Rhubarb Cake (topped with Fruity Pebbles)

When I was in 5^th grade we went on a field trip with my class to a local farm. I only remember a few things about that trip but two things have stuck in my memory. First, one of the boys in the class tried squirting milk on a group of us while milking a cow, and second, the farmer pointed out some rhubarb growing. I had never heard of rhubarb, had no idea what it tasted like, and really didn’t think about it again until it showed up in the first week of my local CSA’s box last year. Thankfully they had some recipe suggestions on their website because I had absolutely no idea what to do with it! https://goldenearthwormfarm.squarespace.com/recipes?tag=Rhubarb

I decided to make a rhubarb cake. I’m not a baker so I was a little nervous about the whole process….but I didn’t know what else to do with these “red swords” as my oldest son called them. I made the cake and it was delicious! I was sad to learn from a friend that the rhubarb usually only comes in the share once during a season. She told me that she always makes that rhubarb cake recipe. She’s tried a few others but that’s her favorite, so I was hoping to find some this year.

The CSA started almost 6 weeks ago so I was starting to give up on the idea of the cake for this season….and then I read online that I would be getting some! Hooray! My kids are all home this summer so I needed to incorporate them into the cake-making process. Not ideal, but I waited until my toddler was napping and then I asked my 3 and 4 year old boys to help me. The first question that was asked is if they can put Fruity Pebbles on top. I normally don’t have Fruity Pebbles in the house but as I mentioned I have all 3 kids all day all summer so I came home with an unexpected item when I took them all food shopping with me a few days ago. Oh well. Pick your battles, right?

In typical mom fashion I pulled out my flour and didn’t have enough. This is after I’ve already cut up the rhubarb and added the sugar. So I had to call my own mother who sent my dad over with some flour for me. Then I forgot that I had to cream the butter. (Last year I had to call my mom and ask her what that meant). So, things were a little chaotic and frantic in my kitchen…and the kids kept asking when they could add the Fruity Pebbles, but we managed to get everything mixed and poured and ready for baking before my little one was up from her nap. By the time she was up the cake was cooked, cooled, and ready for tasting. The kids didn’t want to eat the rhubarb but it sits at the bottom so they could easily just eat the cake part. And I was able to have extra rhubarb…..delicious!

Ingredients:

4 cups rhubarb (chopped in 1/2″ pieces)
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375F. Mix the rhubarb and sugar and set aside. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Cream the butter, add the wet ingredients, and then add the flour mixture. Grease/butter a 9×9 pan and put the rhubarb/sugar on the bottom, then add the batter on top. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden.