Strawberry Rhubarb Cake

Rhubarb and Strawberries, a great combination (Photo from The Farm Chicks Blog.)

I managed to get some fresh rhubarb at the grocery the other day, it's just about the end of the season here, and I decided to make something a little different than the strawberry-rhubarb crisp or pie that I usually make.  This cake is like an upside down rhubarb cake, with the strawberry cake topped with rhubarb in a buttery caramel topping.

RHUBARB CAKE (From The Farm Chicks Website)

Topping:
3/4 cup of butter
1 ½ cups light brown sugar (not packed0
3 cups of fresh rhubarb cut into ½" to 3/4 “ chunks

Add butter and brown sugar to a saucepan and cook over medium high heat until butter is melted and sugar has dissolved.  Pour into a 9" by 13" baking pan.  Top with rhubarb chunks and set aside while you prepare the caked batter.

Butter and brown sugar cooked to make a caramel-like layer.

Spread rhubarb over the caramel-like layer.

Strawberry cake:
2 heaping cups fresh strawberries, blended to produce 1 ½ cups (I used freshly frozen berries.)
2 ½ cups flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ cup butter, melted
½ cup milk
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Wash and hull strawberries and quarter.  Blend strawberries and measure out 1 ½ cups of the mixture and set aside.

Add flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda to a mixing bowl and stir together. Add butter, milk, and the strawberry mixture and beat at medium speed, scraping bowl as needed, for one minute. Add eggs and beat on high for two minutes, scraping bowl as needed.

The strawberry batter.

Pour batter atop the Rhubarb Topping in the baking pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes until the cake is set in the center, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Into the oven to bake.

Remove from oven and cool for five minutes. After five minutes, loosen cake from edges of the pan with a spatula and invert onto a cooling rack or platter.

Out of the oven.

Serve cake at room temperature as the cake and rhubarb are most flavorful after they've cooled.

Ready to eat.

This cake is so moist and the rhubarb topping gives it a nice tart and buttery flavor.  This recipe is a keeper.