Rhubarb Bundt Cake

This recipe was given to me by my friend Amber, who is a fabulous cook.  She got it from a cookbook called Hollyhocks & Radishes: Mrs. Chard's Almanac Cookbook, which is actually a book from Michigan.  (hey, me too!) It has lots of great recipes in it, and I look forward to purchasing my own copy and trying many more!  Some that have caught my eye:  Old-Time Doughnuts (which I'm hoping are similar to the ones my Great Grandma used to make), Smoked Whitefish Pâté, and Double Chocolate Pound Cake.  These are just the tip of the iceberg!

This cake is pretty easy to put together, as cakes go, and is a wonderfully flavored light cake, tangy with bits of rhubarb.  Yum.  The only problem I had was I felt too anxious to get it out of the pan, so I didn't wait until the cake was cool, and it split in half!  The top half stayed in the pan.  My advice to you:  Grease the pan WELL and WAIT until the cake is cool before you attempt to turn it onto a plate.  I ended up digging the top out of the pan and setting it on top, which is why you may notice there isn't a picture here!  Luckily the mishap didn't affect the flavor of this fabulous cake.

Here's the recipe.  Don't forget to buy the cookbook!

Rhubarb Bundt Cake 
Serves 12 or more
Prepare: 20 minutes
Bake: 1 hour

1-1/2 cups finely chopped rhubarb (I used almost 2 cups)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 cup light vegetable oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups sifted unbleached flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Generously oil a 3-quart Bundt pan.

Combine rhubarb with 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and remaining 2 cups sugar.  Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then oil, lemon juice, and vanilla. 

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.  With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir flour mixture into mixing bowl in 3 batches, alternating with milk.  Fold in nuts.

Spoon 1/3 of batter into prepared pan.  Top with 1/2 of the rhubarb mixture.  Repeat, then cover with remaining 1/3 of batter.

Bake 60-65 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.  Set cake pan on cooking rack.  When cool enough to handle, invert onto serving plate.  Before serving, you may wish to dust top with powdered sugar and a sprinkling of cinnamon.  (I felt this to be unnecessary)

By the way, this cake freezes beautifully.