Last weekend, my dad brought me rhubarb, freshly cut from his garden in Vermont. So awesome! I love rhubarb season. For me, it is the marker of Spring really arriving; it is the first fruit/vegetable that demands to be baked into something delicious. The first thing I tried to do with this bounty of rhubarb, because I had found the recipe this winter and was just dying to try it, was make rhubarb curd. Like lemon curd, except with rhubarb. It did not go well, partly (well, mostly) my fault because I tried to substitute an important ingredient. I’ll make a post about my misadventure next week, after I’ve made it again and this time I’ll follow the recipe verbatim!

After that flop, and still with no rhubarb sweet in hand, I opted for something easy, meaning I’ve done it before so there was little to no chance of failure. A simple cake, tons of rhubarb, cinnamon sugar and lots of happy tummies. The Vanilla Coconut Sauce was a small adaptation of something I had made earlier in the week. I stumbled upon a recipe, and then many more recipes, for vegan sweetened condensed milk, made with coconut milk instead of cream. I had no idea it was so easy to make! I cut and paste some recipes together to come up with my own version, which I’ve used as a sauce on the cake, and also as a sweet treat in my coffee in the morning. :). The sauce can be made days in advance and keeps well in the refrigerator.

This recipe, by happy coincidence, also meets the criteria for the So Delicious and Go Dairy-Free Spring Fling Recipe Contest that I entered a couple of weeks ago, with this recipe for Creamy Ginger Avocado Veggie Dip. They allow up to five entries, so here’s a second one from me. Hopefully it doubles my chances!

On it’s own, this cake is really really good and a perfect Sunday morning treat with coffee or tea. Adding the Vanilla Coconut Sauce turns it into a rich, decadent, indulgence that may make you swoon into your coffee!

Rhubarb Cinnamon Coffee Cake

1/2 cup vegan margarine

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Yogurt

2 teaspoons orange zest

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2/3 cup So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups rhubarb, sliced thin (about 3 large stalks)

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease an 8×8 baking pan. Mix the flour and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside. Mix the So Delicious Coconut Milk, vanilla, and orange zest in a separate bowl and set aside. With a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the So Delicious Plain Coconut Yogurt and mix well. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture, mixing after each addition until the ingredients are just combined. Fold in the rhubarb and then pour the batter into the prepared pan. Mix together the 2 tablespoons sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle evenly on top of the cake. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before serving.

Vanilla Coconut Sauce

2 11 oz packages So Delicious Original Culinary Coconut Milk

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1/3 cup agave nectar

1 tsp vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, combine the coconut milk, brown sugar, and agave nectar and bring to a simmer. Let it simmer for 30-40 minutes (or longer if needed), checking on it every 10 minutes or so to give it a stir with the whisk and make sure it’s not going to bubble over. You will know it’s done when it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (there is a picture below explaining what I mean). It should reduce down to about 1/2 of the original. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla. Let cool completely, then pour into a jar or container and store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.