When rhubarb arrives at the farmer's market, it always feels like it's truly spring. Rhubarb grows in abundance at my parent's house and come April and May, there was pretty much always a rhubarb pie in the oven until the season ended.
Rhubarb Almond Cake (adapted very slightly from Bon Appetit)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for pan
1¼ lbs. rhubarb stalks, trimmed
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup blanched almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9-inch tart pan or springform pan and coat with sugar, tapping out excess. Slice rhubarb in half lengthwise (quarter if very large). Set 8 of the prettiest pieces aside for the top of the cake; chop remaining rhubarb into ½-inch pieces.
Pulse flour, almonds, baking powder, and salt in a food processor until almonds are finely ground (texture should be sandy).
Place 1 cup butter and ¾ cup sugar in a large bowl. Add vanilla extract. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating to blend first egg before adding second. Beat until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients, followed by yogurt. Beat, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed, just to combine (batter will be thick). Fold in chopped rhubarb and scrape batter into prepared pan. Smooth batter and arrange reserved rhubarb over top; sprinkle with remaining 3 Tbsp. sugar.
Place tart pan on a large rimmed baking sheet (to catch any rogue juices) and bake, rotating once, until cake is golden brown and rhubarb on top is soft and beginning to brown, 70–80 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cake cool before removing from pan.