The first time I made this cake it was a huge gamble. We were having guests for dinner and this was my only dessert. I had nothing else planned in the event that this was terrible. I had a guess that it would be good because it’s a version of a cake I really do love. But putting rhubarb into a cake is risky. It can be extremely sour when not prepared properly.

After thinking through the process completely I decided to use more sugar than seemed reasonable to counter the sour of the rhubarb and bring out its delicious flavor.

I don’t think I would have even considered rhubarb in this cake until we were in Sweden this past summer. Rhubarb was in full effect in EVERYTHING and I could not get enough. In Seattle, rhubarb is a spring flavor but it turns out in Sweden it’s a summer flavor. For this cake, frozen is mandatory which makes it an any season cake! I usually have frozen rhubarb from our garden or my mother-in-laws garden but you can always but it at the Whole Foods.

Rhubarb Snack Cake

makes one 9” cake

1 cup frozen rhubarb

1 1/2 cup sugar (divided)

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

STEP 1

In a small bowl combine the rhubarb and 1/2 cup of the sugar and set aside. Mix to combine and let rest until the rhubarb is defrosted and a syrup has formed around the rhubarb. Smush it a bit with a fork to mash the fruit a little.

STEP 2

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom of a 9” pan and line with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and remaining one cup of sugar. Cream together until a paste forms. Add the eggs and vanilla and combine.

STEP 3

Mix flour and baking soda together in a separate bowl.

Drain the liquid off the rhubarb. It should be about 1/2 cup.

STEP 4

Alternate flour, rhubarb syrup, and flour mixing into the stand mixer and combine. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the rhubarb gently.

Bake 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool before serving.

OPTIONAL

I like to add a glaze to the top. I realize there’s already an excessive amount of sugar in this small cake, but I figure what’s a little more? Mix together 1/3 cup powdered sugar and one to two teaspoons cold water. Pour over the cooled cake.

---

Rhubarb Soda

Turning things into cocktails is a special skill of mine. Here’s a rhubarb cocktail in case you can’t get enough rhubarb.

Click here

I’ve been making this cake for so long I was shocked that it wasn’t on the blog already! Whoops. This is going to be your new favorite cake. I like it for dinner parties because it’s not super heavy. But with the whipped cream and caramel, it’s EPIC.

I use the Salted Caramel in a squeeze from Whole Foods. You can make your own or use your favorite, but it’s the simplest way to impress at Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any dinner party.

Pear Caramel Cake

serves 4-6

½ cup butter, room temperature

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup sour cream

1 cup sliced pear

¼ cup turbinado sugar

caramel sauce for serving

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 9” round pan. Cream together butter and white sugar until light and fluffy.

            ½ cup butter

            1 cup white sugar

STEP 2

Whisk in eggs and vanilla until combined.

            2 eggs

            1 teaspoon vanilla

STEP 3

In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.

            1 1/3 cup all purpose flour

            1 teaspoon baking powder

            ¼ teaspoon salt

STEP 4

Alternate adding dry ingredients and sour cream starting and ending with dry ingredients.  Add the flour in two batches with the sour cream added in between.  Gently fold in fruit.  

            ½ cup sour cream

          1 cup sliced pears

STEP 5

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the turbinado sugar on top.  Bake 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.  

To serve, top with whipped cream or ice cream and a drizzle of caramel.

---

This is one of my favorite cakes to make this time of year! When you have cute cake molds, you need a cake that doesn’t need a frosting so you don’t cover up the design. I found this cute skull mold earlier this year - Pearl’s favorite holiday is Halloween - so I had to buy it when I found it!

This cake can be made in any shape. I usually choose a regular round cake mold. But you can change it up for the holiday. I hear there are turkey molds so this could be darling for Thanksgiving too.

APPLE CIDER CAKE

½ cup butter, room temperature

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ½ cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

½ cup apple cider

½ cup chopped apple

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider

STEP 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the skull mold cake pans and dust them with flour. It’s super important to flour the pans when there are details like this!

In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, and spices.  Set aside.

STEP 2

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Whip together until it lightens slightly in color (about 1 minute).

STEP 3

Add half the flour to the sugar mixture in the stand mixer.  Stir until just barely combined.

STEP 4

Pour in apple cider and mix.  Add remaining flour and stir until just barely combined then incorporate the apples.

STEP 5

Pour the mixture into a greased 9-inch round pan.  Pop into the oven and bake 35 minutes – or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cool. Mix together the powdered sugar and cider - then pour it over the top of the cake slowly and let it drip off the sides.

---

I started creating this cake with nectarines last summer and I became obsessed with it. It’s so ridiculously simple and it’s always so good. I made it with nectarines, peaches, blueberries, figs, Italian plums (I don’t recommend that one), apples, strawberries, and raspberries. It’s such a great recipe to have in your back pocket when you need something that’s impressive and you don’t have to think about it.

Also, makes a good breakfast!

SIMPLE STRAWBERRY CAKE

serves 4-6

½ cup butter, room temperature

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup sour cream

1 cup chopped strawberries

¼ cup turbinado sugar

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom of a 9” round pan. Cream together butter and white sugar until light and fluffy.

            ½ cup butter

            1 cup white sugar

STEP 2

Whisk in eggs and vanilla until combined.

