Almond Crunch Rhubarb Kuchen {cake #dairyfree #recipe Rhabarberkuchen}

I love spring - well, guess I say that about every season - and I love rhubarb since tart and bitter are my flavors.  Yes,  I am a tart and bitter woman :)  Strawberries are of course a perfect company for rhubarb however I prefer rhubarb all by itself.  It takes me back to my childhood.  My grandparents had a - seemingly at the time - huge yard growing everything from Stachelberen {goose berries}, Johannisbeeren (red and black currents) to vegetables and Rhabarber {rhubarb}. When rhubarb was in season it was often rhubarb compote for dessert, Rhabarberkuchen is served in Cafe's and bakeries everywhere around.  Topped with meringue or with marzipan or glazed…so yes,  I love Rhabarberkuchen.

Rhubarb has finally arrived at our stores. We already had a rhubarb-strawberry compete with ice "cream" for dessert and finally the first Rhabarberkuchen of the year.  My usual go-to recipe is Rhubarb Meringue but sometimes there is just not enough time to make it….So instead it was this easy and quick  cake….which shall be named Almond Crunch Rhubarb Kuchen.  It comes together super easy, really delicious and you can always add a little more rhubarb than I did.

Almond Crunch Rhubarb Kuchen

• 1-1/4 C flour
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/3  C corn starch
• 1/2 C sugar
• 5 TB Earth Balance {or your favorite "butter} - softened cut into pieces
• 1/2 C plain almond milk {your favorite type of "milk"}
• 2  egg
• 1     tsp vanilla extract
• 3-4 C cleaned, chopped rhubarb cut into about 1/2" pieces

      For Almond Crunch topping

• 2/3 C ground almonds
• 1/2 C sugar
• 1/2 C flour
•    4 TB Earth Balance {or your favorite "butter"}

        ***Preheat oven to 360 F***

1. In a stand mixer gently combine flour, baking powder, corn starch, and sugar
2. Add "butter", "milk",  eggs and combine into a smooth batter.
3. Add vanilla until it is worked well into the batter
4. Mix rhubarb into the batter
5. Pour batter into a prepared springform
6. Combine ground almonds, sugar, flour, and "butter", until it becomes crumbly {I use my hands for this step) and it has the appearance of streusel.
7. Top the batter with the streusel
8. Bake for about 80 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean

Enjoy!