Strawberry Rhubarb Streusel Shortcake
Last year, I made this Raspberry Lemon Poppy Seed Snacking Cake, which is a whole lot of title for a small piece of cake that you’re supposed to snack on. Either way, it was a delicious treat that I still highly recommend. If you haven’t made it yet, you should definitely get on it. This year, I wanted to recreate that same idea, a cake sliced into small pieces that you can eat in two bites throughout the day. This Strawberry Rhubarb Streusel Shortcake is what you get when you combine classic strawberry shortcake with a streusel topped coffee cake and a fruit cobbler, all rolled into one incredible dessert, which could also double as a rich breakfast treat. And yes, if anyone asks, cake for breakfast is always perfectly acceptable. Always.
Make sure you keep this cake in mind the next time you see fresh rhubarb and strawberries at your local grocery store or farmer’s market. It’s worth all of the steps. I promise. It’s a nice change up from your regular ol’ strawberry rhubarb pie. Although you could easily swap them for peaches, blueberries or raspberries!
Strawberry Rhubarb Streusel Shortcake
Equipment
- Mixer
- Saucepan
- Potato masher
- 9×13-inch baking pan
Ingredients
Jam:
- 1 1/2 pounds fresh rhubarb
- 1 quart fresh strawberries
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
Cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter cold and diced
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Streusel:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13inch baking pan with parchment paper, so that it hangs off on either side to make it easier to pull out later. Lightly grease with cooking spray and set aside.
- To make the jam, cut the rhubarb into a 1-inch dice and place in a medium saucepan. Hull the strawberries and slice into a bowl. Using a potato masher or fork, roughly mash the berries until chunky. Throw into the pot with the rhubarb, along with the lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Cover and cook over moderate heat for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch and stir into the saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside until ready to use.
- To make the cake, in a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the butter and cut in with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with large bits of butter throughout. Beat buttermilk, eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl and then add to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
- Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan into an even layer. Carefully spread the jam over the top. Dollop the remaining batter over the top with a large spoon.
- For the streusel, in a large bowl, combine the butter, flour and sugar with your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs the size of peas. Sprinkle over the top of the cake and bake until golden brown and the center no longer jiggles, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Chill for about 30 minutes to make it easier to slice. Cut into squares and serve. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 4 days. Enjoy!
