The Flower in the Stem: Rhubarb Cake
Confession: I have never eaten rhubarb. Sure, sure, I’ve heard about rhubarb pie but remained bewildered. Turns out I had a case of stalkism, prejudging it as red celery… celery being one of my least favorite vegetables. Though I embrace new experiences, trying rhubarb was pretty low on my list. That is until running across a recipe posted by C’est La Vegan, a gorgeous vegan food blog/online bakery storefront/catering co. out of Los Angeles, for Rhubarb Cake. I knew it was time to give this vegetable a shot, especially since summer is its peak season.
For easy navigation and future use, I will repost the adapted recipe here. The cake base for this recipe was absolutely delicious. I could have spooned myself its entirety. My very minor alterations are noted and highly suggested. Sorry, in advance, for all the parentheticals.
1 cup soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3 cups diced rhubarb (I diced into 1/4 inch pieces and used about 7 stalks)
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I used cake flour because it’s been in my pantry since the Bush administration.)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Earth Balance (Let’s call a spade a spade and give EB credit for being thee non-dairy margarine)
1 1/4 cups sugar (It’s a lot of sugar, I know, I know. I used super-fine caster sugar because… I had it.)
1 1/2 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer
2 tablespoons warm water
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
For the topping:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (I would play around with other topping options next time. Cinnamon gets on my nerves sometimes.)
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8X11 pan.
2) Mix the vinegar into the soy milk and set aside for curdling.
3) Prep the rhubarb. Remember that the leaves are poisonous. The green part of the stalk is fine but the red is prettier. Use both. Don’t be shallow.
4) Measure the flour, baking soda and salt into a bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
5) Cream together the margarine and sugar in a large bowl. No need for a hand mixer.
6) Mix the egg replacer with the warm water, and add this along with the vanilla extract to the creamed mixture.
7) Mix well, scraping down the sides as needed. Then add in the soy milk mixture.
8) Add the flour mixture, and mix just until combined.
9) Fold the rhubarb in and pour the batter into pan. Leave some in the bowl to lick.
10) Mix up your topping. Sprinkle on evenly.
11) Bake for 20 minutes, rotate the pan around, and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
12) Let it cool and then slice.
13) Hold it on a pretty plate and take a picture.
14) Let a piece sit there on the table defenseless.
15) Eat.
