Lemon Rhubarb Bundt Cake

I had to make a quick cake for a potluck at church on Sunday and devised this Lemon Rhubarb Bundt Cake.

The rhubarb for the cake came from a trusty rhubarb plant that my dad gave me more than five years ago. I enjoy having it in my yard because it doesn't need any special attention and it just keeps coming back year after year. Plus, I love rhubarb and it is expensive to buy in the grocery store - last time I checked it was $4.99 a pound!

My trusty rhubarb plant.

Bundt Cakes are great for potlucks because they are easy to tote and serve. All you have to do is put the cake on a cardboard round and cover it with plastic wrap.

I added lemon flavor to the cake by adding lemon juice to the batter and to the glaze I put on top.

Here's the recipe:

Lemon Rhubarb Bundt Cake

2 cups rhubarb, finely diced
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 3-quart bundt cake pan. Be sure to grease the pan generously and get every nook and cranny or you will have trouble releasing the cake.

Put the first five ingredients into a bowl, mix well and set aside.

The rhubarb with a bit of sugar, vanilla, almond extract and just a pinch of salt.

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs, canola oil, lemon juice and vanilla and mix well. In a another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with adding the milk. Mix until thoroughly combined. Fold in the walnuts. 

The cake batter.

Put 1/3 of the batter in the pan. Add 1/2 of the rhubarb mixture evenly on top. Repeat and finally add the last 1/3 of the batter.

The first third of the batter with half of the rhubarb mixture.

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool for about 5 minutes then quickly invert it onto a cooling rack. While the cake is still warm, drizzle it with the glaze.

Let the cake cool for just a bit before inverting it onto a cooling rack and drizzling it with the glaze.

Lemon Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Put the sugar in a small bowl, add the lemon juice and mix until the sugar has dissolved and the glaze is smooth.

Rhubarb Berry Crumb Bars

Placing the finished bars in cupcake liners made them easy to serve.

I made these Rhubarb Berry Crumb bars to sell at the Springsteen Tribute Concert and they were so easy and such a hit that I have to share the recipe.

I found a recipe called Blueberry Crumb Bars online on the allrecipes.com site. The recipe was rated 4.5 out of 5 stars and there was a note at the top that said "you can use any berry you like." I love a tried and true and versatile recipe.

Because I added a healthy dose of tart rhubarb to the recipe thanks to my sister's jumbo rhubarb crop, I increased the sugar in the filling mixture by 1/4 cup and the cornstarch by 1 teaspoon. I also added a teaspoon of vanilla extract and a pinch of sea salt which I believe enhances the flavor of rhubarb.

Rhubarb Berry Crumb Bars

Crumb Mixture:
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups flour
1 cup shortening
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Filling:
3 cups berries (I used a combination of blueberry, raspberry and blackberry and frozen works just fine)
1 cup rhubarb, finely diced
3/4 cup sugar
4 heaping teaspoons cornstarch
pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a 9 x 13 inch pan.

In a medium sized bowl make the crumb mixture by combining the sugar, baking powder, flour and cinnamon. Add the shortening and break it into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. I like to use my fingers to do this. Add the egg, mix well and set aside.

In another bowl, make filling by adding all the ingredients and mixing well.

To Assemble:
Press half of the crumb mixture into the bottom of the greased pan. Spread the filling evenly over the bottom layer. Crumble the remaining crumb mixture evenly over the filling layer.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the top is slightly brown and the filling is bubbling. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Be sure to let the bars cool completely before cutting.