This rhubarb cake combines an almond-scented, light, buttery cake base with tart rhubarb on top for an elegant summer brunch or dessert.

Rhubarb Cake | katiebirdbakes

This rhubarb cake has a troubled history.

Mostly troubled in the sense that I could not leave a perfectly fine cake alone, and insisted on messing with it. For months.

You see, I’ve been baking this rhubarb cake repeatedly, and by repeatedly I mean no less than four times, in the past two months. Not because it was bad the first time, or the second time, or the third time. I kept baking it and tinkering with it because I believed I could do better than a “good” cake, despite several testers telling me it was delightful the way it was.

Sometimes I tell myself my perfectionistic nature is an asset. This isn’t one of those times.

If I would have just accepted that this almond-scented, light, buttery cake with tart rhubarb on top was perfectly fine as it was on the first or second try, you’d have been reading this recipe at the end of May.

Instead here we are, nearly in August with rhubarb mostly out of season, and I’m finally publishing this rhubarb cake exactly the way I made it the first time, because it was just right the first time.

I wouldn’t even have published it now, and would likely have continued in a spiral of “well it’s out of season now so what’s the point” and “it’s way too late on a Sunday night and it’s a lot of work and I’m tired” — except that Brian finally turned to me tonight and said, “stop messing around and complaining and wasting time, and just do it already.”

Just do it already.

Rhubarb Cake | katiebirdbakes

He’s right, of course.

Nearly three years down the line of writing this blog, I sometimes forget that I started it because I truly loved baking — just for the sheer joy of it — and wanted to share some great recipes for people to bring into their lives.

Somewhere in the chaos of SEO and advertisers and Google algorithms and site speed and lazy loading (I still really don’t know what that means), I’ve become convinced that in order for this blog to be successful, every single recipe, every single post, has to be completely perfect before it is published, and that belief has taken all the fun out of it.

Rhubarb Cake | katiebirdbakes

If you couldn’t already tell, I tend towards Type A perfectionism to begin with, and the world of food blogging contains a lot of opportunities for comparison and obsessiveness. Every day it seems like someone else publishes a recipe that I’d been thinking of developing, and they do it faster and better.

This has led to a paralysis of sorts that I feel has held me back from doing what I really wanted to do in the first place: share simple and approachable recipes and have fun in the process.

Rhubarb Cake | katiebirdbakes

You may have noticed that my posts have been less frequent of late, and this is why. The comparison trap and the need for perfection are strong.

But the truth is, if I don’t show up because I don’t feel perfect, then my voice is silenced. The way I express myself through this blog and these recipes is silenced. And I don’t give myself the opportunity to fail or succeed because I’m not even willing to try. Yes, this is just a baking blog, but it feels like a larger statement about life, too.

My middle school math teacher was obsessed with basketball and he always had one of those cheesy posters on the wall in the classroom that said “you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”. You know what? That’s not cheesy, it’s just true.

Rhubarb Cake | katiebirdbakes

So here is a recipe for a really good rhubarb cake. Maybe it’s not the “best ever rhubarb cake” or “the only rhubarb cake recipe you’ll ever need” or whatever other superlatives people use when naming recipes – but it’s dependable, it’s light and subtle, it has been tested to high heaven, and it is good.

We’ve dealt with rhubarb before on this blog — see these rhubarb rolls and strawberry rhubarb pie for a refresher — but it remains a finicky vegetable slash fruit nonetheless. Exceedingly tart and really only edible when cooked in sugar, it’s still one of my favorite summer ingredients because it’s so unique.

My best friend’s mom tried to grow rhubarb in her garden this year, which would’ve been awesome but for the fact that her dog insisted on marking his territory on the plant, and it has grown thin and spindly ever since.

So maybe next year I’ll get to try rhubarb from her garden, but until that time it’s generally available at farmers markets and the grocery store in early summer.

