“Where would we be without salt?” – James Beard

Rhubarb Cake

As the last of the plates were cleared grandma disappeared from the table. A moment later she returned carrying with her an aged tin box containing over 50 years of collected recipes. The lid no longer able to close as hundreds of  handwritten recipe cards and yellowed newspaper recipes packed tightly inside.

For the next hour I sat at the table oblivious to the squeals of the children around me and the conversation that continued as I tucked into the recipes already making plans to copy dozens of them. I held that box and imagined all the dinners that came from its contents. The cards themselves stained from the food that fed my dad and his four siblings.

I was holding a treasure. I felt the great value of that box and was so honored that grandma had thought to show it to me.

“Why don’t you take it?” She said.

I sat still for a moment reveling in her offer. It didn’t take much of her insistence before I held the box tighter overjoyed at this gift.

One of the reasons this blog exists is to create a similar sort of collection for my family. Instead of a tin box studded with blue and orange flowers this site houses our recipes as a sort of memoir of our meals. I am so eager to interweave in these pages the recipes that my grandma deemed worthy of feeding her family and entertaining the people who she graciously opened her home to.

Within minutes of riffling through the cards I found a recipe for Rhubarb Cake. It is no secret that I revel in the arrival of Spring mainly for the sake of Rhubarb so I knew this cake would be the first recipe I’d try.

What I find particularly endearing about these recipes is that there is little more than a list of simple ingredients. The few words written to describe the process show an assumed knowledge that is quite lost in our generation. I find the missing details freeing and the reminder that baking wasn’t always such a fearful act that required scales and a degree in chemistry. My grandmother’s and my mother knew how to bake by the feel of the batter and the way the dough reacted to their touch.

I creamed the butter and sugar by hand just as I imagined grandma did. There is something I find quite romantic about relying solely on a wooden spoon to bring a batter together. As the brown sugar and butter lightened in color and my arm felt a bit of a burn from the mixing I tossed in the remaining ingredients and sent the cake into a hot oven.

What emerged was a dense cake studded with tart rhubarb and scented with cinnamon making it the perfect cake to transition from Winter to Spring. I used its hearty texture and the presence of a vegetable as an excuse to enjoy it for breakfast – twice. And with an afternoon cup of coffee it paired quite nicely as well.

Grandma was wise to tuck this one away and now thanks to her, I’ve done the same.

 

Rhubarb Cake

The simplicity of this cake makes it the perfect solution when a sudden urge to bake emerges. I made a few adjustments to the original recipe – enough to make it feel more me while still maintaining the feel of grandma. 

2 cups chopped (rough 1/2″) rhubarb

1/2 cup (not packed) brown sugar

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, soft

1 cup (not packed) brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup plain whole milk yogurt

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup semolina flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

 

Butter and flour a 8 or 9″ (2″ high) round cake pan.

Pre-heat your oven to 350*

In a small bowl add the rhubarb and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Let that sit for 30 minutes.

In a large bowl cream the butter and 1 cup brown sugar until light. Add the egg and vanilla. Add the rhubarb mixture and yogurt. Stir well. In another bowl whisk together the dry ingredients then add it to the rest of the ingredients stirring well to combine.

Spread in your prepared pan and bake for 50- 60 minutes or until the middle of the cake springs back when lightly pressed.

Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing from the pan and cooling completely on a wire rack.

Store well-covered for up to three days.

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45 Comments

  1. Posted March 29, 2012 at 12:04 AM | Permalink

    Now I have to find rhubarb…because this cake looks amazing and I have to make it!

  2. Posted March 29, 2012 at 12:49 AM | Permalink

    Totally gorgeous! I adore rhubarb – it just tastes totally like spring to me! Such a great sweet-tart flavor. This cake looks wonderful!

  3. Posted March 29, 2012 at 1:35 AM | Permalink

    Oh you’re so lucky to have those recipes! My mum threw out her recipe notebook with 7 years worth of Italian home-made recipes as she thought they were too outdated. I still sit in shock over that stupid decsion of hers… This cake looks perfect!

  4. Posted March 29, 2012 at 4:29 AM | Permalink

    I know I will like this from the plain and simple title. Rhubarb is a favorite of mine to bake with. I have so much right now too!!

  5. Posted March 29, 2012 at 6:21 AM | Permalink

    Ohh I love this ash! Fresh, bright and springy. My man is a HUGE rhubarb fanatic. I shall try this :) Soon come.

  6. Posted March 29, 2012 at 7:20 AM | Permalink

    yummy! How sweet of your grandma to give you such a treasure. I am definitely trying this one. Can’t wait to read more of Grandma’s recipes ;)

  7. Posted March 29, 2012 at 7:41 AM | Permalink

    What a gift. Love how you captured the cake. Just lovely!

