Rhubarb Fever & a Recipe for Rhubarb-Rooibos Cake

I feel that I should warn you: there’s going to be an awful lot of rhubarb talk around here this spring. If you don’t like rhubarb, I’m so sorry.

If you do like rhubarb, you’re in for a treat.

There seems to be an abundance of the tangy-tart vegetable this year {or maybe I’m just imagining it}. Either way, I’m not the only one who’s excited. When I popped by the market over the weekend, the lovely girl at the counter actually jumped, gave a little squeal, and said, “Yay, spring!” when I put my big bag of rhubarb on the counter {my kind of girl}.

See, the beauty of rhubarb is that its flavour can be as intense or as mild as you want it to be. Stew it on its own with a little {or a lot} of sugar, top with a little sweetened whipped cream, and you’ll have a really rhubarby {okay, that’s not a word, but it should be} treat. If you’re a purist, peel a stalk and eat it straight up.

Alas, there are always some people who prefer just a hint of rhubarb flavour, and I can respect that. After all, it’s not an ingredient for the faint of heart.

Combining it with warm, aromatic flavours can help mellow it out, enhance the taste, and bring out its natural sweetness. This Rhubarb-Rooibos Cake does just that. Plus, it’s not too unhealthy, so a big piece of it for breakfast wouldn’t be that irresponsible. Having a big piece of it for breakfast and lunch, however, is a little irresponsible {I couldn’t help myself…}.

So where do you stand on the rhubarb spectrum? Do you love it or loathe it?

Rhubarb-Rooibos Cake
Serves 10

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole wheat flour
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon loose rooibos tea
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
¾ cup milk + ½ teaspoon white vinegar
¼ cup plain yogurt
2 cups peeled, chopped rhubarb
Icing sugar, to serve (optional)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and oil a 9” round cake pan (or similar-sized pan); line the bottom of the pan with parchment.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk flours, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and rooibos and continue to beat for another minute; add the egg and mix until smooth.

4. Add half of the flour mixture to the large bowl with the butter mixture and mix until incorporated. Next, add the milk and vinegar and mix until smooth. Add remaining flour mixture, mix, and then add the yogurt and mix until smooth; fold in the rhubarb.

5. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and smooth out with a rubber spatula. Bake in preheated oven for 45–50 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving dish to cool completely; remove parchment. Dust with icing sugar before serving, if desired.