Rhubarb Strawberry Pudding Cake - Revisited

First rhubarb of the year!  I posted this recipe back in April 2010.  If you look back on that post, my little Ben was clinging to his mama's leg in the kitchen and taking his very first steps, a big one year old.  Now, making this dish again two years later, served up hot from the oven with vanilla bean ice cream on a big plate for three to share, guess whose little fork was the first to dig in?  

PS - Looking for more rhubarb recipes?  Check out this link with Midwest Living's top 20 rhubarb recipes.  

Rhubarb Strawberry Pudding Cake
The original recipe from Gourmet Today called for 1/2 the ingredients baked in a 8x8 pan. If I'm going to bake, I'm going to make it worth my time, so I doubled it and threw it in a 13x9. Worked great, just remember to put a rimmed sheet pan on a lower rack while baking to catch any possible juice spill-over.

1/2 cup water
3 tsp. cornstarch
1 cup plus 1/2 cup sugar
4 cups chopped rhubarb
2 cups chopped strawberries
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 and 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
2 sticks (1 cup) butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Butter 13x9 glass baking dish. Set aside.

Stir together water, cornstarch, and 1/2 cup sugar in a pot, then add rhubarb. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, for 3 mins. Remove from heat, stir in strawberries.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 1 cup sugar in a bowl. In a separate large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, butter, and vanilla. Whisk in flour mixture just until combined.

Reserve 1 cup fruit mixture and pour rest in baking dish. Pour batter over fruit, spreading it evenly. Spoon reserved fruit over batter. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 mins with a rimmed sheet pan on a lower rack to catch any juices that may spill over while baking. Serve warm.