Strawberry-Rhubarb Skillet Cake with Basil Cream
by Kate Krukowski Gooding, blackflystew@gmail.com
Sometimes you just have to be bad. I am not big on desserts, however, this one just might be my go to, after my Stout Brownies. I love the coarse texture to this cake. And the summer flavor of strawberries, rhubarb and basil, you just want to tilt your head and, huh? Hmmmmmm.
Basil Whipped Cream – Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon Madagascar Vanilla Bean extract
- 1 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Strawberry-Rhubarb Cake – Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup fine yellow cornmeal
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter at room temperature, divided
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons goat cheese, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, halved
- ¾ cup fresh rhubarb, diagonally sliced thin
- 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
To Make Basil Whipped Cream
Combine heavy cream, vanilla and basil in covered small bowl; stir until combined. Refrigerate 4 hours. Pour mixture through fine wire-mesh strainer into large cold bowl; discard basil. Beat cream mixture with electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar; beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, about 45 seconds. Cover basil whipped cream; refrigerate until ready to use, up to 12 hours.
To Make Strawberry-Rhubarb Cake
Place a 10-inch cast-iron skillet in oven, and preheat oven to 350°F. Let skillet preheat 10 minutes.
Combine flour, cornmeal, and salt in small bowl; set aside. Place ¾ cup butter in bowl of stand mixer with whisk attachment; beat on high speed, occasionally scrape down sides of bowl, until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar, beating on high, scrape down sides of bowl, until mixture is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. With mixer running on low speed, add goat cheese; beat until just combined, about 30 seconds. Gradually add flour mixture, beating about 1 minute. Add buttermilk and vanilla bean paste, beating another 1 minute.
Remove skillet from oven. Add 1 tablespoon butter and swirl skillet until butter is melted. Pour in batter. Arrange strawberries and rhubarb across the top; sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
Bake until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool slightly and serve warm with dollop of Basil Cream.
