season has begun. Start it off right with cake!
-C
Rhubarb Poppyseed Cake
Makes a 9x9 square cake
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons poppyseeds
- 3-4 large stalks of rhubarb (1 1/2 cups chopped and a little extra for top)
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 cup soy milk
Preheat oven to 350
Chop rhubarb into 1/4 inch chunks until you have 1 1/2 cups. Extra stalk and slice lengthwise into 4 thin strips and set aside.
In a large bowl whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and 3 tablespoons poppyseeds. In a smaller bowl mix together the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract until completely combined. Add vinegar to soy milk. Toss the chopped rhubarb into the dry mixture and coat the rhubarb pieces. Dump the wet mixture into the dry and add in the milk. Stir together until just combined.
Dump batter into a well greased 9x9 baking pan and level off. Sprinkle the top with remaining 2 tablespoons poppyseeds then lay the thinly cut rhubarb on top anyway you think looks good to you.
Stick the cake into the oven and bake for about 45-50 minutes or until the cake tester(or fork) stuck in the middle comes out clean.
Remove, let cool, then eat at your own pace.