Tart rhubarb is the star of this rhubarb honey cake that swirls yogurt with a little cornmeal in the batter to produce a rustic, tender cake that's perfect for snacking.
Easy Rhubarb Honey Cake
In my continuing quest - obsession? - to use use rhubarb, especially to make rhubarb compote, 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 swell.
Recipe
Rhubarb Honey Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup plain yogurt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup fine ground cornmeal
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cups chopped rhubarb (about three stalks)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 ℉. 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.
Nutrition
rhubarb!
Anne Zimmerman says
Ohhh, I have some ginger rhubarb compote/syrup stuff. I wonder if that would be good drizzled over the top too... Of course syrup makes me think of whipped cream/ice cream which makes this decidedly not every day.
Anna @ the shady pine says
What a delicious looking cake...I adore rhubarb!