Rhubarb Crumb Bars

A few years ago, I got a free subscription to Martha Stewart's food magazine, Everyday Food. For whatever reason, I wasn't too impressed with the recipes that I read at the time. I did save this one, however, and I don't recall what issue it was from. Thankfully, I saw that the recipe was also included on Martha's website.

Once I saw this recipe in Martha's magazine, I immediately saved it and knew I had to make it for my husband. You see, he is a fan of rhubarb and said that he used to have stalks of rhubarb growing around his house in Iowa. His family would cut down the stalks and make all kinds of rhubarb desserts like pies. He's a rhubarb purist and prefers the plain rhubarb desserts over the rhubarb-strawberry combination ones.

The tartness of the rhubarb is nicely offset by the sweet and crunchy streusel topping.  Our daughter enjoyed making this with me one morning and helped stir the streusel and the cake. She was so excited when I finally pulled these out of the oven so she could see the finished product. I may even give her a bite later, but definitely not before bedtime. This little girl does not need any more sugar!

Hope you'll enjoy these sweet yet tart rhubarb crumb bars as much as we did!

Streusel ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus room-temperature butter for pan
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
• 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Cake ingredients

• 1/2 pound rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon light-brown sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Butter and flour parchment and pan, tapping out excess flour.

Make streusel: Whisk together butter, brown sugar, and salt. Add flour and mix with a fork until large crumbs form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Make cake: In a medium bowl, combine rhubarb, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup flour. In another medium bowl, whisk 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, one at a time. With mixer on low, beat in vanilla, then flour mixture. Spread batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle with rhubarb and top with streusel.

Bake cake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely in pan. Using paper overhang, lift cake from pan. Cut into 16 bars.

Source: Everyday Food (via Martha Stewart)