buckwheat rhubarb muffin cake

I found a good use for summer rhubarb I picked from a an organic farm outside of Paris, which I had chopped and stored in the freezer until mid-fall.

Because one works with what one has, I searched the interwebs for rhubarb buckwheat recipes and found one meant for muffins, which I adjusted to create a muffin-esque, coffee cake-ish delight.

I am always a proponent of kitchen experiments to explore what works for your needs and tastebuds – so here’s what I came up with.

Ingredients and baking tools [and more] from eco-conscious companies can be found on my Amazon storefront.

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buckwheat rhubarb muffin cake

makes 12 servings [or 12 muffins if using a muffin tin]
original recipe by Northern Ginger
[modified from this pear buckwheat muffin recipe]

ingredients

streusel

• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup buckwheat flour [sub whole wheat flour / original recipe uses spelt flour]
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar
• 1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped [original recipe uses toasted pecans]
• 2 Tbsp butter and / or coconut oil, melted [I used a mix of both]
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

cake / muffins

• 2 cups rhubarb, chopped [fresh or frozen / sub chopped pear or apple, berries or stone fruit]
• 1/2 cup milk [whole or non-dairy]
• 1 tsp lemon or lime juice [sub apple cider vinegar]
• 1 cup oat flour / ground oats [sub whole oats for a chunkier consistency]
• 3/4 cups buckwheat flour [sub whole wheat flour / original recipe uses spelt flour]
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder [I used levure – or baking yeast]
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar [sub maple sugar]
• 1/2 cup butter and / or coconut oil, melted [I used a blend of both]
• 2 eggs [*see egg substitutes below if vegan]
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.
• Grease a medium glass baking dish or muffin tin with butter or coconut oil / or / line with parchment paper.

almond streusel

• In a small bowl, mix together oats, flour, sugar, toasted nuts, cinnamon, and salt.
• Melt 1 Tbsp butter / coconut oil and add to dry mixture – mix well and use your fingers to pinch it into clumps, then set aside.

buckwheat rhubarb cake / muffins

• Mix milk and lemon / lime juice together and set aside. It is normal for the mixture to curdle slightly. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk together oat flour, buckwheat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, melted butter / coconut oil, milk-lemon juice mixture, and vanilla.
• Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir just until combined.
• Gently stir chopped rhubarb / fruit of choice into the batter.
• Pour batter evenly into a lined or greased baking dish / or / Divide batter evenly among 12 muffin cups [about 1/4 cup of batter per muffin].
• Top the cake / each muffin with almond streusel [about 1-2 Tbsp per muffin].
• Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick / sharp thin knife inserted into the center of the cake or a muffin comes out clean.
• Remove out of the oven / place muffins on a cooling rack, and allow to cool completely.
• Option: serve warm with a dollop of regular / non-dairy yogurt or vanilla ice cream.

notes

To make vegan: swap coconut oil for butter / non-dairy milk for whole milk / egg replacers below.

*egg replacers: 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 Tbsp warm water /or/ 2 Tbsp water + 1 tsp olive oil + 2 tsp baking powder whisked /or/ 1 tsp baking soda + 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar /or/ 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce.

To make gluten-free: ensure oats are gluten-free / swap oats or spelt flour for all-purpose gluten-free flour or coconut flour [experiment with consistency and taste].