Rhubarb Pudding Cake

I had this cake courtesy of C in DC for a recent summer evening out. It was VERY tasty.

Rhubarb Pudding Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 two-layer yellow cake mix (Get the one where you add butter, it's better.)
• 4 cups chopped rhubarb (I added strawberries, 'cause strawberry-rhubarb pie is the best!)
• 1 cup sugar (I think with other fruits less sugar would be okay.)
• 1 pint heavy whipping cream
  

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Chop rhubarb (and fruit, if desired) into small pieces, combine with sugar and let sit while preparing the cake.
3. Grease a 9"x13" baking dish. Prepare yellow cake mix according to instructions on the box and pour into pan.
4. Spread the rhubarb-sugar mix evenly over the top of the cake. Be sure to get rhubarb out to the edges for more even baking.
5. Pour the cream over the top of the cake.
6. Bake for 50-60 minutes.
   

As the cake bakes, the rhubarb and cream will sink to the bottom, creating a fruity, pudding like layer that is thick but runny. The cake will bake like a normal cake, in that when a toothpick is inserted to test done-ness it will come out clean. However, the cake will slide around a bit on the bottom layer, so it will seem as though the cake is not done. Test the cake before removing from the oven.

My notes: (a) The addition of strawberries to the rhubarb was a great combination. However, 1 cup of sugar was a little too much sugar, as the cake and fruit mixture was very sweet. Granted rhubarb is very tart, but I think having more of the tartness would have been better. I'll be experimenting with sugar levels. (b) I think there are a lot of great fruit possibilities this cake: peaches & blackberries (I'm making this tomorrow morning for a work potluck.), or raspberries.