I get so excited when my rhubarb emerges from the ground in the spring. This cake is one of the recipes I have faithfully made every year. The cake is not overly sweet and the lemon-nutmeg sauce complements the tart rhubarb in the cake. We would arm wrestle for the leftovers, this cake is so yummy and the rule was first one up in the morning got dibs on it for breakfast!
1tbspcinnamon-sugarTo make-combine ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon
Lemon-nutmeg sauce
1cupsugar
½cupbutter, cubed
⅓cupwater
3tbspfresh lemon juice, strained
1largeegg
1tspgrated lemon peel
1tspground nutmeg
Instructions
Butter or grease a 9x13" baking pan.
Cream the butter and sugars in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla.
Combine the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
Alternate adding ⅓ of the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the creamed mixture, mixing well in between additions.
Fold in the rhubarb.
Transfer to a greased 9x13" baking dish and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.
Bake in a 35-40 minutes in a 350°F oven or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
While the cake is baking make the sauce:
Combine the sugar, butter, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan.
Bring to a boil over medium heat and stir constantly.
Whisk the egg in a one cup measuring cup or a bowl that is heat resistant.
Add some of the hot lemon mixture to the egg, one tablespoon at a time, and whisk in between additions. (This is to temper the egg and to prevent curdling)
Add the egg mixture to the remaining lemon mixture in the small pot and cook until thickened. Stir constantly to prevent curdling. This will take only about 3-5 minutes.
Once the mixture thickens, remove the pot from the heat and add the lemon peel and nutmeg.