Yield: 12-16 servings
Cook: 20-25 minutes
Ingredients
Strawberry-Rhubarb Filling
1 cup sliced rhubarb
2 cups hulled and quartered strawberries
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1 pinch salt
Cake
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 zest of lemon
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 ¼ cups buttermilk
¼ cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 to 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar or coarse finishing sugar
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350 and move a rack to the center position.
2. Combine strawberry, rhubarb, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons sugar, and pick of salt in an 11 or 12 inch skillet. Place over a medium high flame and cook, stirring frequently, until fruit is soft and coming apart and juices have reduced to a thick syrup, about 10 to 15 minutes. Do not let juices burn.
3. Scrape strawberry rhubarb mixture into a bowl to cool and scrape skillet clean with a silicone spatula. It’s okay if a little residue remains.
4. Melt butter in skillet and pour out all but 1 tablespoon to cool. Coat skillet evenly with remaining tablespoon. Add lemon zest to cooling butter and stir to combine.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Set aside.
6. In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together buttermilk, lemon juice, eggs, vanilla and butter.
7. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the buttermilk mixture all at once. Stir with a silicone spatula just until combined, scraping the sides of the bowl until there are no dry pockets of flour. Do not over mix. Pour batter into the prepared skillet and spread (or shake) smooth. Dot the batter with strawberry mixture as evenly as possible, and sprinkle generously with turbinado sugar.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow cake to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. If desired, serve with a generous dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream or a light dusting of powdered sugar.
9. Cake will last, removed from skillet and well wrapped in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.