  8. Tanya Frost
    Posted March 29, 2012 at 7:43 AM | Permalink

    How thoughtful and what a great way to pass on memories to your children. After my husbands g-ma passed, one of his aunts made a ‘recipe box’ for all the grand children and great grands. It is something I treasure, especially at Christmas!

  9. Posted March 29, 2012 at 7:45 AM | Permalink

    This reminded me of my grandmother and her treasured recipes. At Christmas this past year, she gave me her recipes. As I looked through them, I was struck by how worn they were. There were side notes from her friends on them, scribblings in her own handwriting, magazine recipes from way back when and more. It is such a delightful treasure of my family history. Thank you for provoking the memory!

    By the way, the cake sounds delicious!

  10. Posted March 29, 2012 at 8:09 AM | Permalink

    BEAUTIFUL.

  11. Trace
    Posted March 29, 2012 at 8:43 AM | Permalink

    I kinda wish you’d included the recipe box lurking in the background on one of the pics. When you described it I felt like I wanted to see it, touch it, hold it. There’s a powerful connection to family through handed down recipes.

  12. Posted March 29, 2012 at 8:44 AM | Permalink

    Trace – I know, I’m such a tease. It’s coming in the next post, along with cookies. :)

  13. Posted March 29, 2012 at 8:46 AM | Permalink

    Kat – Isn’t it amazing? I’m guarding them closely while at the same time enjoying the thoughts of putting a few of my own stains on the cards and hopefully my children will have the desire to stain them also when they grow up.

  14. Posted March 29, 2012 at 8:50 AM | Permalink

    I’ll be keeping this one in the coffers. Looks incredible!

  15. Posted March 29, 2012 at 10:24 AM | Permalink

    We’re currently searching for my grandma’s recipe box. She passed away when I was little, and we don’t know who has it, but it has become very clear to everyone that it should be in my possession…mainly because that way the recipes will actually get used. And my mom can tell me when they aren’t right.

  16. Posted March 29, 2012 at 10:28 AM | Permalink

    What a great story! It’s so great your grandmother has so many recipes to share with you. I too love mixing doughs and batters entirely by hand, in addition to being fearless when experimenting during the baking process. The cake looks amazing; I’ll be making it soon : )

  17. Posted March 29, 2012 at 11:00 AM | Permalink

    I can’t wait until our rhubarb is ready! Lovely cake!

  18. Posted March 29, 2012 at 12:26 PM | Permalink

    I will be making this as soon as rhubarb starts showing up in our farmers’ market!

  19. Posted March 29, 2012 at 7:01 PM | Permalink

    Deanna – I do hope you find it! I think that’s the very reason why I became the lucky owner of the recipe box – Grandma knew how much I would appreciate it and that I would use it. She was right.

  20. Posted March 29, 2012 at 7:10 PM | Permalink

    I feel a little like I’m six again, stealing sugar cubes from grandmother. Or if my grandmother made rhubarb cake, sitting at her kitchen table. Lovely. Just lovely.

  21. Posted March 29, 2012 at 7:20 PM | Permalink

    Sara – So true. It tastes of Spring. I love it.

  22. Posted March 29, 2012 at 7:25 PM | Permalink

    Lovely post, Ashley. I have my grandmother’s recipe cards and her copy of The Joy of Cooking tucked safely away in my cabinet, but I can’t say I’ve used any of her recipes yet. Your grandmother’s rhubarb cake looks wonderful and I love the clean, white photos!

  23. Posted March 29, 2012 at 11:30 PM | Permalink

    What an absolutely wonderful gift. My granny has old notebooks full of recipes and many of them have passed on to me over the years.

    This cake looks beautiful – simple but so full of flavour. Gorgeous.

  24. Posted March 30, 2012 at 6:52 AM | Permalink

    What a lovely cake, Ashley. I have never eaten rhubarb in my life, it is not very common in Greece. Now that I’m living in The Netherlands I can easily find it yet I never seem to buy it :)
    You are tempting me with your cake!

  25. Lindsey
    Posted March 30, 2012 at 8:03 AM | Permalink

    Thank you for sharing! I am thinking of making this for Easter. Just a quick question: I have never worked with semolina flour? Is there anything different to preparing it than with bakers flour?

  26. Posted March 30, 2012 at 9:47 AM | Permalink

    What a wonderful gift! I received a similar gift last year. My grandmother wrote a food column in a magazine during the 60s, and my mom gave me her bound archives. It’s like being in the kitchen with her! This rhubarb cake looks perfect for early spring.

