This crazy looking plant is called Rhubarb. It’s actually a vegetable and has a sweet tart taste, making it a perfect ingredient for pies and cakes. My Mom has two of these giant plants in her yard and now is the time to harvest them. Only the red stems are edible, the leafy tops are actually poisonous, so throw the tops in the compost pile. If you don’t have this crazy plant growing in your yard, you can get it from most local grocery stores. It will come with just stems and is now in season, so stock up.
My Mom has been making this delicious Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake for years and it’s still one of my very favorite desserts. With a cakey bottom, strawberry/rhubarb filling, more cake drops on top, and a sugary crumb topping, it’s the perfect start for summer desserts.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake Recipe
For the Cake:
3 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1 t. soda
2 cubes (or 1 cup) butter/margarine, softened
In large bowl, sift dry ingredients together. Add margarine, cut to fine crumbs.
In a separate bowl, mix together:
2 cups buttermilk
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 t. vanilla
Beat liquids together and add to dry ingredients. Spread 1/2 batter in greased 9 x 13″ pan or dish. Add filling then spoon remaining batter in small mounds atop filling.
For the Filling:
In saucepan combine 3 cups fresh or 1 – 13 oz. pkg. frozen unsweetened rhubarb (cut in 1/2 pieces, and 1 – 16 oz frozen sliced strawberries thawed, or 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced.
On low heat, cook fruit covered about 5 min. Add 2 T lemon juice. Combine 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup cornstarch. Add to rhubarb mixture. Cook and stir 4 – 5 min. until thickened and bubbly. Cool before spreading on batter.
Spread cooled rhubarb filling over the bottom batter in pan.
For the Topping:
3/4 c. sugar, 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup margarine.
Combine sugar, flour; cut in margarine as before, to fine crumbs over batter in pan.
Sprinkle sugar crumbs topping over batter in pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 min. Cool slightly. Serve with scoop of vanilla ice cream and devour!
Here is a great site talking all about Rhubarb. There are lots of recipes and other uses for Rhubarb. What recipes have you made? My Mom still has tons of stalks in the backyard and we’re looking for some different recipes to use it with.
{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
Mom mom used to make this too. My grandparents had it growing in their garden. I’m going to have to go get some; I haven’t had it for such a long time. :)
MMMMM… that looks SO good!
we always make the rhubarb cake in the summer :) and rhubarb drinks :)
I just returned from the grocery store but I’m heading back for rhubarb!
My mum used to make this every summer and recently we couldn’t find the recipe she used, so thank you from the both of us!!!
We love rhubarb and have a giant plant in the backyard. We used it for strawberry-rhubarb jam a few weeks ago (you can’t make freezer jam, the rhubarb is a bit tough so you have to cook it) and it has such a nice tart bite. But rhubarb drinks …. I’ll have to find a recipe!
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I love that most of you are already in love with Rhubarb.
letrodectus – I will have to get that Drink recipe.
Renee – I’m glad that you found the recipe, glad to help out.
Amanda – Ooooo, Strawberry-Rhubarb jam sounds delish. I will need that recipe too. Thanks.
mmm… delicious. I usually make green and brown rhubarb-jam in the summer.
I just put this in the oven– I’m so excited to see how it turns out. I cut the sugar in 1/3 or 1/2 in each section, but the batter still tastes divine. Thanks for a fun, out of the ordinary recipe!
This looks so delish! Will have to give it a go.
My mom has rhubarb in her backyard. I might have to go down and cut some.
The low sugar attempt was successful! It really let the rhubarb be the star of the dish.
How lucky are you! That looks delicious!
I’ve been trying to get my wife to make a rhubarb crumble for about 6 years now and no luck so far! However she loves Strawberries so I’m going to give her this recipe and see if that is enogh to seal-the -deal.
Thanks, from a hungry blogger…
EWian – I need that green and brown Rhubarb Jam recipe!
Julie A – I am going to have to try cutting out some of the sugar next time. Rhubarb is the Star of the dish!
Duncan – The strawberries make it a perfect combo of sweet and tart. Good Luck with your wife, maybe you could make it and surprise her!
we made this today for Father’s day, and it was delicious – thanks for the recipe!!!
wow. i made this like three times now and it is just ahh-mazing ! I am making it now for my grandma for her birthday and i will make it again for the 4th of july. yummyyy ! totally a family favorite ! : )
Thank-you for this wonderful looking recipe!! I must make this! I just love rhubarb anything with ice cream and this looks like it just could be one of my favorites!
This is now my favortie rhubarb recipe!! Love it!! Thank you so much for sharing
I usually don?t post in Blogs but your blog forced me to, amazing work.. beautiful ?
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