Rhubarb Crumb Bars

My family has a nice BIG patch of Rhubarb and my dad is always complaining that it all seems to go to waste, so I decided I would do my part and find uses for it this year on my quest to try new things and fill my freezer.  In this quest I have learned that you can freeze rhubarb! I never thought about trying that before, but I have one bag I froze fresh and when the rhubarb grows back I will try to do some that's blanched.  From what I understand blanching keeps more of the nutritional and flavor of the rhubarb.

Rhubarb Crumb Bars

for the cake:

3/4 c. Flour

1/2 t. Baking Powder

1/4 t. Salt

1/2 c. Butter, at room temperature

1 c. Confectioners Sugar

2 Eggs

1/2 t. Vanilla Extract

With an electric mixer, beat butter and confectioners sugar until light and fluffy; beat in eggs, one at a time.  With mixer on low, beat in vanilla, then flour, baking powder and salt.  Spread batter in prepared 8X8 pan lined with parchment paper (lightly buttered and floured).

for the Rhubarb:

1/2 lb Rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 T. light Brown Sugar

1/4 c. Flour

Combine and top cake.

for the streusel;

6 T. Butter, at room temperature

1 c. Flour

1/2 c. light Brown Sugar

1/4 t. Salt

Whisk together butter, brown sugar and salt. Add flour and mix with a fork until large crumbs form.  Top rhubarb and bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes.  Let cool completely in pan.  Using paper overhang, lift cake from pan.  Cut into 16 bars if you wish.

When I made this it hadn't cooked all the way after the 45 minutes so we put it back in the oven for 10 more minutes and then my family ate it like a crisp with whipped cream! It never got cut into bars...so you don't have to cut it if you don't want to, good with some vanilla ice cream too! Oh and I also added pecan pieces to the topping.