Question about Susytwo's Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake

15 years ago

I haven't posted in ages, but I've been checking in here from time to time to drool over all the fabulous food! I have to make 2 coffee cakes for a party at school next week (along with a slew of other stuff). One will be a NY crumb cake. Do you think I could sub cranberries for the rhubarb in Susytwo's recipe? Not sure what other fruit I'd use with them though - apples, pears, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries? I'm thinking that cranberries and rhubarb are both equally sour.

I made this last spring and it was wonderful, so I thought I may as well post the recipe, too.

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB COFFEE CAKE

** FILLING **

3 cups sliced rhubarb, -- 1 inch pieces

1 quart fresh strawberries, -- diced/mashed

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

** CAKE **

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

Â½ teaspoon salt

1 cup butter or margarine, -- cut into pieces

1 Â½ cups milk (buttermilk is even better)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

** TOPPING **

Â¼ cup butter or margarine

Â¾ cup all-purpose flour

Â¾ cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large saucepan, combine rhubarb, strawberries and lemon juice. Cover and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes. Combine sugar and cornstarch, stir into saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened; remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (I used my hands, pressing the butter into the flour. Use cool butter) Beat milk, eggs, and vanilla; stir into crumb mixture.

Spread half the batter evenly into a greased 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Carefully spread filling on top. Drop remaining batter by tablespoonfuls over filling.

For topping: melt butter in microwave over low heat, stir in flour and sugar until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over batter. Lay foil on lower rack to catch any juicy fruit spillovers.

Place coffee cake on middle rack, bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. Cool in pan. Cut into squares.