rhubarb cornmeal cake

It has been way too long since I made a dessert that was not taste-bud killer sweet. I don’t like to point the finger here, but there is a certain person in my house, who I happen to be married too and have said the most sincerest vows too, that thinks the word dessert means pure sugar. He expects and wants to be put in a sugar coma after every dinner, to have his teeth fall out before he hits 25, and to get type 2 diabetes before he has finished his plate. And I try to oblige (on very special occasions) by making his favorite chocolate peanut butter cake — in which one of the two frostings call for 6 cups of confectioner’s sugar, that I have secretly reduced to 1 cup without hearing a single complaint — nutella ice cream — which is the perfect combination of a cold creamy sweet and chocolate hazelnut, but so rich a spoonful is enough to satisfy your craving, unless of course your name is Meg’s marriage buddy — and toasted coconut bread — that he swore was not sweet enough until I added extra brown sugar on top of the cake. I think he has an addiction.

And because I would prefer to not be married to a toothless, diabetic, comatose husband I thought I would lay off the chocolate peanut butter fudge piled high on top of slightly caramelized crispy treats, and (though I fear I will have hell to pay for this next one) not indulge in nutella tart-ed or ice cream-ed confections. Or, as I tell my husband, we are taking a mini-sugar break because of my grandparents who cannot tolerate sugar in such concentrated doses as he, which only seems to utter a longing wishful sigh as he takes a small break for four hours to eat something less sweet.

I’m not such an evil witch, though. I macerated and cooked the rhubarb in wine and citrusy zest creating a tart, sweet, boozy compote to go along with a cornmeal cake that in fact tastes nothing like cornbread despite its corn-bread like qualities. It is definitely cake, having the very slightest feeling of cornmeal — I’d say just enough to make you feel slightly good about your choice; that it feels somewhat healthier than the other option of a flour-less chocolate cake, but overall it makes you happy that it is not heavy and dense — and is the perfect balance of a non sugar laden sweet yet is very much cake, which frankly puzzles the man who likes to share my bed at night, but that’s what it is people.

One Year Ago: White Bean and Red Onion Salad

Cornmeal Cake with Rhubarb Compote
Adapted from Bon Appetit

Cornmeal Cake:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
Finely grated orange peel from 1 orange
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoons light brown sugar, optional

Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter a loaf pan or a 9-inch cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Dust pan with cornmeal, tapping out excess. Sift flour, 1/2 cup cornmeal, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Beat in orange peel. Gradually add 1 cup sugar and beat until light and fluffy, occasionally scraping sides of bowl. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients in 3 additions until just incorporated. Transfer batter to pan; smooth top. Sprinkle with brown sugar (I added about a teaspoon or so on top, but don’t think it needed it; the husband of course thought it did).

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes for loaf pan, 25 to 30 minutes for cake pan. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes. Run knife around pan sides to loosen. Turn cake out onto plate, then invert, sugar side up, onto rack. Cool completely.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Wrap in foil; let stand at room temperature.

Cut cake into wedges. Serve with Boozy Rhubarb Compote alongside.

Boozy Rhubarb Compote:
2 cups Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon
1 cup sugar
2-inch-long strips orange peel (orange part only), whole orange
2-inch-long strips lemon peel (yellow part only), whole lemon
6 cups 1/2-inch pieces fresh rhubarb (about 2 pounds trimmed)
1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine wine, sugar, orange peel, and lemon peel in heavy large saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add rhubarb and salt and simmer until rhubarb is tender but still retains its shape, about 9 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer rhubarb to shallow dish, arranging in single layer. Boil wine syrup in saucepan until thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon, it will be reduced down to about 1/2 cup. Add rhubarb and any juices accumulated. Take off heat to cool. Serve compote slightly warm with cake.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.