The Season of Rhubarb and Ravinia | Rhubarb Cake
When spring peeps its head in after the rains (and I must say, we’ve been having more than our normal share of rain here in the Bay Area…not that I’m complaining or anything…), there is nothing more exciting for me than walking into the market and seeing gorgeous crimson stalks of rhubarb among the usual produce.
In many places around the country, encountering rhubarb can be rare, but luckily for me, I often see them in our markets outside of the normal spring/summer rhubarb season. When I do see rhubarb, I always pick up several stalks. To me, it signals the seasons of warmth and summer evenings. It reminds me of outdoor concerts and picnics.
The first time I fell in love with rhubarb, I was enjoying one of the most memorable summers of my life in Chicago. I’ve mentioned before how I spent some time there as a grad student, and during the summer, my favorite place was Ravinia, one of the best outdoor venues for music and the performing arts in the country, just outside downtown Chicago.
Tucked away in the cozy wooded North Shore suburbs is the open air stage that is home to the historic Ravinia Festival. Locals and visitors alike enjoy a summer season of fantastic music at the open air theater. I have many memories of Ravinia – it was, after all, where my hubby and I had our first date, watching the Cowboy Junkies. Nearly every summer weekend, I attended performances there with friends, enjoying the entertainment under the stars, on a blanket topped with food and wine.
Indeed, the art of the picnic is taken very seriously by Ravinia-goers. You will often see quite the range of picnic-fare, from elegant low tables decked with cloth napkins and wine glasses to family sized Coleman coolers with wheels. Walking amongst the blankets is like wandering around a culinary bazaar – you can find recherche cheeses and fruit, refined salads, simple sandwiches with chips and soda, and of course, desserts.
One summer evening, I was there with my friend Liz, and she pulled out this magnificent cake out of a cooler. It was Rhubarb Cake, her grandmother’s recipe and a family favorite. I watched with interest as she cut off a big square and deftly added a dollop of whipped cream – I had never had rhubarb cake before! I knew in an instant why it was her family’s favorite cake. The moist cake studded with tangy rhubarb and the swirl of cream is pure heaven. It is summer personified.
These days, I instantly associate rhubarb with Ravinia. To me, they go hand in hand with summer. It’s been many years since that summer of good food, wine and music, but having a slice of this cake instantly takes me back. If you live in the Chicagoland area, go, for me, to Ravinia. Tickets go on sale April 22 for the summer season. And I hope you try this cake. It’s symphony of flavors is the next best thing.
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Rhubarb Cake
Recipe courtesy of my friend Liz and her wonderful family.
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1½ cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg
- 1 cup buttermilk or sour milk (1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon cider vinegar)
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups chopped rhubarb (about 4-5 stalks, depending on size; don’t skimp)
- cinnamon sugar (about 1 tablespoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift or whisk together flour, baking soda and salt, and set aside. Cream butter and sugar together. Add vanilla and egg, mix well. Alternately stir in milk and flour mixture. Add rhubarb. Pour into a greased 9×13 inch cake pan. Top with cinnamon sugar. Bake for 35 minutes. Best served with whipped cream or ice cream. (I prefer it with whipped cream.)
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup sugar
- Splash of vanilla
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We have four rhubarb plants, they are not ready yet, but soon! I am stumbling this cake-I can’t wait to try it. Gorgeous photos too!
Liren replied: — April 20th, 2010 @ 10:03 pm
You HAVE rhubarb plants!?! Oh, envy! Are they hard to grow? Hmmm. I really should start a food garden. I hope you do try it and am crossing my fingers you have an excellent harvest this season!
Liz replied: — April 28th, 2010 @ 5:51 pm
Liren,
how do you of all people not have rhubarb plants? Up here it grows like a weed. The worse you treat it, the better it grows. Out your way I’m guessing it’ll need a fair amount of shade. it also takes a few years to establish.
Liren replied: — April 29th, 2010 @ 8:28 am
You’re right. You’re *so* right, Liz! Why do I NOT have a rhubarb plant? Do they really grow like weeds? Okay, thank you — the next time I’m near the nursery I will have to stop and see if they have any. *Hugs* thanks for the motivation!
This cake looks delicious and moist. I actually don’t think I’ve ever had rhubarb before but I may just try this recipe. I think I’d like it with whipped cream, too. I’m a huge fan of whipped cream – in fact, I usually don’t need the underlying dessert, just the whipped cream. :)
Liren replied: — April 20th, 2010 @ 10:03 pm
LOL, I am SO with you on the whipped cream. But really, try the cake – it makes the whipped cream even better :)
oh wow my Dad would go crazy for this cake
Liren replied: — April 20th, 2010 @ 10:04 pm
Hi Rebecca! Is your dad a rhubarb fan? He would adore this cake. It doesn’t last long at all in our house!
I’m almost ashamed to admit it, but I’ve never had rhubarb. This looks so good! But, alas, I am not a baker. Is it “non-baker” friendly? It just looks like a perfect recipe to try rhubarb for the first time. Your description of it was so touching that it makes me want it. Nice work… that’s what good writing does. Thank you!
Liren replied: — April 20th, 2010 @ 10:06 pm
Don’t be ashamed – I was well into my adult years before I tried rhubarb myself. It’s SO good. And you don’t have to be a baker to make this -it’s the easiest cake recipe on the planet. Try it!!! You can’t mess it up. And thank you for your kind, kind words about my writing. That makes me smile :)
Having such great memories attached to a dish makes it taste even better! The first time I tasted rhubarb was when we moved to the Midwest and now I have it growing in the garden. Thanks for sharing your friend’s family recipe – it’ll be a treat to make it!
