Rhubarb Almond Cake

My Darling Lemon Thyme by Emma Galloway of New Zealand is one of my favorite food blogs. Emma worked as a pastry chef for a while and it really shows in her amazing creativity with gluten free desserts. This cake is based on one of her recipes she created for Taste Magazine in New Zealand and it sounded like a perfectly seasonal tea-time treat. Check out more rhubarb recipes from Taste Magazine’s Food to Love.

It’s been a very late Spring, or rather Spring is at its usual time but the continual snowfall in April made everything hide until it seemed safe to come out. The rhubarb is finally flourishing and pick-able so now is the time to binge on the curiously sweet-tart vegetable.

This rhizome ranks right up there as one of the most interesting edible plants, in my opinion. With origins in China (like so many foods!) Rheum rhabarbarum was used medicinally for thousands of years (like so many foods!) and was reportedly the first medicine imported from China to the West. It made its way through Europe to the Americas eventually becoming the jam-production staple of Midwestern farmsteads. When I was young everyone I knew had a rhubarb patch, I was so amazed with I first saw it for sale in a store and I couldn’t imagine actually paying money for it when it was growing everywhere. These days I don’t take it for granted, good lessons to learn.

Enjoy rhubarb while it is here (while you’re at it you might as well enjoy everything while it is here) and try this not-too-sweet treat for spring brunch or an afternoon snack!

Rhubarb Almond Cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Bake Time: 60-65 minutes

Mix together:

2 1/2 cups Rhubarb, small diced

2 1/2 cups Almonds, ground (or Almond Flour)

Zest of 1 lemon

1 Tablespoon Fresh Rosemary, minced

Whisk until fluffy in a large bowl:

12 Tablespoons (1.5 sticks) Butter, softened

1/2 cup Sugar

1 teaspoon Vanilla

1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon Salt

(Optional) 1/8 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice

Mix in one at a time:

4 Eggs

Fold the rhubarb-almond mix into the butter-sugar batter.

Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan, or grease and line a large cake pan. Transfer batter to the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes, or when the top is lightly browned. Test by inserting a toothpick or knife, if it come out clean the cake is done. 

Serve as is or lightly dust with powdered sugar.

Other options for a Rhubarb Cake:

• Ginger
• Cinnamon
• Cardamom
• Fennel
• Orange or Lime Zest
• Fresh Thyme
• Lemon Verbena
• Grand Marnier

My friend Patsy introduced me to her new Wilcox trowels, amazing garden tools with rave reviews.

“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.”

.

Edward Abbey

Congratulations to the graduates!