My Nana made me rhubarb pie as a kid that was and will always be my favorite dessert. It wasn’t until I was older that I even learned that strawberry rhubarb was a thing. I planted some rhubarb in her memory when I moved three years ago and I’m always looking for just rhubarb recipes so super excited to find this. Came back on to say I made it tonight and although I haven’t eaten it yet (saving for dinner with friends tomorrow) I can tell it’s going to be good! Unfortunately I only had a 9” by 2” pain so I modified by putting less batter in and it seems to have worked ok, but I’m getting a bigger pan before I make it again!
Love it! The use of the lemon is spot on! I’m all about the rhubarb component, but I think you could also just do the batter as a cake alone and then could add different kinds of fruit, whipped cream, vanilla ice cream…just a great cake base for a summer cake.
At one of the Mastermind meetings when asked what vegetable/fruit I missed in the new place, without hesitation, I said "rhubarb". Nobody grows it here. (I'll have to start, I know.) With its pink colour, it becomes a promise of "la vie en rose" that follows the dark and cold winter. While still in To, I used to experiment with making savoury things and would pickle it.
I'd happily eat that cake. No strawberries, I agree.
I had no idea forced rhubarb used to be so popular! As a *huge* rhubarb fan, I'm embarrassed to say that I only sampled it a few years ago — and still find the price inaccessible in New York!
It still is! I didn’t grow up with rhubarb and now it’s one of my favourite things. Our farmers’ market has a few stands with rhubarb so I’m lucky—it’s really well priced.
What a gorgeous centerpiece of cut rhubarb! And I love that you used solely rhubarb in this tart. I’m honestly not a fan of rhubarb and strawberry together (maybe because rhubarb is gone before strawberries really come into season, at least where I live) but just rhubarb as the star is something I can get behind! So lovely, Elizabeth!
My grandma used to grow rhubarb and was famous for her strawberry rhubarb pies. So, I always feel a little bit nostalgic about it. A couple of years ago I started working on a recipe for strawberry rhubarb cake and never finished it. Your recipe is just the inspiration I need.
That looks wonderful! I think I tried rhubarb for the first time in the UK. I don’t really use it much, but I remember it tasting really good, and I think it’s pretty easy to grow, at least it is in England. Not sure how it does here in California.
My guess is it would grow extremely well—it tends to have incredible staying power. I didn’t grow up eating rhubarb, but it really is one of my favourite seasonal ingredients.
I moved my rhubarb last fall to a new location where I thought it would do better. Now I have two plants and both are thriving. Stewed rhubarb with a dollop of yoghurt tonight.
When i can find rhubarb i make a mean compote with apples too but i also like rhubarb jam . Yum thanks for lesson another reason to oneday visit Washington!
My goodness this cake looks superb Elizabeth. Rheum palmatum is a wonder old herb in our material medica. It’s a favourite gut cleaning herb with a relatively gentle action. It’s also well used in TCM, but I think if I had to choose, I’d prefer it in your cake than in a medicine cup.
A lovely tribute to rhubarb—one of my favorite vegetables with the soul of a fruit (so perfectly put!). Also didn’t realize that Sumner, WA (where my grandparents lived for many years is the rhubarb pie capital. So fun! Also have made and love that rhubarb cake—may need to revisit soon!
Thanks Kerry! I have so many favourite rhubarb recipes that I'm going to try and work through in the next few weeks, but this cake really is the one I start with every time 💕
I learned something new from this piece. Rhubarb joins a surprisingly long list of foods that began somewhere else and became so thoroughly European that most people no longer think of them as immigrants. Like tea from China, sugar from India, citrus from Southeast Asia, coffee from Ethiopia, and cardamom from the forests of southern India, rhubarb made an extraordinary journey. A medicinal root traded from China eventually became one of the most English foods imaginable, celebrated in Yorkshire's Rhubarb Triangle and baked into generations of crumbles and pies. Few things are more European than rhubarb and custard, yet the plant itself began its story thousands of miles away.
It is quite a marvelous vegetable, and like so much of Mother Nature's bounty, so beautifully complex and much more than what we initially see on the surface.
My Nana made me rhubarb pie as a kid that was and will always be my favorite dessert. It wasn’t until I was older that I even learned that strawberry rhubarb was a thing. I planted some rhubarb in her memory when I moved three years ago and I’m always looking for just rhubarb recipes so super excited to find this. Came back on to say I made it tonight and although I haven’t eaten it yet (saving for dinner with friends tomorrow) I can tell it’s going to be good! Unfortunately I only had a 9” by 2” pain so I modified by putting less batter in and it seems to have worked ok, but I’m getting a bigger pan before I make it again!
Oh I’m so glad! Please let me know how you like it. It really is one of my favourite spring desserts 💕
Love it! The use of the lemon is spot on! I’m all about the rhubarb component, but I think you could also just do the batter as a cake alone and then could add different kinds of fruit, whipped cream, vanilla ice cream…just a great cake base for a summer cake.
