Rhubarb Loaf

The first thing to appear and the last thing to go in my garden is Rhubarb. I can pick pounds and pounds of it every week and it just keeps coming up. A few years ago I made a facebook/twitter plea asking for favourite recipes... variations on this one came from BC, Alberta and Ontario. I believe this particular adaptation came from my friend Rowan. It has become a favourite in my house.

Ingredients:

Batter
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup butter milk
2 cups chopped rhubarb

Topping
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Loaf

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, then add the egg vanilla until everything is thoroughly mixed.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour with the baking soda and salt.

Alternately add buttermilk and flour mixture to wet ingredients.

Fold rhubarb gently into batter.

Pour into a large, greased loaf pan and smooth.

Topping

Cream butter, brown sugar and cinnamon until it forms a paste.

Sprinkle oatmeal onto loaf, then break up brown sugar and butter paste into little dollops and scatter on top of the oatmeal.

Bake at 350 degrees for 75 minutes or until firm.

This makes about 12 slices at oughly 265 calories each.

*Note. The initial recipe I was given said to bake in a 9x14 cake pan for 45 minutes. I really prefer the loaf version, but you'll have to keep an eye out for the time depending on your oven *

This is a crowd pleaser - I make two loaves at a time, and although they would probably keep for at least a week, they're always gone quickly. I offer slices with a little butter (like banana bread) but it's not necessary. The tartness of the rhubarb and the richness of the cake complement each other perfectly.