I’m celebrating. This is my 25th post to The Messy Apron (Hooray!...for she’s a jolly good blogger…). I have to admit that my life has changed at least a little since I started blogging about what I’m cooking, developing and sharing recipes, and taking digital photos of what I’m about to devour. For one thing, I say things like, “Where’s the camera? I’m going to start dinner,” significantly more often.
I also am documenting recipes and other kitchen adventures better than I did before, which was a major goal of this whole endeavor. I still have a long way to go before I can give my recipe collection the illustrious title of “Organized,” but it’s just been too much fun writing these little notes to you over the last few months. (I even understand that a few of these posts have been printed and mailed to my grandmother, who doesn’t own a computer.)
So what does a food blogger do to celebrate the 25-post milestone? Why, bake a cake of course.
I had plenty of leftover rhubarb from the CSA*, homemade yogurt, and a recipe from Cooking Light Magazine that was close enough. This cake is nicely tart from the rhubarb and manages to be very moist without being mushy. We ate it when it was too hot (delicious), just right (delicious), and a few days old (still delicious!) It stays moist without getting watery or gloppy as a few days go by. Even though there were only two of us eating it, it didn’t last more than a couple days. I’ll admit it here and now: we even ate it for breakfast.
I’ve started adding whole wheat pastry flour to more of my baking recipes to help improve their WFQ**. It is becoming increasingly easy to find, even in supermarkets. Usually I purchase it in bulk from the local co-op, so I can buy just what I need short-term, but last week I bought a whole bag of Bob’s Red Mill brand at a supermarket (Woodman’s, to be exact. They have almost everything!) Now I have to use up 5 pounds of whole wheat pastry flour! It looks like there will be a lot more to post to The Messy Apron for a long time to come!
Rhubarb Yogurt Cake
Adapted from Cooking Light magazine
3 cups of chopped rhubarb is a little less than a pound.
Topping
½ cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ cup chopped pecans
Cake
3 cups finely chopped rhubarb
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup light brown sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 375 F.
1. To prepare the topping, mix all of the topping ingredients together until the melted butter is completely absorbed in the mixture. Set aside.
2. To prepare the rhubarb, toss it with the 2 tablespoons flour until all pieces are coated.
3. Combine 1 ½ cups brown sugar in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer or another large bowl. Beat with mixer at medium speed until the butter is completely incorporated into the sugar.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after you add each one. Add the yogurt, lemon zest, and vanilla and beat at medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy and pale in color.
I also am documenting recipes and other kitchen adventures better than I did before, which was a major goal of this whole endeavor. I still have a long way to go before I can give my recipe collection the illustrious title of “Organized,” but it’s just been too much fun writing these little notes to you over the last few months. (I even understand that a few of these posts have been printed and mailed to my grandmother, who doesn’t own a computer.)
So what does a food blogger do to celebrate the 25-post milestone? Why, bake a cake of course.
I had plenty of leftover rhubarb from the CSA*, homemade yogurt, and a recipe from Cooking Light Magazine that was close enough. This cake is nicely tart from the rhubarb and manages to be very moist without being mushy. We ate it when it was too hot (delicious), just right (delicious), and a few days old (still delicious!) It stays moist without getting watery or gloppy as a few days go by. Even though there were only two of us eating it, it didn’t last more than a couple days. I’ll admit it here and now: we even ate it for breakfast.I’ve started adding whole wheat pastry flour to more of my baking recipes to help improve their WFQ**. It is becoming increasingly easy to find, even in supermarkets. Usually I purchase it in bulk from the local co-op, so I can buy just what I need short-term, but last week I bought a whole bag of Bob’s Red Mill brand at a supermarket (Woodman’s, to be exact. They have almost everything!) Now I have to use up 5 pounds of whole wheat pastry flour! It looks like there will be a lot more to post to The Messy Apron for a long time to come!
Rhubarb Yogurt Cake
Adapted from Cooking Light magazine
3 cups of chopped rhubarb is a little less than a pound.
Topping
½ cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ cup chopped pecans
Cake
3 cups finely chopped rhubarb
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ½ cup light brown sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 375 F.
1. To prepare the topping, mix all of the topping ingredients together until the melted butter is completely absorbed in the mixture. Set aside.
2. To prepare the rhubarb, toss it with the 2 tablespoons flour until all pieces are coated.
3. Combine 1 ½ cups brown sugar in the bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer or another large bowl. Beat with mixer at medium speed until the butter is completely incorporated into the sugar.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after you add each one. Add the yogurt, lemon zest, and vanilla and beat at medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy and pale in color.
5. Combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Stir them together with a whisk to combine. Gradually add to the liquid mixture while beating at low speed, just until combined. Stir in the rhubarb.
6. Grease an 8-inch square baking dish well (I use nonstick cooking spray). Pour the cake batter into the dish, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle topping mixture evenly over the top of the batter.
7. Bake at 375 F for 30 minutes. Cover the cake loosely with foil to prevent the topping from burning. Bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick or narrow skewer into the center of the cake. It will come out clean (not coated with batter) when the cake is done. Serve from the pan.
Makes 9 generous servings
* Community Supported Agriculture. Ours resides here on the internet and near Rushford, Minnesota in the real world.
**Whole Food Quotient
There is absolutely nothing wrong with cake for breakfast! Or lunch for that matter... As far as dinner is concerned, I consider that stews are the "cakes" of the dinner world.
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