Rhubarb Crumb Coffeecake

I am still cooking with rhubarb...that deliciously tangy fruit that looks like red-wine-soaked celery. As long as I can find it at my local Central Market, I'll keep fixing wonderful desserts. This one comes from The New York Times. And as a big fan of traditional crumb cake, I can tell you that this is the best coffeecake I have ever had. Bar none. It reminds me of a great coffeecake I used to have at a deli near Lincoln Center when I would visit New York. The recipe is so perfect that I think it could be adapted for other fruits. I'm betting it would be delicious with blueberries or peaches or (insert your favorite fruit here). Try it and see.

Rhubarb "Big Crumb" Coffeecake
From The New York Times.
Makes 6 to 8 servings.

For the filling:
1/2 pound rhubarb, trimmed
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

For the crumbs:
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup melted butter
1 3/4 cups cake flour

For the cake:
1/3 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup cake flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons softened butter, cut into 8 pieces.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8 inch square baking pan.

For filling, cut rhubarb into 1/2 inch thick slices and toss with sugar, cornstarch and ginger. Set aside.

To make crumbs, whisk together sugars, spices, salt and butter until smooth. Stir in flour with spatula. It will look like a solid dough.


To prepare cake, in a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, egg, egg yolk and vanilla. In an electric mixer, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add butter and a spoonful of sour cream mixture and mix on medium speed until flour is moistened. Increase speed and beat for 30 seconds. Add remaining sour cream mixture in two batches, beating for twenty seconds after each addition and scraping down the side of the bowl with a spatula. Scoop out about 1/2 cup batter and reserve.


Scrape remaining batter into prepared pan. Spoon rhubarb over batter. Dollop reserved batter over rhubarb filling.


Using your fingers, break topping mixture into big crumbs, about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch in size. Sprinkle over cake.


Bake cake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean from batter. (It may have a little rhubarb on it.) Cool completely before serving.