Almond Rhubarb Coffee Cake

If you have ever wondered how heaven tastes, I've found the perfect recipe to give you a little preview. It's the almond and it is so good.

Khuong had a baby boy and has been out of the office for a couple of weeks, so when he stopped by WITHOUT his new baby but WITH a bag of rhubarb for me, I was filled with mixed emotions. Hopefully I get to get that new baby soon!

Last year he brought me bags and bags of rhubarb and I cooked a gazillion rhubarb recipes. By the end of the season I was so tired of rhubarb. He was going to rip our his rhubarb plants because he doesn't like it and doesn't want to devote so much of his yard to it. Thank goodness it squeaked in another year, because I have been craving a rhubarb fix for a while.

After eating one piece of cake, I took the rest to work where I proceeded to break one of the red heart dishes in a clumsa-tastrophe (which happens to be a clumsy catastrophe.) I may have to reconsider traveling with my fancy stuff. On one hand, I love to bring fun food to share with my friends, but I also know that my clumsy self isn't very well suited to nice things. *sigh*

Almond Rhubarb Coffee Cake

1 1/2 C packed brown sugar

2/3 C oil

1 egg

1 t vanilla

1/4 t almond extract

2 1/2 C whole wheat pastry flour (or all purpose)

1 t salt

1 t baking soda

1 C milk

1 1/2 C chopped rhubarb

1/2 C sliced almonds

1/3 C white sugar

1 T melted butter

1/4 C sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9 inch round pans (or whatever pans suit your fancy.) In a large bowl, beat brown sugar, oil, egg, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to sugar mixture alternately with milk. Beat until smooth. Stir in rhubarb and milk. Pour into prepared pans. In a small bowl, combine white sugar and butter. Stir in 1/4 C almonds. Sprinkle over batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the cake tests done.