Fresh Rhubarb Cake

Moist and buttery, this homemade Rhubarb Cake is made with sweet and tangy rhubarb and a crunchy topping made of cinnamon sugar and coconut, a fluffy cake that is perfect for dessert, but makes a fantastic brunch option, too!

A few years back I asked my readers what their favorite way to enjoy Rhubarb was. The recipes flooded in, but one recipe from April particularly caught my eye. The first time I made it, we ate it so fast I never even snapped a photo, but that was okay, that meant I got to make it again and share it with my readers. Since then, I have made this cake every summer, the first minute I get my hands on some rhubarb. I think that it tastes like a really good quality coffee cake. Maybe it’s just because I eat it for breakfast and that makes me feel better. 

Homemade Rhubarb Cake

Rhubarb season is upon us and there’s nothing better to do with fresh rhubarb than bake with it. If you haven’t baked with rhubarb before and this is your first time using it, this simple rhubarb cake is a great place to start. Soft, and moist with a hint of tartness and sweetness it’s the perfect cake to pair with a steaming hot cup of coffee or tea or a cold cup of milk. 

Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Let me tell you that even if you are not a huge fan of tart rhubarb or a huge fan of coconut, this recipe will make you a believer.  The cake is just amazing.  I swear I could just eat the batter with a spoon!! It’s a super buttery cake, with some chopped rhubarb folded in.  The topping is a wonderfully spiced crumb topping made of coconut, sugar, and lots of cinnamon.

If you love this homemade rhubarb cake, you will love these too: Strawberry Rhubarb Dessert, Rhubarb Crumble Bars, and Grandma’s Rhubarb Pie. 

What is Rhubarb?

If you aren’t familiar with rhubarb, it is a vegetable with long red stalks and green leaves that are eaten as a fruit. Rhubarb is readily available in the spring in the US. There’s no need to peel it and you can eat it raw though most often it is served cooked and sweetened as it is quite tart. 

Ingredients for rhubarb cake

Find the complete ingredients and instructions by scrolling to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe.

For the cake:

• Brown sugar: I used brown sugar to sweeten this cake but you could use white sugar instead.
• Butter: Salted or unsalted butter at room temperature adds moisture to the cake.
• Eggs: Any type of egg will help bind this cake however, I tend to use large white eggs.
• Milk: Milk adds moisture, any fat content will work.
• Flour: I used white all-purpose flour, sifted, in this cake. If you prefer gluten-free substitute with a 1-1 gluten-free flour. Almond flour may require different amounts of liquid so stick with the 1-1 flour for this sweet cake.
• Salt: A pinch of salt helps bring out the flavors; you can use table salt or sea salt. 
• Baking powder/baking soda: Both of these help the cake rise and give it a light and fluffy texture. 
• Vanilla: Use real vanilla extract to help bring out the natural sweetness. 
• Rhubarb: Freshly diced or chopped rhubarb is the hero in this cake, make sure to cut it into small pieces.

For the topping:

• Sugar: I used white granulated sugar but here too, brown sugar will also work.
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon adds a touch of spice to the topping.
• Coconut: Coconut adds a tropical flavor. I tend to add a little more as we like coconut. 

Be sure to keep reading to find tips and tricks, substitutions, and answers to questions you may have about this easy rhubarb cake.

How to make this recipe for fresh rhubarb cake

Get this rhubarb cake in the oven in just a few simple steps. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour a 9×13 baking dish.

Combine topping ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together sugar and butter, add eggs and beat until creamy.

Sift flour and dry ingredients together, and add alternately with the remaining wet ingredients; milk and vanilla.

Fold in the diced rhubarb.

Pour into prepared dish.

Sprinkle sugar coconut topping over the top of the cake batter.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Store leftovers of this moist rhubarb cake in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap or aluminum foil on the kitchen counter for 3-4 days. You can store the cake in the fridge to extend it’s shelf life. Eat straight from the fridge or bring it to room temperature. In the freezer, the cake will keep for up to 3 months. 

Love it? Pin it!

If you love rhubarb cake recipes make sure that you don’t lose this one! Pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you go!

Substitutions

Remember that when it comes to substituting recipes, you don’t need to be afraid to get creative and use ingredients that suit your taste and dietary preferences. Make it your own!

• Add a vanilla glaze to the top of the crumble for an even sweeter topping.
• If you don’t have a 9 x 13 baking dish try a springform pan, a round cake pan or a square pan instead. Make sure that the baking dish is large enough to hold the batter, and watch the baking time. Check out my Baking Pan Conversion Chart – it has a free printable to help.

FAQs about this rhubarb cake recipe

• What to do with too much rhubarb? If you’ve got an abundance of fresh rhubarb hanging around you can freeze it to use throughout the year. You can also add it to your favorite cocktail, turn it into a compote, add it to a fruit salad, or top your yogurt or oatmeal. See ALL of my Rhubarb Recipes here. 
• Do you peel rhubarb? You do not need to peel rhubarb but if there are any thick, fibrous portions on the stalk make sure to cut them away. 
• Should I thaw the rhubarb before baking? You don’t need to thaw frozen rhubarb before baking however if you can’t get a good sense of what the exact quantity it is it may be better to let it thaw so you can measure it accurately. 
• How to cut rhubarb for cake? If you are using rhubarb in a cake it is best to cut it into small dice.
• Is rhubarb poisonous? The only part of the rhubarb plant that is poisonous is its leaves. The stalks are not poisonous. 

Tips & Tricks

• Bring your refrigerated ingredients to room temperature before you begin to bake. 
• Turn this rhubarb cake into a rhubarb coffee cake and omit the coconut from the topping. 
• For faster cake cooling place it on a wire rack. 
• Make sure to do the toothpick test to confirm the cake is fully baked. 
• Add a touch of lemon zest or orange zest to the cake for a touch of citrus flavor.
• Extra rhubarb freezes well. 

More Recipes to Love

If you are looking for easy dessert options, I’ve got you covered! If you like fruity desserts you may like this Puff Pastry Apple Tarts Recipe, this Cherry Dessert, or this Pumpkin Dump Cake. If chocolate is more your thing then this Chocolate Espresso Cake or this Chocolate Sauerkraut Pound Cake may be more up your alley. Do you love coffee cake like us? Be sure to give my Sour Cream Coffee Cake a try!

Get this easy rhubarb cake in the oven today and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a nice contrast in flavors and textures. We love this wonderful recipe, and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

This cake was originally posted on June 14, 2014. It has been updated to improve user experience and reshared on June 6, 2024.