We call this “madeleine cake” at my house because it is reminiscent of the tender and subtly sweet shell-shaped cakes of the same name. Its roots are in the French-style pound cake known as quatre-quarts (“four-fourths”), owing to its almost equal measures of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. If you have strawberry rhubarb compote, use it in the cake and at serving time, but if you don’t, no worries: omit it. Adapted for high altitude from Dorie Greenspan’s Quatre-Quarts.
MAKES 1 (6-CUP) BUNDT OR 1 (8-INCH) SQUARE CAKE
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour (Wheat Montana)
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs, separated and at room temperature*
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons strawberry rhubarb compote (optional)
1 heaping cup mixed fresh strawberries (quartered) and
rhubarb pieces (½-inch, defrosted if frozen)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 6-cup Bundt or 8-inch square baking pan and dust with flour (or use baking spray). Melt butter and set aside to cool.
Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Using an electric mixer with whisk attachment, beat egg whites until foamy, sprinkle in cream of tartar, and continue to beat until they hold firm peaks. Transfer to another bowl and set aside
Using whisk or paddle attachment, beat egg yolks, sugar, and cooled, melted butter until thick and pale yellow. If using compote, mix it with the strawberries and rhubarb. Add the fruit and vanilla to the batter and mix. Sprinkle in flour and mix just until combined. Fold ¼ of the egg whites into the batter. Gently fold in the remainder, scoop batter into prepared pan, and smooth the surface.
Bake for 40–45 minutes (slightly less for a square pan), until top is golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes in pan then, if using a Bundt, invert onto a cooling rack. Square cake can remain in the pan. Keep loosely covered to preserve the crust. Enjoy plain or with strawberry rhubarb compote.
Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
4 stalks rhubarb, sliced crosswise into ¼-inch pieces, 3–4 cups total
¼ cup turbinado or granulated sugar
¼ cup local honey
2 tablespoons water (omit if using frozen rhubarb)
1–2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
Combine rhubarb, sugar, honey, and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat. Turn down the heat to maintain a low simmer, cover, and cook for 5–10 minutes, stirring a couple times and adding strawberries halfway into the cooking time. Cool to room temperature then transfer to a glass jar for storage in the refrigerator. Keeps 1 week. Use for the cake, spoon over plain yogurt, ice cream, or panna cotta, or add to a smoothie.
Wine Pairing
Lini 910 Labrusca Lambrusco Rosso
Deep crimson in the glass, this sparkling Italian wine made with the red Lambrusco grape is a mid-weight, with flavors of rhubarb and strawberries that dance on the palate lifted by its refreshing bubbles. It has just a touch of tannin, the slightly chalky sensation that gives wine heft, making it a great pairing with Strawberry Rhubarb Pound Cake. Classically, Lambrusco is served chilled. Delizioso!
Available at Vino per Tutti, 315 E. Main St., Bozeman; $24
Recommendation by Norm Page, sommelier at The WineTrust, Bozeman.
