The Tuesday Treat: Rhubarb Cake with Honey + Yogurt

For an explanation of The Tuesday Treat, see here.

Rhubarb-Yogurt Cake with Honey and Yogurt, adapted from the Spoon River Cookbook, via the Boston Globe

In my continuing quest – obsession? – to use all the rhubarb everywhere, all the time, I raided my mum-in-law’s garden this past weekend for rhubarb. I made a small batch of compote on Sunday afternoon, but brought the bulk of my haul home with me. I plan to make more compote or jam this weekend and preserve it for later consumption. I might try a batch of rhubarb muffins. I may make a crumble. Last night, I made a rhubarb cake.

This is a very simple cake to put together but the result is one of the most perfect snacking cakes I’ve come across. It’s not-too-sweet (always a boon in my view), with the honey flavor gently balanced by the good tang of plain yogurt. I swapped in a little cornmeal for the all-purpose flour because I do love a bit of texture – especially in simple cakes. I glazed my version lightly with some lemon juice and sugar, but I don’t think that’s necessary; next time I might add a handful of chopped, toasted walnuts to the butter for some crunch. I might also experiment with using buttermilk – another current obsession – in place of the yogurt, if I have any on hand, but as-is, tinkering aside, this cake is pretty darn swell all around.

Makes 10-12 servings

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups chopped rhubarb (about three stalks)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a deep, 9-inch springform cake pan or one 13 x 9-inch pan.

Cream the butter, then add the honey and brown sugar and continue beating until well mixed. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and yogurt.

Combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and ginger in a separate bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until well blended. Add the rhubarb and stir just until incorporated.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes. The cake is done when a cake tester comes out clean or the top springs back when you lightly press it.

Renee says: It’s the perfect kind of breakfast cake.

Lesli says: I love it because you think it’s going ot be apple, but it’s not apple, it’s rhubarb! And I love rhubarb!