Notes on making this rhubarb cake

  1. Color. For the best color in the finished cake, choose rhubarb that is as deeply red as you can find. I was told by a vendor at the farmer’s market that red stalks have been exposed to more sunlight, whereas green stalks are more likely to be seen earlier in the season when clouds and rain prevail. I also found that brushing melted butter over the arranged rhubarb before baking also kept the color more intact.
  2. Thin rhubarb is best. Cut your rhubarb in half lengthwise (for really thick stalks, you might even need to cut in quarters) so you have thin stalks that will stay on top of the cake as it bakes, rather than sinking into it. Then cut it into about two inch lengths for arranging.
  3. Pattern. Arrange the rhubarb in whatever pattern you like best – I did a modified chevron a couple times, as shown in these photos, but it also works by just laying the rhubarb all in one direction if you prefer the simple route or are pressed for time.
  4. Springform pan. Using a springform pan with removable sides is definitely the best option for this cake, as having to remove the cake from a regular cake pan would be more likely to damage the fragile rhubarb on top.
  5. Use buttermilk. In the process of my tinkering, I tried this cake with buttermilk, sour cream, and greek yogurt. I was surprised that I liked the buttermilk version the best, as it was the lowest fat option. Something about the flavor just works in this cake. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can certainly use an equal amount of sour cream or greek yogurt instead in a pinch.
Rhubarb Cake | katiebirdbakes

So, here’s the recipe for this very good, very dependable rhubarb cake. Thanks for being here – I truly appreciate it.

Rhubarb Cake | katiebirdbakes
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5 from 11 votes

Rhubarb Cake

This rhubarb cake combines an almond-scented, light, buttery cake base with tart rhubarb on top for an elegant summer brunch or dessert.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: rhubarb
Servings: 1 9-inch cake
Author: Katiebird Bakes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk*
  • 3/4 lb rhubarb trimmed, halved lengthwise and cut diagonally into 2-inch segments
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted (for brushing)
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado or granulated sugar (for sprinkling)

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed until fully incorporated after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and beat briefly to combine.
  • Add a third of the flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined, then add half the buttermilk and beat on low speed again. Repeat with remaining third of flour mixture, the rest of the buttermilk, and end with the last third of the flour mixture. Beat on low speed until the batter is smooth, but do not overmix.
  • Scrape batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth it out with a spatula. Arrange the sliced rhubarb over the top in any pattern you desire – I liked a chevron pattern. Brush the rhubarb evenly with the melted butter, then sprinkle with remaining 1 tbsp sugar.
  • Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until edges of cake are browned and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool completely before serving.

Notes

*if you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute an equal amount of sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt, or use 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice mixed with 1/2 cup of milk and leave to curdle for 5 minutes before using.
 
Cake will keep, well-wrapped at room temperature, for up to a day.  It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Like this recipe?  Please rate it and leave a comment or tag me on Instagram @katiebirdbakes, and sign up for my email list to receive my recipes straight to your inbox every time I post!

Rhubarb Cake | katiebirdbakes

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23 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is literally one of the only times that I will encourage you to actually read the post before “jumping to recipe”. Katie’s honesty, candor, and vulnerability are exactly why her blog and style of baking is so popular. This cake, like every last one of Katie’s recipes, is delicious, approachable, and beautiful. Even if you don’t love rhubarb, you will find something to appreciate here.

  2. 5 stars
    Recipe was very straightforward and worked great. The cake had a great flavor and was very tender, with a good crumb. I worried about getting my design of the rhubarb right, but once it came out, I realized, probably could’ve put the little bit I left off on there. Thanks for putting together a great recipe. I look forward to doing it again.

  3. 5 stars
    What a delightful rhubarb cake recipe! The moist texture, tangy rhubarb, and sweet glaze make it irresistible. Thank you for sharing this mouthwatering treat with us!

  4. 5 stars
    Katie Bird Bakes has nailed it with this Rhubarb Cake recipe! The flavors are perfectly balanced, and the moist texture is divine. Can’t wait to bake it! Thanks for writing for us.

  5. 5 stars
    Wow! Never thought i would make a RHUBARB CAKE but i gave it a try last night and must say i was not disappointed with the final result as it was my first time making this. Could have been better but the whole family was happy and that’s enough for me. Will try to make it even better next time. Thanks for sharing the recipe.

  6. 5 stars
    This was a hit yesterday evening! Changes made: Only had self-rising flour, so used that instead of all-purpose, therefore also omitting the baking powder and soda. I wasn’t fancy with the rhubarb distribution—I just cut it into small pieces and scattered it over the top of the batter. Excellent flavor, and EVERYONE went for seconds!

  7. 5 stars
    This cake was so fluffy and delicious, and was a hit with the entire family. I added orange zest and cinnamon but otherwise made no changes.

  8. Such a gorgeous looking dessert! ! I realize it’s a rhubarb cake, but if you don’t have any on hand, can berries be used instead?

  9. I have a bag of chopped rhubarb in my freezer from several over-eager early summer trips to the farmers market. My SIL saw it and said, “oh, the obligatory frozen rhubarb bag”… So this will be an opportunity to use it before fall comes in full force!