A buckle is similar to a coffee cake or a cake topped with fruit baked with a slightly crunchy, crumbly topping.
This is a pure early summer treat with tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries. Put them together and you have scrumptious any time of the day.
Rhubarb is such a strange looking fruit. I don't suggest eating it like this. It's stringy and extremely tart. Cooked with a little sugar though, it transforms into a tangy, sweet indulgence.
Be generous on the sugar...
Strawberries and rhubarb sprinkled on the batter.
Into the oven...and wait.
Now to cool...and wait.
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Rhubarb and Strawberry Buckle
Cake:
3 stalks of rhubarb, washed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup strawberries, washed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick butter
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup sour cream
Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup flour
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 stick unsalted butter, melted
Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x9 square cake pan with cooking spray. Line it with parchment paper so that the sides overhang on two sides so you can easily remove the cake.
In a medium size bowl, add your chopped rhubarb and strawberries with 1/2 cup sugar. Let it macerate while you make the cake.
Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, beat together butter, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, lemon zest and beat until light and fluffy. Add in eggs, vanilla, sour cream and mix well. Gradually add in flour mixture. Mix until just combined...do not over mix.
In another bowl, mix together crumb topping.
Pour cake mixture into the cake pan. Smooth the cake so it's even. Add the fruit mixture. Sprinkle with the crumb topping. Bake until golden brown, about 65 minutes. Let it cool completely. Can remove from pan and put on a cooling rack. Slice into squares.
Makes about 12 squares
