Simple Rhubarb - Raspberry Yoghurt Cake

Are you ready for a simple desert treat to reward yourself for toiling away in the garden?

Here's a simple recipe, with a couple of innovations that will be a hit with your kids and friends - assuming you can restrain yourself from finishing it off, which a challenge I have.

Go harvest some of that big leafy rhubarb that nobody seems to care about.

Pull the mature (longest and largest) stalks with a twisting motion so it comes out right at the base.

Trim the leaves and bases and stuff around the remaining leaves to act as mulch and keep down the pesky grass and weeds.

Wash and cut the stalks into ~1 to 1 1/2 inch chunks.

Get the rest of the ingredients together.

Utensils:
Toaster oven
Electric mixer
Very large measuring cup, or small bowl
Measuring cup & spoons

Ingredients:
2 cups cut-up rhubarb
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup shortening (or butter!)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon soda
dash of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup of nice, sour home made yoghurt, if you have it (or sour milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Optional:
Raspberries (thaw, if frozen and add a little corn starch to thicken the juiciness)

Mix:
2 cups cut-up rhubarb
1/2 cup white sugar
Let stand.

Cream together using your electric mixer:
1/2 cup shortening (or butter!)
1 1/2 cups white sugar
Add 2 eggs, lightly beaten

Mix in a flour sifter (or a very large measuring cup)
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon soda
dash of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Add into the mixer alternately with:
1 cup of nice, sour home made yoghurt, if you have it (or sour milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Optional:
Add raspberries (thaw, if frozen and add a little corn starch to thicken the juiciness)

Add the rhubarb and sugar mixture

Bake in greased/floured 9" square pan (an 8" pan will overflow and make a mess of your toaster oven) at 350F for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (in my toaster oven it is more like "400F" for 50 minutes).

Congratulations - you're done - try to let it cool before test tasting!