Strawberry Rhubarb Snacking Cake with Candied Ginger

If anyone tells you can’t mess with perfection and expect perfection in return, bake them this cake!

This Strawberry Rhubarb Snacking Cake recipe was born of necessity and a decades-long obsession with candied ginger. I came home from the Farmer’s Market, as I discovered, without enough rhubarb to make Deb Perlman’s Smitten Kitchen Rhubarb Snacking Cake. I didn’t have the requisite sour cream, either. I did, however, have fresh, firm Ontario strawberries, lots of lemons, and a container of the Liberté 10% fat plain yogurt I reserve for my fave SECRET SOLO DESSERT. Moreso, climbing up on the chair to reach the extra sac of flour above the fridge, I discovered a package of candied ginger I’d purchased a month ago and completely FORGETTEN [WHAT THE?].

Now, when I make anything “crisp” or “crumble” related, I invariably add diced candied ginger. And, I did not go wrong here. Consider this my “revised and resubmitted” take on Smitten Kitchen’s already awesome Snacking Cake. Will I throw one over for the other? No. Will I make both recipes on the regular? Absolutely. Hence, the need for documentation.

Print Recipe

Strawberry Rhubarb Snacking Cake with Candied Ginger

Absolutely Inspired by Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

Fruit Layer

• 275 g [3/4 lb] rhubarb trimmed and cut into 1/2-in lengths
• 275 g [3/4 lb] firm ripe strawberries trimmed and cut into halves or quarters
• 2/3 c sugar
• juice of 1 lemon [which you've already zested to use below]

Cake Batter

• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 c unsalted butter room temperature
• 2/3 c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/3 c all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup full-fat or high-fat yogurt [3%-10% or greek]
• 2 tbs diced dried candied ginger

Crumble Topping

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 c unsalted butter melted
• 1/4 c diced dried candied ginger

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 350.
• Coat a 9x13 inch baking pan with butter or baking spray.
• Line the bottom of the pan with a sheet of parchment which extends up the sides [either the 9 or 13 inch sides - it doesn't matter] of the pan, enabling you to lift the entire cake out of the pan when the time comes.
• Coat the lining with butter or baking spray.
• Prepare the fruit layer by gently mixing the rhubarb, strawberries, lemon juice, and sugar in a medium bowl.
• Set the fruit bowl aside.
• Prepare the cake batter by first creaming the butter, sugar and lemon zest in a mixer or by hand.
• Add the eggs to the batter one at a time, scraping the sides of the mixing bowl occasionally until fully incorporated.
• In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and diced candied ginger bits.
• Add one-third of the dry mixture to the batter and stir until just incorporated.
• Add half of the yogurt to the batter until just incoporated. 
• Add the second third of the dry mixture to the batter and stir until just incorporated.
• Add the other half of the yogurt to the batter and stir until just incorporated.
• Add the final third of the dry mixutre to the batter and stir until incorporated.
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula or butter knife. 
• With a slotted spoon, drop the fruit mixture evenly on top of the cake. It's alright to have some of the liquid dribble on to the cake, but leave most of the excess liquid in the bowl [and either discard or use to sweeten a beverage]. 
• Prepare the crumble by whisking the flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon together with a fork.
• Slowly add the melted butter to the crumble mixture and stir with a fork until a crumble forms.
• Add the diced candied ginger to the crumble mixture and stir with a fork until just combined.
• Drop the crumble mixture evenly over the top of the now-fruit-topped cake batter.
• Bake for 60 minutes, or until a knife comes up in the centre clean of batter.
• Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour.
• Loosen the unlined edges of the cake from the pan with a butter knife.
• Use the parchment to remove the cake to a cutting board or serving plate.
• Slice the cake into rectangles or squares and enjoy. I like to serve this with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of Devonshire Cream.
• Store wrapped at room temperature for 2-3 days or covered tightly in the fridge for up to a week.

HOLLAH!