Saturday, May 2, 2009

A Tower of Tangy Rhubarb Mini Coffee Cakes


Being the resident "foodie" of the neighborhood, sometimes things just show up at my doorstep! Tuesday I was out running the neighborhood, preparing for a June triathlon (another story see below) and came home to find a bag full of fresh rhubarb.

I absolutely love rhubarb. It is sweet-tart and lends itself to jams, pies, sauces and of course coffee cake. Rhubarb is easy to prepare and even better to eat.

I recently have come into procession of a mini square Calphalon baking pan. I love it!! It didn't take long for me to start thinking Mini Rhubarb Coffee Cakes.

Tangy Rhubarb Mini Coffee Cakes

1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup fat free half n half
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon coffee extract
3 oz cream cheese
4 cups chopped fresh rhubarb
1/2 flour
3/4 sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 packs of instant oatmeal flavor of your choice (I used Maple and Brown sugar)

(1)Heat oven to 325 degrees. (2) In a large bowl beat cake mix, half n half, vanilla, almond extract, coffee extract and cream cheese. Beat on medium speed for at least two minutes. (3) Boil a pot of water and remove from heat. Add 2 cups of the fresh rhubarb to the water for approximately two minutes. Gently drain. (4) By hand, gently fold the additional two cups of fresh rhubarb that you have coated in 1/4 cup of the flour and the "cooked" rhubarb. (5) In a small bowl mix sugar, remaining 1/4 cup flour, butter and oatmeal to coarse crumbs. Fill muffin cups (or in my case the mini squares) only half full. Sprinkle the crumb mixture on top and bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cool and remove from pan. ENJOY!!

These mini coffee cakes are really good. They are perfect with coffee, milk or tea. They are sweet with a tang to awaken your taste buds. So get baking!!

Why did I bring up the fact that I am doing a triathlon? BECAUSE I don't want to do it!! I participated the Little Miami Triathlon in October with my husband (honey) being my partner. The triathlon consist of 6 mile canoe, 5.5 mile run, and an 18 mile bike race in that order. It literally took me days to recover from this gruelling race! Let me just tell you that we were awful! We didn't come in last, but darn close. We totally underestimated the canoe part of the race and spent most of the time in the water! A bunch of people in our neighborhood participated in this triathlon and they beat us by over an hour. So, with honey it is kind of a pride thing. Me on the other hand, I just plain don't care. At neighborhood parties we are kind of made fun of and I pretty much take it stride. This kind of harassing just eggs honey on.

So, at the beginning of the year, Lo and behold, I got an email congratulating me on signing up for the Little Miami Triathlon! I have remained strong in my commitment NOT to do this triathlon, but my resolve is wavering. Honey wants to do it, now my sister is doing it, and how the heck can I say 'NO?"

Any suggestions for how I can say "no" just pass them my way! Other than that, have a wonderful day!

26 comments:

  1. Wow - good luck on the triathalon....I don't think I'd be able to do it. And if I really wanted out..I'd have my boss come up with an insane project to make me work that weekend :)

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  2. tower or no tower, those look pretty amazing.

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  3. They look amazing. Good luck with the triathlon.

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  4. Holy cow Gin, you're awesome....a triathalon!? Amazing. You could say...I'm sorry, I told my friend Dar that I was going to visit her that weekend, geez; maybe next time. LOL!!! These little coffee cakes looks so moist and delicious. That'd be awesome to come home to rhubarb on your doorstep :)

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  5. Does 'we spent most time in the water' mean that you kept tipping out of the canoe? Hope not. LOL. Hopefully you will have picked up some tips and tricks from the last triathalon! Don't forget to pack some of these in your pockets during the triathalon! (Sealed in plastic wrap in case of canoe tip)...lol Looks yummy Gin!

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  6. The rhubarb coffee cakes look delicious! I'd love to have one with my coffee right now. :)

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  7. Mini rhubarb coffee cakes look very tempting and delicious! I really enjoy rhubarb as well and am looking forward to the season here.

    I am absolutely no help with the triathlon. I am a total nerd, no little sense of physical grace and stamina. I'm afraid I was built for comfort, not speed.

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  8. Oh, I think you should do it! I would never do it because I am out of shape and it would probably kill me!

    Those little coffee cakes look nummy! I have never used rhubarb. I ate it once in a pie but I can't remember what it tastes like really.

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  9. Hiya! Thank you so much for voting for me!
    These little cakes look yummy, I love coffee, not so sure about rhubarb, but my Grandpa loves it so maybe I should give it a try! :)

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  10. I just saw some rhubarb at the grocery store and thought I might find a foodie friend that knew what to do with it! I am going to a brunch and this would be perfect.

    A triathlon? All I have to say is WOW.

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  11. What an awesome dessert! You do not see such wonderfully unique desserts made from rhubarb! ...and I want one too...torture, just simply torture...oh speaking of that good luck on that triathlon...I will send vibes your way :)

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  12. mmmm. i wish i had a neighbor that left produce on my doorstep :) that sounds lovely! so do these mini coffee cakes :)

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  13. Awww how sweet of your neighbors to drop you off a bag of fresh rhubarb! :) and what good use you put them to, too!

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  14. These look terrific, have you ever substituted another fruit? I would love to try with apples or strawberries?? A triathalon, you are amazing!

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  15. Ginger you are testing my taste buds this morning. Love all the rhubarb. I would love that kind of triathlon. Works for me. Your amazing.

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  16. Yum, rhubarb coffee cake sounds really good! I love that mini-square pan and I'm very impressed you did a triathlon! I was a swimmer in college, so I've been toying with the idea of doing one. My goal would just be to finish :)

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  17. The rhubarb mini's look so good.
    What an interesting recipe.
    Looking forward to my rhubarb coming up. I'd sure like to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing it.

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  18. Thanks for Sharing this delicious Recipe!
    I Buy Grill Parts

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  19. If I had the support system you do for triathlon training I would do it in a heartbeat. So I don't really want to encourage you to say no here.

    Those mini rhubarb cakes are so cute! I love the mini square pan you have. I need one.

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  20. These sounds great and look so cute! I should try more with rhubarb. Thanks for stopping by my blog. The basil cheese was really good. Never had anything quite like it! Local cheese is tasty but I find it pretty spendy too..only for a treat :-)

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  21. That's how I like e'm nice and small, I bet I could put all three in my mouth at the same time, well you don't believe me send me some ..delicious indeed :) xx Rico-Recipes

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  22. A yummy dessert!

    Good luck on the triathlon :)

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  23. You managed to snag some rhubarb?! Me like your neighbors! I'm still waiting for some to show up at my grocery store. Awesome to hear about you competing in a triathlon ... holy moly!

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  24. I love rhubarb - how lucky to have someone leave you some. The coffeecakes sound so tart and amazingly yummy!

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  25. looks great my Dad loves Rhubarb i posted on Rhubarb crumble that he made when I was home in Scotland, love your blog Rebecca, oh and thats cool you were in China would love to go

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