            2 eggs

            1 teaspoon vanilla

STEP 3

In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients.

            1 1/3 cup all purpose flour

            1 teaspoon baking powder

            ¼ teaspoon salt

STEP 4

Alternate adding dry ingredients and sour cream starting and ending with dry ingredients.  Add the flour in two batches with the sour cream added in between.  Gently fold in fruit.  

            ½ cup sour cream

          1 cup strawberries

STEP 5

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the turbinado sugar on top.  Bake 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.  

Pin this for later!

---

I feel like you're going to think I'm exaggerating.  But I am not.  This cake is THE BEST.  People who don't actually like me that well in real life love this cake.  And they tell me they love the cake.  Trust me - they wouldn't do that if they didn't love the cake.  This cake is the best.

The best part is that it's barely any ingredients.  I think you spend more time fixing a box cake than it takes to make this from scratch.  

I have found that it's best with homemade jam.  But I realize that's not something that everyone keeps in their pantry.  I have loads because it's my favorite and my children hate strawberry jam.  Who could hate strawberry jam?  Something is wrong with them.  

STRAWBERRY JAM CAKE

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease the bottom (not the sides) of two 9" round pans.  In a small bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder and set aside.

STEP 2

In a large mixing bowl, neat together the butter and sugar until smooth.  Ad the vanilla until incorporated.  Add eggs, one at  a time, beating well after each one is added.  With the mixer on  medium speed, add the flour and the jam alternately beginning and ending with flour until both are fully incorporated.

STEP 3

Divide the batter between the pans and bake about 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.  

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs

1 cup strawberry jam

SIMPLE BUTTERY FROSTING

STEP 1

In a mixing bowl, beat the butter until it's smooth.

STEP 2

Add the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until incorporated.  Once the sugar is incorporated turn the mixer to high speed and let it whip for about 5 minutes or until the mixture is light and fluffy.

STEP 3

Mix in the vanilla and any food coloring.  Use immediately!

4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Have you made Pineapple Upside Down Cake recently?  Or ever?  Do you know how simple it is?  Totally fabby and worthy of a weeknight party.  Any night of the week.  

Topping ::

3 ounces butter

½ cup packed brown sugar

5 pineapple rings

5 maraschino cherries

Cake Batter ::

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup chopped pineapple

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter the bottom of an 8x8 pan and line with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer whip together butter and brown sugar until light in color and fluffy.  Using an offset spatula, evenly cover the bottom of the prepared pan with the brown sugar mixture.  Place drained and dried pineapple rings on top of the brown sugar mixture and place one cherry in the center of each ring. 

Clean out the mixing bowl and whip together eggs and sugar until light and airy.  Add vanilla.  In a small bowl, combine dry ingredients and add them to the egg mixture.  Mix in flour with as few strokes as possible.  Add pineapple and combine. 

Pour batter over pineapple rings and smooth out with an offset spatula.  Bake 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Let rest 5 minutes before inverting.  When slightly cooled, place a platter on the top of the pan and flip over so cake lands on the plate. 

Serve warm. 

A classic cake never goes out of style.  But sometimes you want something more fun than a 'classic cake.'  That's why I turned the salted caramel frosting in this dreamy cake pink.  A few drops of gel food coloring and we're not just having a party, we're having a P.A.R.T.Y.    

1 cup butter

2 cup sugar

4 whole eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 cups flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease the bottom of four 8 inch cake pans.  Line each pan with a round of parchment paper and butter the parchment paper.  Set aside.  

Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.  Add cocoa powder and whip until creamy.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add half of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Add the milk. Once mixed, add remaining dry ingredients. 

Equally divide batter among four prepared pans and bake 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.  

Salted Caramel Frosting

2/3 cup sugar

¼ cup heavy cream

4 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1 ½ cups butter

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat sugar over medium heat.  When edges begin to turn brown, stir gently {only once or twice} with a wooden spoon.  Let the sugar continue to heat until all of it has turned into an amber syrup.  Remove from heat and quickly whisk in one tablespoon of cream.  The mixture will sputter and steam.  Be careful.  Continue whisking cream in a slow steady stream until completely incorporated.  Pour into a heatproof dish and let cool to room temperature.  

In the bottom of the heat proof bowl from a stand mixer, heat egg whites and remaining sugar to 160 degrees on a candy thermometer whisking often.  When the mixture reaches 160 degrees, attach the bowl to the stand mixer and whisk on medium high speed until the egg whites form a stiff peak.  Switch out to the paddle attachment and add the butter, one tablespoon at a time, until incorporated.  When all butter is incorporated, beat on high for 3-5 minutes.  Stir in room temperature caramel and beat on low until fully combined.  

Use immediately on cooled cake.  

I'm also not wild about trying to frost the whole cake.  I get really OCD crazy trying to make every angle of it perfect.  So I've take to just frosting the middle layers.  It calms my perfectionist tendencies and still looks cool.  Plus, you can lump loads of frosting in the middle layers which is dreamy.

1. Fill a piping bag, fitted with a large opening tip, and pipe a 'bumper' of frosting around the edge of the cake.  

2. Drop a spatula full of frosting in the center of the cake and spread evenly out to the edges with a offset spatula.  

photography by Brooke Clark

Studio B Portraits

Follow Alexandra Hedin's board I love birthdays on Pinterest.