Forest of the Plains

My husband’s uncle, Don, lives in South Dakota where rhubarb grows quick and gets big. (Apparently rhubarb loves the northern climate.) So, when Uncle Don comes to visit over the summer, he comes with a trunk full of really big rhubarb stalks. After a visit this Memorial Day I netted 40 cups of chopped rhubarb for the deep freezer!

Several years ago, with such an ample supply of rhubarb, I started looking for recipes other than pies and jam. (I like pies and jam, but they do get old after a while.) I found one really popular recipe that I call Rhubarb Coffee Cake, but the cookbook calls them Sour Cream Rhubarb Squares.

I made this recipe this morning for a carry-in breakfast at my office, so I went ahead and made a second one for my husband’s office. Neither one of us had any leftovers to bring home, so I may need to make another one just for us! :-)

The recipe as found in the cookbook, Feeding the Flock, published by the Michiana Mennonite Relief Sale:

Cake Part:
1.5 c. brown sugar
2 c. flour
1 egg
1 tsp. baking soda
.5 c. shortening
1 c. sour cream
1.5 c. diced rhubarb
.5 tsp. salt

Cream sugar and shortening; add egg. Stir in flour, salt, and baking soda, alternately with sour cream. Stir in rhubarb. Turn into 9×13-inch greased pan.

Topping Part:
.5 c. sugar
1 T butter
.5 c. chopped nuts
1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix topping ingredients together until crumbly. Sprinkle on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes. When cool, cut into squares.

My additions:
*I often use at least 2 cups of rhubarb, and sometimes 3 cups. If you do this, you may need to bake it a little longer because of the liquid in the rhubarb.

*I leave out the nuts because I’m allergic to them. People still really like this recipe when it is nut-free.