This looks like a perfect mixture of tart, sweet, and sour.
For what it’s worth, we’ve talked about some recipes with specific moments of origin before, like Caesar Salad. Coffee Cake is the opposite of that. It represents an evolutionary branch of Dutch and German cake-making that absorbed traditions wherever it was carried.
A family recipe provided by Jennifer Kiel of Washington, DC, from her mother-in-law’s collection, started in Kent, Ohio.
Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake
Filling
- 3 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb (1 inch pieces)
- 1 qt. fresh strawberries, mashed
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
Cake
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 cup butter or margarine, cut in pieces
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla
Topping
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
In a large saucepan combine rhubarb, strawberries and lemon juice. Cover and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes. Combine sugar and cornstarch and 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. Beat buttermilk , eggs, and vanilla; stir into crumb mixture. Spread half the batter evenly into a 13 x 9″ pan. Carefully spread filling on top.
Drop the remaining batter by Tablespoons over the filling.
For the topping, melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat; stir in flour and sugar until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Spread over the batter. Place coffee cake on middle rack and bake at 350 deg. 40-45 minutes. Cool in pan. Cut into squares. Yield: 16 to 29 servings.
OK.