It’s rhubarb season! I love a good sweet & tart rhubarb dessert – and this cake certainly doesn’t disappoint! My mama has lots of rhubarb growing in her garden right now, so Levi and I went over the other day and picked a bunch, and now I’m swimming in ideas of what to do with all my rhubarb.  Definitely on the list – making some of this Rosemary Rhubarb Lemonade that Caitlin shared last year – I loved that! I also couldn’t wait to try this cake out!

I had it a few years ago at a family get together, it was made by my cousin, Emily, and I loved every bite!  She shared the recipe with us, but I somehow lost it and kept forgetting to look for it every year during rhubarb season.  But this year, I finally remembered!! And I’m so glad because I can’t get enough of this perfect cake! I don’t think it’s too overwhelming with rhubarb, in fact I might add a tiny bit extra the next time I make it.  The cake is moist and delicious on it’s own – that sugar topping is so good; but the added vanilla sauce makes this the bees knees! I could eat this all day, every day!

Rhubarb Cake with Vanilla Sauce

Cake:
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups flour
1 cup dice, fresh rhubarb

Topping:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a 9-inch square pan and set aside.

Blend together sugar, egg and butter. Beat in buttermilk until smooth. Stir in salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Add flour and mix well. Stir in rhubarb. Pour into prepared pan.

Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle on top of batter.

Bake at 350º for about 40-45 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Vanilla Sauce:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
In a small saucepan over medium high heat, stire together sugar, butter and milk. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Serve sauce warm over cake.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home via my cousin Emily 🙂

What about you – are you a fan of rhubarb? If I make anything else delicious with my rhubarb, I might be sharing another recipe soon!

-Manda