Rhubarb Coffeecake (made with mayonnaise)

Here in the upper Midwest, we are seeing more and more poultry farms hit with a dangerous avian flu virus that has killed hundreds of thousands of chickens and turkeys, and there are predictions of sharply higher egg prices coming, so it seemed like a good time to try substituting mayonnaise in one more recipe. Since the rhubarb is ready for harvesting, this coffeecake seemed the perfect recipe for an experiment.

I try to use mayonnaise only where other, stronger flavored ingredients will predominate, and I kept butter in the topping for its distinctive flavor. The texture of this cake is lovely, a little dense but very moist. While the ingredients list may look a little long, this is extremely easy to put together. As I have noted in earlier rhubarb recipes, my plants have little red in them, so you may end up with a much more colorful cake than mine.

Crumb-topped Rhubarb Coffeecake with Mayonnaise

Rhubarb Mixture
2 c (8 oz) diced rhubarb
1/4 c sugar
2 t cornstarch
1/2 t ginger
1/2 t cinnamon

Cake Batter
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/2 c sugar
1 t vanilla
1/2 c plain non-fat yogurt
1 c whole wheat flour
1 c enriched flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
3/4 t baking soda

Crumbs
1/4 c butter, melted
1/2 c brown sugar
3/4 c flour
2 t cinnamon
1 t ginger

1.   Toss together the rhubarb, quarter cup sugar, cornstarch, ginger, and cinnamon until well mixed. Set aside while making the batter.
2.  Cream together the mayonnaise, sugar,  yogurt, and vanilla.
3.  Stir in the prepared rhubarb, blending well.
3.  Sift the flour and baking powder and soda together and fold into the rhubarb mixture. Stir just until evenly blended; do not overmix.

4.  Generously oil a 7 X 11 inch pan. Pour in the batter and spread evenly.
5.  With a fork, mix the butter, brown sugar, and spices until well blended. Add the flour and continue to mix just until large crumbs form. Using your fingers, distribute the crumbs evenly over the top, pressing them into the batter just slightly.
6.  Bake at 350 (325 for a glass pan) for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Variation

If you really, really like the crumb topping, spread the batter in a 9 X 12 pan and double the topping amount. This is likely to be done in 22 to 25 minutes.