“Thank you for this lovely, simple recipe! Made the rhubarb cake according to instructions and knew right away that I should have made two. ~Nancy
an easy rhubarb cake for breakfast and beyond
The texture of this cake is just perfect, it’s not too sweet, and the tart rhubarb gives it a unique flavor. There’s a nice background note of vanilla in the batter which plays really well with the rhubarb. And then there’s that slightly crunchy sugary crust ~ this rhubarb cake is divine whether you have it for breakfast, snack on it all day, or save it for dessert.
ingredients for rhubarb cake
You’ll just need a few stalks of rhubarb for this breakfast cake recipe, enough to make 2 cups of thin slices. The red color is beautiful, but green rhubarb will give you wonderful flavor too.
- rhubarb
- fresh is best but you can use frozen sliced rhubarb if you have it. If you do use frozen rhubarb, don’t thaw it first or it can become soggy.
- butter
- I always bake with unsalted butter. If you only have salted on hand, just leave out the extra salt in the recipe.
- granulated sugar
- I sprinkle a little extra over the cake before baking which creates a light crunch to the crust.
- egg
- half & half, cream, or buttermilk
- use them interchangeably according to what you have in the fridge.
- all purpose flour
- baking powder
- salt
- lemon juice
- vanilla
- the vanilla and tart rhubarb make a wonderful flavor combo, but I also love it with almond extract, so use your favorite.
Rhubarb FAQs
Is rhubarb a fruit or a vegetable?
- Rhubarb is a tart vegetable (it’s part of the buckwheat family!) that we treat as a fruit in cooking. It grows in long leafy stalks, and kind of looks like red celery. The stalks can be harvested when very young, or when large and mature. Do not eat rhubarb leaves, they are poisonous. They contain oxalic acid, which is toxic to humans.
When is rhubarb season?
- Rhubarb season is April through June, but you’ll see if sooner and later in some areas. Rhubarb is one of the first veggies of spring.
Is rhubarb healthy?
According to Healthline…“Rhubarb is a good source of fiber and antioxidants. Studies show that rhubarb fiber may lower cholesterol.”
Rhubarb is low in calories and high in fiber, making it a great choice for those watching their weight or looking to improve their digestive health. It is also a good source of vitamin K, which is important for bone health.
Why is my rhubarb green?
- Rhubarb varies in color from deep crimson to pale green. Newer varieties, like my Cherry Red rhubarb, is bred for its sweet flavor and intense color, which is nice because that’s one of the things we love about rhubarb and it’s a big drag when the color doesn’t bloom in recipes. There is little difference in flavor between the green and red, but red rhubarb can be stunning when cooked.
How to cook rhubarb?
- Rhubarb can be cooked in a variety of ways, including stewing, baking, and poaching. It is often used in pies, crisps, and crumbles, as well as in sauces and jams. To cook rhubarb, simply cut off the leaves and the tough bottom end of the stalks, then chop them into small pieces and cook them with sugar until they are soft and tender. For cakes and muffins you use raw rhubarb, just slice the stalks to the size needed for your recipe.
Can you freeze rhubarb?
- Rhubarb freezes beautifully. Slice it and lay it out on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Put the pan in the freezer and freeze until solid. Then transfer the rhubarb to a freezer style zip lock baggie or airtight container.
Do I need to thaw rhubarb before using?
- In most cases there’s no need to thaw the rhubarb when you want to use it for cooking, or baking, just use it frozen.
more rhubarb, please!
Rhubarb is such an unusual ingredient, and strictly seasonal, so I recommend grabbing it while you can.
- Perfect Rhubarb Muffins ~ these fabulous muffins have a light streusel topping.
- Rhubarb Bread ~ a tender quick bread loaded with rhubarb.
- Rhubarb Vanilla Bean Jelly ~ this easy jelly is a stunning color and makes a great gift for friends and neighbors!
- Old Fashioned Rhubarb Crunch ~ one of my faves!
- Ginger Rhubarb Crisp ~ the unique flavor and color of rhubarb is showcased in this easy dessert.
- Norwegian Rhubarb and Almond Cake ~ a lovely tea cake from Scandinavia.
“This recipe is perfection. We had it last night for dessert with ice-cream. This morning we had it with butter for breakfast. It was so fast and easy to put together. You have given me another keeper. Thank you for sharing it with us.” ~Leslie
Rhubarb Cake
My Rhubarb Cake recipe is a classic ~ the kind your grandma made, if you were lucky. It's packed with jammy bits of sweet/tart rhubarb and it's officially my favorite way to start the day.
Servings: 12 servings
Equipment
- 9×9 square baking pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup half and half, cream, or buttermilk
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tsp for sprinkling
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour, saving out 1 Tbsp to toss with rhubarb
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups thinly sliced rhubarb
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F Lightly butter a 9×9 square baking pan. I like to line the pan with parchment paper with overhanging ends so I can easily lift out the cooled cake for cutting. That's optional.
- Stir the lemon juice into the half and half and set aside.
