Rhubarb Coffeecake

Have you tried Carol Barthel’s rhubarb muffin recipe yet? If not, now you’ll be in a quandary whether to bake rhubarb muffins or coffeecake.

Carol got this recipe from a friend a year or so ago and wrote the words “Very good” on her recipe card. Recently she made it for company and told them she couldn’t remember who she had gotten it from but wanted to serve it to them because “it’s so delicious.”

You’ve probably guessed by now that her guest for this scrumptious coffeecake was the one who had given her the recipe originally. What a coincidental compliment! CJK

Rhubarb Coffeecake

(Carol Barthel)

Bottom Layer

1/2 cup shortening

1  1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup (8 oz.) sour cream

2 cups finely diced rhubarb

Topping

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 tbsp. butter, melted

1 tsp. cinnamon

Whipped cream or whipped topping, optional

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 8x8-inch glass baking pans* (or one 9x13-inch glass baking pan).

Cream shortening and brown sugar together in a mixing bowl. Beat in the egg. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. Fold in the rhubarb. Pour into prepared baking pan/s.

Combine the topping ingredients; sprinkle over the batter. Bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes if using 8x8-inch baking pans (or for 30 to 35 minutes if using 9x13-inch pan) or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack. Serve with whipped cream or whipped topping, if desired. (May be frozen for up to 6 months.)

  

Yield: 18-24 servings

A note from Carol Barthel: *I usually bake this when I have company coming over and prefer to bake it in two 8x8-inch baking pans. I serve one pan to my guests and put the other one in the freezer for another time down the road. I always serve it with whipped cream.

A note from Carol J-K: Rhubarb is highly acidic — to avoid a chemical reaction while cooking or baking with it, use stainless steel, glass, enameled or nonstick pans. Aluminum or uncoated iron pans will turn the mixture gray.