Recipe: Country Rhubarb Cake (2) and Irish Rhubarb Cake for Shay, B.C. Canada

COUNTRY RHUBARB CAKE

"This variation on the classic Irish apple cake has a top and bottom crust made from a biscuitlike dough. You can cut this cake into wedges or dish it out with a spoon like a cobbler."

FOR CAKE:
1 lb fresh rhubarb stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3 cups), or 3 cups frozen rhubarb, thawed after measuring
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup whole milk
2 large eggs (1 separated)
FOR WHISKEY CREAM:
1 cup chilled heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon whiskey (preferably Irish)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

MAKE CAKE:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 10-inch glass or ceramic pie plate or a 2 1/2-quart oval gratin dish and chill.

Toss rhubarb with brown sugar in a bowl until coated.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl until combined well. Blend in butter with a pastry blender or your fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Whisk together milk, whole egg, and yolk. Make a well in center of flour mixture and add milk mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon to gradually incorporate flour and form a soft, sticky dough.

Transfer half of dough to chilled pie plate and pat out over bottom and halfway up side with well-floured hands, then spoon rhubarb and any juices onto dough. Using a tablespoon, spoon remaining dough in small mounds evenly over top.

Lightly beat egg white with a few drops of water, then lightly brush cake with egg wash. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar over top.

Bake cake until top crust is golden and rhubarb is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool, about 30 minutes.

MAKE WHISKEY CREAM:
Beat cream with confectioners sugar, whiskey, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer until it forms stiff peaks.

Serve cake warm or at room temperature with whiskey cream.

Cooks' note:
Cake can be made 4 hours ahead and cooled completely, then kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature. Reheat if desired.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Gourmet, Gourmet Entertains, March 2004

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COUNTRY RHUBARB CAKE

"Both my parents ate this as children, dished straight out of the oven. The fruit and sugar would boil out around the sides, resulting in the gooey, syrupy cake they remember as a heavenly treat. The scone dough is quicker to make than pastry and absorbs the lovely juices better."

SCONE DOUGH:
340g/120z plain flour
1tsp baking soda
pinch salt
50g/ 2oz caster sugar
80g/30z butter
1 egg
175ml/l6fl oz buttermilk
FILLING:
700g/1lb rhubarb, roughly chopped
200-250g/7-9oz sugar
white of 1 egg, whisked
caster sugar to dust

Preheat oven to gas mark 4, 180C, 350F, and grease a 25cm/10 inch deep pie dish.

Sieve flour, baking soda and salt into a mixing bowl. Add caster sugar and rub in butter.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg together with the buttermilk and gradually add this to the flour until a dough is formed. Knead lightly on a floured surface and divide dough into two. Roll out one half and use it to line the pie dish.

Fill the dish with the rhubarb and sprinkle with the sugar.

Roll out the remaining dough to form a pastry lid. Brush the rim of the pastry base with water and put on the lid.

Glaze with the whisked egg white and sprinkle with caster sugar.

Make steam slits in the lid and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned and the fruit is soft.

This pie is also delicious if made with apples.

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IRISH RHUBARB CAKE

"The Irish were well known for creating hearty meals out of simple vegetables. Their rhubarb cake is a fine example of this skill."

2 1/2 cups flour, sifted, divided
2 cups rhubarb
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup milk
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
TOPPING:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Grease and flour a 9x13-inch pan.

Cut up the rhubarb into small pieces then mix rhubarb with 1/2 cup of the flour.

Mix sugar and butter, blend in egg.

Mix milk, salt, baking soda, and vanilla together and blend into rhubarb and remaining flour.

Pour batter into the pan. Mix the sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle this on top.

Bake for 40 minutes at 350F.

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Hi Shay:-) I found these recipes on the internet so have not tried any of them. I hope that one of them will be similar to what you are looking for. Also, maybe someone will post the exact recipe that you had hoped to find.