- Cream the soft butter and sugar in a stand mixer, or with electric beaters, until fluffy and pale yellow. Beat in the egg and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
- Take 1 Tbsp of the flour to the rhubarb and toss well.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the bowl and blend in. Add all of the half and half, and blend in. Finally add the rest of the flour and blend just until combined, don't over mix. Fold in the rhubarb. Note: the batter is on the thick side.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top evenly with a little sugar. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is turning golden and a toothpick in the center comes out without wet batter clinging to it (moist crumbs are fine.)
- Let the cake cool slightly before cutting.
Video
Notes
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- Other fruit like berries work beautifully in this rhubarb breakfast cake. Also try chopped banana.
- Mix the topping sugar with a touch of cinnamon for a hint of spice.
- For a lower fat option try buttermilk in place of the half and half and lemon. Half Greek yogurt and half milk would work, too.
Nutrition
Calories: 226 kcal · Carbohydrates: 34 g · Protein: 3 g · Fat: 9 g · Saturated Fat: 5 g · Cholesterol: 35 mg · Sodium: 213 mg · Potassium: 167 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 17 g · Vitamin A: 293 IU · Vitamin C: 2 mg · Calcium: 65 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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Due to an egg allergy, I substituted 1/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt for one egg, it came out perfectly. My entire family loves it and my granddaughter loves to make it because it’s such an easy recipe. thank you!!
Thanks Angela!
I sifted the dry ingredients and used 2% milk instead. Came out fluffy and tasty! This is a keeper for sure.
Tried this recipe for the first time. Substituted evaporated milk, it turned out very moist. I love it! Will be using this recipe often .
I never bake with evaporated milk, but I bet it was great, I like the idea.
Made this cake for mother days weekend, Super easy and tasty! Subbed in almond extract for vanilla and added sliced almonds on top 🙂
Hi, i found this recipe a year ago, and during lockdown i baked for my neighbours . It was always a firm favourite and so great, easy and a simple bake. It’s rhubarb season again here in Ireland, Europe, out come the recipe, so today for easter Sunday, I’m baking this for my neighbours and family, a big irish thank you.
This makes me happy Lorraine…it’s so nice to have those seasonal recipes that give pleasure year after year ~ happy rhubarb season 🙂
I love this cake and always get great compliments!
Thanks Jen 🙂
Thank you, thank you! for these recipes. I tried the rhubarb breakfast cake this morning. But I had to make some changes. I have a lot of rhubarb growing and canned a bunch. Now what do you do with canned rhubarb that is not so chunky? Added to this is it is the kind that is green, not red. I got out a pack of plain, unsweetened strawberry koolaide and mixed it in with the rhubarb – instant red with added flavor! I gently stirred it in the batter and baked as usual. It looks lovely! I also added a light topping of a few sliced strawberries mixed in jam, just drizzled over the center of the cake. I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes. Another way I’ve been using up the canned rhubarb is adding it to other fruit when making fruit leather. It gives the leather a nice zing.
I’m jealous of your canned stash, I’m watching like a hawk for the first spring rhubarb!
I should add that I don’t work for a koolaide company or anything like that. I like to keep some on hand for occasionally using in baked goods or icing. It flavors and colors so nicely. I know we all want to keep it natural, but this is one time when I cheat a little. This was a big save for green canned rhubarb. Going to be trying other recipes here to use up the jars.
I usually don’t rate or comment on things but I feel like I should. Over the past year, I have made this recipe more than I’d like to admit! After trying the recipe as it is (and loving it) I changed it around (gluten free, dairy free, vegan, low fat, different sugars, different fruits, etc.) and every time it comes out perfect! I don’t know how it happens but I love it! Thank you!!! This is by far my favorite recipe!
Great comment, thanks Larissa! You’ll have to let us know your favorite variations so I can try them 🙂
We love this recipe just as it is but also love how it can be easily modified for any special diets. My favorite fruit substitution is pineapple! It’s like a new spin on the classic pineapple upside down cake. I also sprinkle coarse, raw sugar on the top before baking. Thank you so much for this recipe- it’s become a staple at our house!
I love the pineapple idea Larissa ~ might steal that :))
Hey Larissa!
Are you using 1 for 1 flour for the gluten free version?? Love to try it for a GF neighbor.
This is delicious! I’ve made it three times now.
1. With rhubarb. To cut down on white sugar, I used 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/3 cup agave syrup. To cut down on gluten, I used half normal flour and half “free-from” flour. I used 1/4 cup oat milk because that’s what I had in the house. I followed https://www.thekitchn.com for advice on using agave instead of sugar, which suggests reducing the liquid. It was really, really good!
2. With blueberries. This time I used 100% rice flour, 100% olive spread instead of butter, 2/3 cup agave syrup and zero white sugar, and oat milk. It’s fine, but not as good as the first time.
3. With blueberries, but with the same substitutions as the first batch. So good!
This was unbelievably amazing! I followed the recipe to a T and did half rhubarb, half fresh raspberries. Yummmmm!!