My neighbour gave me some of her rhubarb and I was immediately excited to make these little rhubarb tea cakes. I feel very lucky to have a teeny, tiny little garden but it’s a bit too small for growing rhubarb, unless I only want to grow rhubarb and nothing else. So I am a little jealous of other people’s rhubarb plants.
These little tea cakes have light, fluffy vanilla scented cake on the bottom, sweet-tart pops of rhubarb in the middle and a crunchy, cinnamon streusel topping. You could make these any time of year, with whatever fruit catches your eye. But I think the tart, peppy rhubarb makes these cakes sing. If you use a sweeter fruit instead, I would recommend reducing the powdered sugar to about 1 tablespoon. Ever since I first saw these little cakes years ago, they call to me every spring when I see the rhubarb emerge. They are a perfect little afternoon snack, they are lovely to take on a picnic or they can be pressed into service as a breakfast.
Note: these can be stored in an airtight container, however I noticed that the streusel can soften slightly in the container so these are best fairly shortly after they are made.
rhubarb streusel tea cakes
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, August 2004
topping
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 tbs room temperature butter
In a food processor, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and butter. Pulse to combine until the mixture has a sandy texture. Set aside.
cake
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup room temperature butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
Heat oven to 375°F. Butter the cups of a 12 cup muffin tin (or line with muffin liners if you prefer).
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer) beat butter and sugar at medium speed for about 2 minutes, until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla and beat for one more minute, or until fluffy and light in colour. On low speed alternate adding flour mixture and milk, starting and ending with flour. Mix gently until just combined; do not overmix.
assembly
streusel
cake batter
1/2 lb fresh rhubarb, sliced (frozen rhubarb will work well too - thaw rhubarb and press a clean towel to remove excess water)
3 tbs powdered sugar
Toss rhubarb with powdered sugar. Divide batter between prepared muffin cups (cups should be about half full). Place a spoonful of rhubarb over cake batter in each muffin cup. Use your fingers to ‘clump up’ the streusel, pressing it to make irregular lumps and clumps. Crumble the streusel over the cakes. Bake cakes for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in tin for about 5 minutes. Run a paring knife carefully around each cake and then invert onto a cooling rack. Flip cakes right side up and cool.
