Charlie's Rhubarb Cake

Well, last night was the official start to my baking marathon. My family is flying in for the wedding tomorrow and they all had different requests for baked goods that they wanted. On top of that, I decided I was going to make a rhubarb cake for our neighbor, Charlie. 


We "country folk" don't like having people living on top of us, but Charlie and his wife, Cindy, live just across the road from us and have quickly become good friends. If we have to have people (besides family) live near us, we are so thankful that it is Charlie and Cindy. They are good neighbors and they always take care of us. Cindy always gives us Christmas and Easter presents and Charlie helps Jordan out with miscellaneous tasks.


Anyway, a few weeks ago, Charlie came across the road and asked me how our garden was doing. I told him it was so-so and I mentioned that I thought the rhubarb would be ready kinda early and I didn't know what I was going to do with all the rhubarb I would have besides making a pie. I have three big rhubarb plants and I literally cut a few stalks for a pie and the give the rest away. Such a waste! Soooo, Charlie told me one of his favorite treats was a rhubarb cake that his mother used to make him. The next day he was sitting on his porch waiting for me to come home and he walked over his mother's recipe for rhubarb cake!


As a little thank you for helping out with so much and for keeping an eye on the house while Jordan was away last week, I decided I was going to make him a rhubarb cake. I snuck a few pieces for us to try and so I could share with Pap and Grandma, too. I thought it was really good! It has a nice balance of sweet and tart. No one else has tried it yet so I don't know what the verdict is for sure, but I think it will be a thumbs up since they are an easy crowd to please :)

Breakfast!

Charlie's Rhubarb Cake


Ingredients


For the cake:
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs, well beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups flour
2 cups rhubarb, finely chopped


For the topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1teaspoon cinnamon


Directions:
Cream the sugars with the shortening. Add the eggs. Mix in vanilla and baking soda. Blend well. Add 2 cups flour and mix. The dough will be thick like cookie dough. Add the finely chopped rhubarb. Mix and pour batter into a greased and floured 9x13 inch pan. Sprinkle the sugar and cinnamon mixture on top.


Bake 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees.


*You can tell it's an old recipe by how simple the instructions are!