My rhubarb patch is by far still very minuscule, THANKFULLY we have family members who are rich in rhubarb! Each year I get really lucky and I get to steal a few stalks to use for baking – rhubarb pie or my favorite, Rhubarb Margaritas. Since I am pregnant at the moment, the rhubarb margaritas are off the table, so baking it is!
Some of my favorite summer cakes are those that are light and fruity and this rhubarb poke cake combines all of those elements. A light, airy vanilla cake that is infused with ruby red, rhubarb sweetness.
Bonus – this cake is RED, WHITE, and BLUE! A perfect choice for your summer barbecue or 4th of July celebration, am I right? Red and white stripes dotted with plump, blueberries make this dessert a patriotic prize!
To start, I cooked all of the rhubarb goodness out of the stalks and then made a syrup by combining the juice and sugar. Letting it simmer created a scrumptious syrup that I infused in to the cake.
The cake is a simple one. Basic. Vanilla, Cake. You could even use a cake mix for this one, as many poke cake recipes do utilize. Poke holes all over that cake and let the rhubarb syrup seep in! Top off the cake with dollops of whipped topping (homemade or Cool Whip, you pick!) Then dot the top with those beautiful blueberries and you have a dessert that screams USA!
We like to save our leftover rhubarb syrup for ice cream sundaes, another patriotic crowd pleaser! What is your favorite patriotic dessert?
INGREDIENTS
Rhubarb Syrup
8 c. rhubarb – cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 c. water
3 c. sugar
Vanilla Cake
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 T. vanilla
1/2 c. sour cream
2 1/2 c. flour
3 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 1/4 c. milk
Heavy Cream or Cool Whip
Blueberries
GUIDANCE
Make rhubarb syrup. Combine rhubarb and water. Bring water to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook rhubarb for 10 minutes. Pour rhubarb mixture through a fine mesh strainer to extract all the juice. Return the liquid to the saucepan and stir in sugar. Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar dissolves, about 10 minutes.
Make the vanilla cake. Combine sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until batter is lightened in color. Add in sour cream. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Add half the flour mixture to the wet mixture on low speed. Mix in half of the milk, then repeat with the remaining flour and milk. Mix until well combined. Bake cake in a 9×13 greased and flour pan for 25-30 minutes.
Once cake has cooled, use a wooden dowel to poke holes throughout the top of the cake. Pour 1/2 of the cooled rhubarb syrup over the cake (save the rest for ice cream sundaes). Top with whipped topping and blueberries.
