I’m reappropriating #wakeandbake. And since Easter is on 4/20 this year, there’s no better time to light up the oven in the morning.
I know what you’re thinking: who has the energy to do anything at the buzz of the alarm besides burn some toast? Well, it actually makes a lot of sense to roll out of bed and start baking. Once your puffs go into the oven, there’s a 30-minute window to shower, tidy, catch up on the news, etc. After it’s done, you have the freshest possible goods to enjoy solo, pass around the brunch table or take to work — I received high praise from all of my co-workers for this recipe and several other past #wakeandbake exploits.
This dish is bread and jam in one skillet, so that’s one less pot to clean. It goes well with sweet complements like a bowl of yogurt and contrasts deliciously with savory pork sausage. Rhubarb is only in season for a little while, so make this before the temperature starts to blaze. Blueberries would make a yummy switch once their season arrives. And you can buy bags of local New York Farmer Ground Flour corn meal at the farmers market.
If you need any more motivation, it’s also National Pineapple Upside Down Cake Day. Reappropriate that too.
And our sister pub Edible Brooklyn been featured in a genius online show about Gotham tokers called High Maintenance (get it?). Watch the short here.
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Rhubarb Upside Down Cornbread
3/4 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2″ pieces on an angle
1 2/3 cup sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup corn meal
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
Pre-heat oven to 375 ºF.
Combine rhubarb, 1 cup sugar, 4 tablespoons butter, lemon juice, vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a 9-10″ cast iron skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is melted and rhubarb is tender and slightly caramelized, 8-10 minutes.
Mix flour, cornmeal, baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
Melt butter in a large bowl. Beat in remaining 2/3 cup sugar and eggs until well blended. Stir in flour mixture and milk, until few lumps remain. Pour batter over rhubarb in skillet and gently spread to edges with a rubber spatula. Bake for 30-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes before inverting onto a large platter.
This post originally appeared on Runaway Apricot. Photo credit: Robyn Burgess
