Raspberry-Rhubarb buckle with almonds

Rhubarb, Rhubarb everywhere! In spring one of the first plants to make an appearance in peoples gardens here in the Midwest is Rhubarb. A plant with long deep red stalks and big leaves. Only the stalks are edible, in fact the leaves are quite poisonous (to learn more go to http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/botanical). Every cooking magazine this time of year has a section on Rhubarb and its uses, which are plentiful: soups, salads, jams, sauces and not to forget the classic Rhubarb pie!
Growing up I can remember my grandmother making rhubarb soup, but for the most part I remember eating it raw, dipping it in lots of sugar. It is a very tart fruit (it really is a vegetable, but used like a fruit) which needs the addition of a good amount of sugar.

The moment I saw the picture and recipe of this dessert I knew I had to make it! It was originally named Cherry-Raspberry buckle, but I instantly knew it would work well with Rhubarb too, so I changed it up! And what a delight! It is the perfect summer dessert. Soft and moist and delicious warm with vanilla ice cream (or cold for breakfast the next day!). For this recipe you can use any fruit combination that sounds good to you, but don't exceed the total of 3 cups fruits - too much fruit will make the cake too wet.

Raspberry-Rhubarb buckle

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup low-fat milk

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup light olive oil or canola oil

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries

1 1/2 cups diced rhubarb
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
2 teaspoons sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch baking dish or springform pan with cooking spray.
Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl., whisk milk, applesauce, oil, granulated sugar, egg and vanilla in a medium bowl until blended. Add the wt ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently fold until blended. Sprinkle berries and rhubarb on top and fold just until blended. Spoon the batter into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with almonds and sugar.

Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs, 45-55 minutes. Let cool 10-15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Eating Well Magazine, May/June 2011