Rhubarb Strawberry Coffee Cake
For a taste sensation with a moreish texture, this rhubarb and strawberry coffee cake recipe is a must. The tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries are the perfect combination, and make an ideal coffee accompaniment.
Introduction
This may look complicated, but it’s not. Simply follow each step for an amazing combination of crunch and squidge. The addition of strawberries has converted rhubarb detractors into lovers. If only everything were that simple …
Ingredients
| For the streusel top: | |
| 5½oz / 160g / 1 cup | all-purpose or plain flour |
| 8oz / 225g / 1 cup | granulated sugar |
| 6oz / 175g / ¾ cup | unsalted butter, softened |
| For the filling: | |
| 16oz / 450g / 3 cups | rhubarb, cut into 1in/2.5cm dice |
| 16oz / 450g / 3 cups | fresh strawberries, roughly chopped |
| 4fl oz / 120ml / ½ cup | water or orange juice |
| 8oz / 225g / 1 cup | granulated sugar |
| 4 tbsp | cornflour |
| For the batter: | |
| 16oz / 450g / 3 cups | all-purpose or plain flour |
| 8oz / 225g / 1 cup, packed | granulated sugar |
| 1 tsp | baking powder |
| 1 tsp | bicarbonate of soda |
| 1 tsp | kosher salt |
| 8oz / 225g / 1 cup | cold unsalted butter, diced |
| 8fl oz / 240ml / 1 cup | buttermilk |
| 2 | large eggs |
Essential kit
You will need a 12 x 9 x 2in/30 x 23 x 5cm pan and an electric mixer.
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Butter a pan, 12 x 9 x 2in/30 x 23 x 5cm, and line the bottom with baking parchment. Dust the sides with flour and tap out any excess.
First make the streusel top. Combine the flour, sugar and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix until you have pea-sized crumb. Cover, chill and set aside.
Place the rhubarb, strawberries and liquid in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the fruit begins to soften. Combine the sugar and cornflour and add to the pan. Stir and continue heating for 5 to 10 minutes, until bubbly and thick. Watch carefully – this sticks to the bottom of the pan, so make sure to stir continuously with a flat, wood or rubber spatula. Set aside to cool.
For the batter, measure the dry ingredients into the bowl of an electric mixer and stir it all together on low speed. Add the butter bit by bit until the mixture gets crumbly, as it would for scones. Combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl, then slowly add to the mixer just until everything is consistently moist. Spread half the batter in the prepared pan, followed by the rhubarb filling. If desired, sprinkle with sliced almonds to cover the rhubarb mixture. Dollop the remaining batter over the filling and smooth as best you can. Sprinkle the streusel over the batter in various-sized clumps.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until firmish. The filling will stick to a tester knife, so check the batter for doneness as best you can. Leave to cool completely in the pan. Because of the rhubarb filling, this needs to set longer than most cakes before cutting.
