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A tender, moist cake studded with tangy rhubarb and topped with a sweet, buttery streusel for the perfect balance of tart and sweet.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This rhubarb cake offers a delightful mix of flavors and textures: soft, fluffy cake contrasted by the gentle tartness of rhubarb and the crunchy sweetness of cinnamon streusel. It’s simple enough for everyday baking but special enough for gatherings.

Rhubarb Cake

Rhubarb cake is one of those nostalgic recipes that feels like a warm hug in dessert form. The combination of a light, tender crumb and bursts of tangy rhubarb makes it unique and memorable.

The base cake is rich yet airy, with sour cream providing moisture and a subtle tang that complements the fruit.

Fresh rhubarb adds its signature tartness, which bakes down into soft, juicy pockets throughout the cake.

What truly sets this recipe apart is the buttery streusel topping. It adds crunch, sweetness, and a hint of cinnamon that makes each bite irresistible.

This cake is a great choice for spring and early summer, when rhubarb is at its peak, but frozen rhubarb can make it a year-round treat.

The process is straightforward: mix the dry ingredients, stir in the wet, fold in the rhubarb, then top with streusel before baking.

The aroma while it bakes is incredible—sweet, buttery, and warmly spiced.

Because it’s baked in a 9×13-inch dish, this cake is easy to slice and serve for a crowd.

It pairs beautifully with coffee or tea, making it ideal for brunches, potlucks, or simple afternoon indulgence.

This is also a flexible recipe. You can adjust the cinnamon level, add a pinch of nutmeg, or even mix in a handful of strawberries with the rhubarb.

The streusel topping can be made chunkier for extra crunch or finer for a more delicate finish.

It’s a cake that celebrates the beauty of tart fruit in a sweet context, and it’s sure to win over even those who think they don’t like rhubarb.

Once cooled, it stores well covered at room temperature for a couple of days, making it a great make-ahead option.

Warm it slightly before serving for an extra cozy treat.

Servings

Serves: 12–15

Time

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 cups diced rhubarb

Streusel:

• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
3. Stir in eggs and sour cream until smooth.
4. Fold in rhubarb and spread batter evenly in prepared dish.
5. In a separate bowl, mix sugar and butter until smooth. Stir in flour until crumbly, then add cinnamon.
6. Sprinkle streusel evenly over the cake batter.
7. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool slightly before slicing.

Tips

• Use fresh rhubarb for the brightest flavor.
• For a crunchier topping, chill streusel before adding to the cake.
• Add strawberries for a sweeter twist.
• Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.