Rhubarb Cake

INGREDIENTS:
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups pastry flour
1 T baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 cups rhubarb chopped into small pieces.

PROCEDURE:
1. Chop rhubarb into small chunks and set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar.
3. Add eggs and mix well.
4. Add milk and vanilla and mix.
5. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.
6. Combine wet and dry ingredients and stir to mix with spatula. (Don’t over mix)
7. Stir in rhubarb chunks.
8. Pour into a buttered 7×11 non-reactive baking dish.
9. Bake @ 350 for 35-40 minutes or until inserted knife comes out clean.

HELPFUL HINTS:
1. If you are like me and forget to take out butter ahead of time to soften, grate it into the sugar with a cheese grater!
2. Use an electric mixer to mix the butter/sugar/eggs then use a rubber spatula to combine everything after that point. (Helps avoid over-mixing).
3. You can play with the amount and type of fruit. I’ve added nectarines and strawberries. Both are delicious. Don’t use frozen fruit, though. It’ll add too much moisture and the cake won’t bake all the way in the middle.
4. You can also use this recipe to make muffins. To be honest, I don’t recall how long the muffins take to bake. Check after 25 minutes and/or use your nose as a guide. If you can smell them baking, they are close to done!