Family Recipe: Grandma’s Rhubarb Cake

I’ve come to realize that many of us have been bequeathed a cherished family recipe. Be it simple or elaborate to prepare, it’s a dish so fiendishly delicious that it is the unmistakable star of the family meal, whether celebrating triumphs, comforting woes, or keeping family traditions alive. Withholding such heirloom recipes from the world seems almost cruel. Hence, I am championing the family recipe. I will entice the people in my universe to share favourite, nostalgia-infused family recipes, and I will give one of them centre stage in this very space on a monthly basis. In the end, we are all family, and these recipes represent the legacies of our shared passions. This month’s post is written by my buddy Truds. Enjoy!

I remember as kids raiding the garden for stalks of rhubarb. For this cake, I cut the rhubarb up really small so you get a sour taste in each bite. A lot of people don’t like the sourness of rhubarb—but I really do. The cake has just the right amount of sugar to make it completely perfect (although, I do admit that in some instances, I will reduce the amount of sugar in both the cake and in the topping.) I think the next time I get my hands on someone’s rhubarb stash, I’ll try making this recipe as a rhubarb/strawberry cake. A divine combination! Hope you enjoy!

Grandma’s Rhubarb Cake

Ingredients

1½ cups of granulated sugar

½ cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup milk

2 cups cut up rhubarb

½ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon for topping

Combine all ingredients (except for rhubarb) until well mixed. Add rhubarb and stir to combine. Pour into cake pan. Before baking, sprinkle ½ cup sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon over top of cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Enjoy!