Coffee Cake with Gooey Rhubarb-Strawberry Filling

Step 1: Prepare Rhubarb filling: in a medium saucepan combine 4 cups fresh rhubarb, sliced and 4 cups hulled fresh whole strawberries, cut in half. Cook fruit covered about 4 to 5 minutes. Add fresh lemon juice. Combine 1 cup sugar and 1/3 cup cornstarch; add to the rhubarb mixture. Cook and stir 4-5 minutes until thickened and bubbly. Use an immersion blender to blend fruit. if desired. Cool.

Step 2: For coffee cake: in a large bowl stir together the 3 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, the baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs.

Step 3: In a small bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk or sour milk and vanilla; add to flour mixture. Stir to moisten.

Step 4: Spread half the batter in a greased 13 x 9 baking dish.

Step 5: Spread cooled filling over batter in pan.

Step 6: Spoon remaining batter in small mounds over filling.

Step 7: In a small bowl combine the 1/2 cup sugar and the 1/2 cup flour. Cut in the 1/4 cup butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Sprinkle crumb over batter in pan.

Step 8: Bake in a preheated 350 oven for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Step 9: Serve warm.