Liren replied: — April 20th, 2010 @ 10:07 pm
Tracey, you have grow rhubarb too??? Oh my, I really need to get moving with some gardening! Please let me know when you harvest – hope you do try the cake – it’s a native Minnesotan recipe, btw!
ooh la la, this is the 2nd blog i found today that posted about rhubarb. i have yet to try this in a dessert! it’s just so strange that rhubarb looks so much like celery, yet it’s great for desserts… go figure!
Liren replied: — April 20th, 2010 @ 10:08 pm
Hi, Krissy! Oh really?? Well, rhubarb is definitely in the beginning of its season, so I guess we’ll see more! It really is such an odd plant. Fruit or vegetable? It is just so perfect in desserts…and probably even with entrees, too! Hmm…I am thinking of another application…
Hi Liren :) I LOVE rhubarb. Well….actually, I LOVE the idea of rhubarb LOL I have never seen it in the flesh, fresh, frozen, canned, however it comes. I read novels, kiddy stories, that mention it, I read cookbook authors who wax lyrical about it. I’ve been having a low grade rhubarb fever for about 2 decades now, dreaming of spoonsful of pig bum pudding and rhubarb crumble LOLOL
That cake looks so, so, soooooooo good! And I really enjoyed that heartwarming glimpse of a more youthful Liren :) You seem to have lived a wonderful life!
My rhubarb fever just rose 2 degrees *sigh*
Liren replied: — April 21st, 2010 @ 10:36 pm
Denise, I’ve got to find some way to get you some rhubarb. Dry ice and a shipment of frozen rhubarb? Hmm. You would fall. in. love. with rhubarb if you tried this cake. Really.
And I’m glad you enjoy listening to me go on and on about my younger days, lol. I’ve had my share of sad moments in life, but I remember all the good ones very vividly, and I’m also one of those hopeless romantics that get extremely nostalgic. I’m sure you could tell by now that I’m quite the sap. This whole blog will be leaking sappy stories before the end of the year, I’m afraid :)
Yeah for Rhubarb…love the stuff and I will definitely try your cake
Liren replied: — April 21st, 2010 @ 10:37 pm
Hi Norma! Rhubarb definitely rocks! Let me know if you do try the cake – I know you’ll love it :)
I’ve only ever had rhubarb in pies.. like strawberry-rhubarb.. maybe even an apple-rhubarb, but never in a cake! My sister’s mother-in-law was so kind to give me some beautiful stalks last year and they’re currently very lonely in my freezer.
All of a sudden I’m remember strange things like Strawberry Shortcake dolls… I don’t know why but maybe because of the colour of the rhubarb you bought. That is some gorgeous colour.
Now I can find reason to use the lonely ones in the freezer. Thanks Liren!
Liren replied: — April 21st, 2010 @ 10:39 pm
Time to dig in the freezer, Jenn, and defrost those stalks (lucky you to have your own rhubarb supplier!)…you’ve got to make the cake! Yes, I think the very very first time I had rhubarb was in a pie with strawberry. Ah, classic combination. But I love how the rhubarb is the star of this show in this cake. And now I’m laughing about the Strawberry Shortcake dolls. LOVED them growing up…funny to think they’re still around (my daughter has a Strawberry Shortcake coloring book!). Did they have a Rhubarb doll? LOL.
I’ve been longing to cook with Rhubarb–never done it. But I did have a rhubarb dessert at Spork in SF and it was surprisingly nice and sweet. Have you made pie before? I saw it on Food Network and my curiosity was piqued. Lovely photos!
Mdivani Monroe replied: — April 22nd, 2010 @ 11:50 am
Can’t wait to try this one out too!! Coincidentally, I just read in the Southwest Airlines magazine about the wonderful properties they are discovering about Rhubarb, especially in regards to cancer prevention!!
Liren replied: — April 22nd, 2010 @ 7:31 pm
Mdivani, yes, rhubarb is so good for you, especially when baked with a lot of sugar! LOL. Seriously though, I have been hearing more and more about rhubarb’s qualities, so we should use it more!
Liren replied: — April 22nd, 2010 @ 7:30 pm
Rhubarb is so wonderful to bake with, it’s a pity it’s not readily available year round. Though I love rhubarb in pies, and I do make other kinds of pies, I have yet to make a rhubarb pie (we have an excellent bakery near us that makes a killer strawberry rhubarb pie, and my husband refuses to stray), BUT, I do make a rhubarb crisp! I hope you try it!
Hey Liren, your writing is always so interesting, enchanting I must say. Ooh, and I’ve never seen a rhubarb cake, just pie. It looks almost like a moist pudding of cake. I can see just from the photos why your friend’s family loved it. I’m going to check for rhubarb next time I’m at the farmer’s market…
Liren replied: — April 22nd, 2010 @ 7:32 pm
Aw, Stella, thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoy my writing! The cake is SOOO moist, it is definitely like a pudding cake. Do make it, you’ll love it!!
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Have been seeing rhubarb all this while in the market and trying to control myself not to go pick them because of this stupid move which won’t let me do any of cooking. This post is NOT helping at all with it! LOVE love the post and the recipe. Bookmarking for the day when I’ll be all settled in my new home and then I can cook and bake :-)
I just LOVE rhubarb cake! I loved it SOOOOO much, that I had it for my birthday cake! :)
hello! i made this delicious cake last weekend for my friends and family. Everybody love it! Would like to take an opportunity to say thank you for sharing your rhubarb cake recipe. I can’t wait to try your recent rhubarb scones. will make it one of these days. thanks again and more power :)