Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars

posted on April 17, 2012 by Brenda

Every once in awhile, I threaten (myself!) to just chuck out all the loose recipes I have stashed away to try “some day”. Keeping them organized is a pain. And nobody pays me any attention any more as I’m sifting through the pile, frustrated and mumbling under my breath, unable to find a recipe I know I saved. (whine…)

But then…I wouldn’t be able to enjoy and share some pretty wonderful recipes that have caught my eye over the years. Like these Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars that I first saw (3 years ago) in that little magazine of Martha’s called Everyday Food.

I think strawberries are just the perfect rhubarb partner, and can’t let spring go by without making Rhubarb-Berry Crumbles and Old-Fashioned Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, two desserts that I often get recipe requests for. And now I’m so happy to add these beautiful bars to my list of spring must-makes. Our daughters absolutely loved them! I even heard whining when they realized the bars had all disappeared…

 

Print Recipe

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars

Yield: 16 to 20 bars

Ingredients:

for the streusel:

  • 1/2 c. unsalted butter, melted, plus room temperature butter for pan
  • 3/4 c. packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1-1/4 c. all-purpose flour

for the bars:

  • 1/2 lb. rhubarb, cut into 1/2'' pieces
  • 1/2 lb. strawberries, hulled and sliced 1/4" thick
  • 2 T. light brown sugar
  • 1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour, divided
  • 3/4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 3/4 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1-1/2 c. powdered sugar, plus more for dusting finished bars
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a 9'' square baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2'' overhang on 2 sides. Butter and flour parchment paper and pan, tapping out the excess flour. Set aside.

for the streusel:

Whisk together the butter, brown sugar, and salt. Add flour and mix with a fork until large crumbs form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

for the bars:

In a medium bowl, combine rhubarb, strawberries, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup of the flour. In another medium bowl, whisk the remaining 1-1/4 cup of flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. With mixer on low, beat in vanilla, then flour mixture. Spread batter in prepared pan. Top with rhubarb and strawberry mixture, then top with prepared streusel. If you like to have some of the pretty red of the rhubarb and strawberries show on top (I do!), poke a few pieces up through the streusel.

Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a bit of moist crumbs attached, about 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool completely in pan. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and, using the parchment paper overhang, lift cake from pan. Cut into bars and dust with powdered sugar. Serve as is, or with some freshly whipped and sweetened cream...so lovely!

Heavily adapted from Everyday Food magazine, May 2009.

 

Hungry for more rhubarb recipes?
Check out a couple very special family recipes:
Grandma Renelt’s Rhubarb Custard Pie
Loree’s Rhubarb Nut Coffee Cake

posted in Bars & Brownies, Berries, Desserts & Sweets, Fruits
86 Comments »