Rhubarb picking time

The first produce from Dad's garden has always been rhubarb.  We couldn't wait for that first picking and Mom would search through her recipe books for great rhubarb dessert recipes.  Here is one I made recently adapted from a recipe in the Farm Journal's Meal & Menu Planner Cookbook by Elsie W. Manning 1980.

Sugar-Crusted Rhubarb Cake

2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup canola or vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups finely diced rhubarb*
1/2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)
Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon melted butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Put vinegar into a 1 cup measuring cup and add milk to make 1 cup liquid.  Let stand to sour the milk while preparing the dry ingredients.
In a large bowl stir together flour, baking soda, salt and brown sugar.
In a small bowl combine egg, oil, vanilla and sour milk with a wire whisk.
Add to dry ingredients and blend well.  Stir in rhubarb and nuts.
Spread batter in a greased 8x12  glass or non-reactive pan.
(Do not use aluminum as it reacts with the rhubarb and ruins the pan.)
Combine sugar, melted butter and cinnamon.  Mix well and sprinkle over the top of the batter.
Bake in 325 degree oven for 50 minutes, or until done.
Serve warm or cold.  Serving options include topping with whipped cream, ice cream or vanilla pudding.

* If using frozen rhubarb, do not thaw completely.   Thaw just enough to separate the pieces.

(The original recipe used a 9-inch pan, baked 55 minutes, and the pan was very full.)