I was looking for something a little different to do with the rhubarb bounty this year when I came across a fruited pudding cake recipe in the Favorite Recipes of America – Desserts cookbook from 1968. The original recipe calls for “any fruit, fresh or canned”, so I figured “Why not rhubarb?” As sweet as this is, I think you’d need to cut back on the sugar for a sweeter fruit. Even with the rhubarb I will probably cut back a bit next time around.
The boys are not huge rhubarb fans, but they loved this recipe. This is the sort of thing my grandmother would have made. I hope you and your family enjoy it, too.
Old Fashioned Rhubarb Pudding Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped rhubarb
- 1 3/4 cup sugar, divided
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup sifted flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2/3 cup boiling water
Directions
Cover the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch square pan with fruit. (I prefer a Pyrex baking dish. You could also use a deep dish glass pie plate.)
Mix 3/4 cup sugar, butter, baking powder, salt, extracts, milk and flour together (add a little more milk if it is too thick to pour); pour over fruit. Mix remaining sugar and cornstarch; sprinkle over mixture in pan. Pour boiling water over the top. ( I know this sounds strange, but trust me, it works to create a pudding around the rhubarb in the bottom of the pan.)
Ready to go into the oven
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Yield: 9 servings.
You can see that the sugar topping creates a glaze on the top of the cake, something like a creme brulee, as well as creating the pudding at the bottom. You can serve warm in a bowl with ice cream, or let it cool a bit, slice and invert on your plate to show off the pudding. (Top photo.)
I’ll be experimenting with other rhubarb recipes in the coming weeks, including ones without refined sugars, so keep an eye out for more rhubarb goodies.
9 Responses to “Old Fashioned Rhubarb Pudding Cake”
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There seems to be some mistakes in the recipe. the one I got emailed to me didn’t have vanilla or almond extract on it . Also on both this page and on the emailed one it says to Mix 3/4 cup sugar, butter, baking soda, salt, extracts, milk and flour together (add a little more milk if it is too thick to pour); But there is no baking soda listed on the ingredients . Are we suppose to add baking soda or baking powder?
Sorry about that, Heidi. I was in a hurry this morning and trying to do too many things at once. The recipe has been corrected. No baking soda, only baking powder (I had baking soda in my head with another recipe). 1/2 teaspoon each vanilla extract and almond extract.
LOL , thanks for answering I was worried people would have failure because of the difference. I looked up the recipe and found it last night, BTW it was soooo good thanks for sharing. Heidi
Thanks for leaving me a note about it. Another friend caught it, too. I think I need a personal assistant.
I will have to try that when I can get some rhubarb again. No one seems to grow it around here, and I only rarely see it in the stores. Growing up, it was everywhere, and Mom, being Norwegian/Swedish, had all KINDS of recipes involving rhubarb.
The original recipe said any fruit, but I think plums or tart berries would be good alternatives to rhubarb.
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We have made this three times in the last month. So very good.We already have the berries and peaches lined up for a little variety.
Kim, that sounds great!