Garden Rhubarb

Before coming to Kenya, my aunt and uncle sent me some rhubarb seeds so I could try to grow it here.  I had no idea that you could grow rhubarb from seed (though it's really kind of obvious, when you think of it).  I was amazed and pleased to see this beautiful rhubarb plant appear in my garden:


It actually took almost a year before I could start picking it.  It sprang up quickly after planting, but wilted away and (I thought) died during the dry season.  Once it started raining again, though, I was thrilled to see it appear again.  My first thing to bake was a rhubarb cake because I wanted to try something different.  Honestly, I was rather disappointed.  Not because it was bad (it wasn't bad), but I wished I had made something I knew I loved, like rhubarb bread or custard rhubarb pie.  Nevertheless, I know there will be more rhubarb to come for making those things.

Rhubarb Cake:
2 c. chopped rhubarb
3/4 c. sugar
3 Tbs. butter, softened
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. flour
1 Tbs. cornstarch + 1 c. sugar
2/3 c. boiling water

Pour the chopped rhubarb into the bottom of a 8x8" or 9x9" pan.  Mix together the butter, 3/4 c. sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, extracts, and flour.  Spread the mixture over the rhubarb.  Then, sprinkle the cornstarch + sugar over top of that.  Finally, pour the boiling water over it all.  Bake at 375F for 45 minutes.


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