  27. Posted March 30, 2012 at 9:56 AM | Permalink

    That cake looks so rustic and comforting! I like how simple these recipes are. It looks so fluffy…

  28. Posted March 30, 2012 at 10:44 AM | Permalink

    I absolutely adore your photography, but this particularly post with all it’s white was beautiful. I aspire to get photos like yours.

  29. Posted March 31, 2012 at 10:02 AM | Permalink

    A thousand times YES!! ” The few words written to describe the process show an assumed knowledge that is quite lost in our generation. I find the missing details freeing and the reminder that baking wasn’t always such a fearful act that required scales and a degree in chemistry. My grandmother’s and my mother knew how to bake by the feel of the batter and the way the dough reacted to their touch.”

  30. Posted March 31, 2012 at 5:07 PM | Permalink

    This cake looks so good. I’ve never made a rhubarb cake. I did cook some with some strawberries to go over yoghurt but that’s as close as I get to rhubarb these days. I’ll have to try this.

  31. Posted April 1, 2012 at 4:19 AM | Permalink

    Beautiful!

  32. Brandi Bailey
    Posted April 1, 2012 at 1:55 PM | Permalink

    Wow! What an incredible gift!! I’d love to see that recipe box sometime! Wow…

  33. Posted April 1, 2012 at 6:14 PM | Permalink

    ah, rhubarb. you are speaking my language…

  34. Posted April 1, 2012 at 9:00 PM | Permalink

    Maureen – You must. Rhubarb is such a joy to work with – floral, tart, and blends well with so many other great flavors. Let me know if you try it!

  35. Posted April 1, 2012 at 9:01 PM | Permalink

    Ann – Thanks so much. I really appreciate that. Go have a look in my archives and you’ll feel better I’m sure. I’ve had a lot of practice. The more I shoot the more I learn.

  36. Posted April 1, 2012 at 9:03 PM | Permalink

    Nicole – That is so cool! What an incredible gift.

  37. Posted April 1, 2012 at 9:03 PM | Permalink

    Magda – The Netherlands?! Jealous. I hope I’ve tempted you enough to buy some. Is it ready over there yet?

  38. Posted April 1, 2012 at 9:04 PM | Permalink

    I’m so excited about the arrival of Spring (and rhubarb!!) Your grandmother’s cake reminds me of the sorts of cake my mom and grandma bake and baked…honest, simple, full of love. The true taste of home!

  39. Posted April 2, 2012 at 8:22 AM | Permalink

    Hey all! Very important message here. When I first posted the recipe I failed to mention the yogurt. Crazy, right?! I feel horribly for those who may have printed the recipe before I made the change. It’s all good now. Happy Rhubarb cake making!!

  40. Posted April 5, 2012 at 4:39 PM | Permalink

    Hi Ashley!

    I saw this recipe yesterday and made it last night. I LOVE rhubarb! My father loves it too. It reminds us of his mother who grew it in her backyard and would make the only recipe that she knew by heart- Rhubarb pie.

    I have never cooked with rhubarb myself, but lady, this was easy peasy! The batter was super thick, which I wasn’t expecting but the cake turned out super dense. I had some of the parts that stuck to the bottom of the pan last night and it was sooooo yummy! I plan to do a light dusting with powered sugar before I serve it.

  41. Posted April 10, 2012 at 11:40 AM | Permalink

    Simply beautiful! I’m checking in on my rhubarb plant every day now, waiting for it to be ready to bake with. Yum!!!

  42. Brianne Wright
    Posted April 11, 2012 at 7:54 AM | Permalink

    Wait… Doesn’t your dad have five siblings? I’m telling my dad you left him out ;)

  43. Julia
    Posted April 11, 2012 at 3:08 PM | Permalink

    Nigella has a rhubarb cinnamon cake made with yogurt and polenta (instead of semolina). I thought you might like a look-see just to see if the method looks good for you, just in case, for next time.

    A lovely story and a lovely post. your cake looks a delight. Thanks for sharing :o ))

    http://trufflebird.blogspot.co.uk/2008/03/nigellas-rhubarb-cornmeal-cake.html

  44. Posted April 13, 2012 at 7:54 PM | Permalink

    Brianne – oops. 6 kids?! How did she do it?

  45. Natalie Rose
    Posted April 18, 2012 at 4:42 PM | Permalink

    I made this delightful cake this morning, and then brought it in to school. A huge success! I hadn’t realized how much I’d been craving rhubarb all winter until I took a bite. Thank you for sharing- I can’t wait for more of your grandma’s recipes!

5 Trackbacks

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