Great idea—peaches would be delicious!
At one of the Mastermind meetings when asked what vegetable/fruit I missed in the new place, without hesitation, I said "rhubarb". Nobody grows it here. (I'll have to start, I know.) With its pink colour, it becomes a promise of "la vie en rose" that follows the dark and cold winter. While still in To, I used to experiment with making savoury things and would pickle it.
I'd happily eat that cake. No strawberries, I agree.
I had no idea forced rhubarb used to be so popular! As a *huge* rhubarb fan, I'm embarrassed to say that I only sampled it a few years ago — and still find the price inaccessible in New York!
It still is! I didn’t grow up with rhubarb and now it’s one of my favourite things. Our farmers’ market has a few stands with rhubarb so I’m lucky—it’s really well priced.
What a gorgeous centerpiece of cut rhubarb! And I love that you used solely rhubarb in this tart. I’m honestly not a fan of rhubarb and strawberry together (maybe because rhubarb is gone before strawberries really come into season, at least where I live) but just rhubarb as the star is something I can get behind! So lovely, Elizabeth!
Thank you Betty! And I agree—somehow the combination is a bit mushy and neither here nor there for my liking (although I love both of them).
completely agree! the only way I've made the combo work is by cooking them separately and adding an obscene amount of orange zest...
Orange and rhubarb are sooo good together. I’ve made rhubarb and blood orange jam before and it was delicious!
My grandma used to grow rhubarb and was famous for her strawberry rhubarb pies. So, I always feel a little bit nostalgic about it. A couple of years ago I started working on a recipe for strawberry rhubarb cake and never finished it. Your recipe is just the inspiration I need.
Hooray! I love being any part of an inspiration for your wonderful recipes, Rebecca. Now’s the time…😊
That looks wonderful! I think I tried rhubarb for the first time in the UK. I don’t really use it much, but I remember it tasting really good, and I think it’s pretty easy to grow, at least it is in England. Not sure how it does here in California.
My guess is it would grow extremely well—it tends to have incredible staying power. I didn’t grow up eating rhubarb, but it really is one of my favourite seasonal ingredients.
I moved my rhubarb last fall to a new location where I thought it would do better. Now I have two plants and both are thriving. Stewed rhubarb with a dollop of yoghurt tonight.
You can never have too much rhubarb! 😊 Stewed rhubarb seems to be a favourite here.
With cinnamon. Our mutual friend Amela says she puts cinnamon in everything now. I do much the same.
Well, if you both do it…😊. Cinnamon has so many wonderful properties. I know someone who is allergic to it and that makes me sad.
I can’t imagine. That would leave so many dishes far too bland.
When i can find rhubarb i make a mean compote with apples too but i also like rhubarb jam . Yum thanks for lesson another reason to oneday visit Washington!
I love rhubarb jam too!
My goodness this cake looks superb Elizabeth. Rheum palmatum is a wonder old herb in our material medica. It’s a favourite gut cleaning herb with a relatively gentle action. It’s also well used in TCM, but I think if I had to choose, I’d prefer it in your cake than in a medicine cup.
I think I must agree with your professional assessment 🤓.
It’s settled then, cake it is.
I made a yummy rhubarb compote this weekend, and I want, no need, more! :-)
Can never get enough rhubarb! 🥰
A lovely piece, Elizabeth - beautiful images and a stunning looking cake 😮💨 Could eat an embarrassing amount with lashings of custard!
Thank you Mark! I like the way you think 🤓
A lovely tribute to rhubarb—one of my favorite vegetables with the soul of a fruit (so perfectly put!). Also didn’t realize that Sumner, WA (where my grandparents lived for many years is the rhubarb pie capital. So fun! Also have made and love that rhubarb cake—may need to revisit soon!
Thanks Kerry! I have so many favourite rhubarb recipes that I'm going to try and work through in the next few weeks, but this cake really is the one I start with every time 💕
I make so much with rhubarb during its short season that my family is sick of it by the end! Not me, though! 😂
Very interesting. And that’s a nice looking cake.
It really is.
You're making me hungry!
I hear you might know a baker that can help you out 😊
I just finished demolishing a rhubarb pie by myself over two days! Heaven!
That would be heaven for sure!
I learned something new from this piece. Rhubarb joins a surprisingly long list of foods that began somewhere else and became so thoroughly European that most people no longer think of them as immigrants. Like tea from China, sugar from India, citrus from Southeast Asia, coffee from Ethiopia, and cardamom from the forests of southern India, rhubarb made an extraordinary journey. A medicinal root traded from China eventually became one of the most English foods imaginable, celebrated in Yorkshire's Rhubarb Triangle and baked into generations of crumbles and pies. Few things are more European than rhubarb and custard, yet the plant itself began its story thousands of miles away.
It is quite a marvelous vegetable, and like so much of Mother Nature's bounty, so beautifully complex and much more than what we initially see on the surface.
Wish I couild upload what my neighbourhood forrest looks like these days...