Bursting Blooms

Our crab apple tree has finally bloomed!  I love these blossoms so much that I had a picture made into a canvas print last year.   It has been a very late spring here where I live.  We have had lots of rain and farmers have had a tough time getting their crops in. 

Rhubarb Pudding Cake

My family has enjoyed this pudding cake for the last few years I've been making it.  It is a dessert that always disappears quickly!  It can be served warm or cold and goes perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Rhubarb Pudding Cake

Ingredients
1st Layer
2 cups chopped rhubarb

2nd Layer
1/3 cup white sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 tbsp. margarine
1/2 cup milk

3rd Layer
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2/3 cup boiling water

Directions
1.  Cover bottom of a 8" or 9" square pan with rhubarb.  You could also use a deep dish pie pan.
2.  Mix 1/3 cup sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla.  Cut in margarine.  Add milk and stir to combine.  Pour on top of fruit.  (If mixture is too thick to pour, add a little more milk).
3.  Mix 1/2 cup sugar with cornstarch.  Sprinkle over mixture in pan.
4.  Pour boiling water on top of entire mixture.
5.  Bake at 375F for 45 minutes.

Rhubarb Muffins

Rhubarb season is on now where I live.  Yay!!  I love baking with rhubarb.  I dusted off my recipes and pulled out this one for rhubarb muffins.  They have a cinnamon sugar topping that makes them extra special.

Rhubarb Muffins

Ingredients for Muffins

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup buttermilk

2/3 cup oil

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups chopped rhubarb

Ingredients for Crumb Topping

1/2 cup white sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tbsp. margarine, melted 

Directions

1.  Combine flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a bowl.

2.  Combine wet ingredients in another bowl: egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla.

3.  Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir till combined.

4.  Fold in rhubarb.

5.  Fill muffin liners (I used regular liners but next time I would use the tall liners with high sides as the crumb topping spreads onto pan).

6.  Combine crumb topping ingredients: sugar, cinnamon, margarine.

7.  Sprinkle muffins with crumb topping.

8.  Bake at 375F for about 18-20 minutes.

I was able to get 17 muffins by filling the liners about 3/4 full.