I thought they were gone forever - all of them. But then my Auntie Tania said she had the recipe for the Rhubarb Coffee Cake that Baba used to make! This is the cake that made me love rhubarb. It was Baba's favorite, she told me. I remember she used to make it all the time, often sending it home with us. I even ate it for breakfast on occasion. Most importantly, it's the only recipe I have of hers, so it's beyond special! And that's why I'm sharing it here, with you...
If you have fresh rhubarb this spring, this is the cake you need to make! However, you can use frozen rhubarb as well. This Rhubarb Coffee Cake with streusel topping, is moist, delicious and will make your rhubarb sing! And while we're on the subject of rhubarb, I would also recommend you try my other rhubarb recipes: Rhubarb Squares, Sticky Rhubarb Pudding, Rhubarb Cookies, No Bake Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake, No Bake Rhubarb Dessert, my Healthy Rhubarb Muffins, Stewed Rhubarb Recipe (with Strawberry Gelatin)and my 2 Ingredient Rhubarb Lemonade!
Jump to:
We had a late start to spring, so although it's officially rhubarb season, my spring rhubarb is a bit small for mid-May. But fortunately, the local grocery stores had fresh rhubarb. Hopefully, I'll be harvesting my own by mid-summer! It's always so much better to use your own rhubarb in your baking. I remember how satisfying it felt the first time I was able to do that!
🥘Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients for this Rhubarb Sour Cream Coffee Cake (cake and topping). The 4 dishes, at the bottom of the photo, for the topping (sugar, salt, flour and cinnamon):
- eggs
- baking soda
- white granulated sugar
- salt
- all-purpose flour
- sour cream
- fresh rhubarb
- cinnamon
- unsalted butter
*See recipe card for quantities.
🔪Instructions
How do you make rhubarb coffee cake?
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/ 175 degrees C and spray a 9X13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, add, egg, flour, sour cream, salt, baking soda and sugar.
- Beat with electric hand mixer, on low speed, then increase to medium speed and beat until smooth (about 1 minute).
- Fold in rhubarb with spoon or rubber spatula.
- Pour into prepared cake pan.
Crumble Topping
- In a medium bowl, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut butter into flour and sugar mixture (see Top Tip). Mix until crumbly and combined.
- Sprinkle crumb topping over top of cake batter.
⏲️ Baking time
Bake for 45-50 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.
📖Variations & Substitutions
- Sugar- you can use brown sugar instead of white sugar for the topping, if you prefer.
- Rhubarb- use fresh or frozen (defrosted) rhubarb
- Butter- you can use salted butter, but just skip the salt in the recipe!
- Add-ins - you can add nuts to the topping (almonds, pecans, or walnuts) if you like.
👪 Serving Size
This recipe makes 12 servings. However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the blue serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust. You'll just need additional cake pans.
🍽Equipment
You can use any type of 9X13 inch pan but it will need to be 3-4 inches deep. You'll need mixing bowls and spoons, as well as an electric mixer (affiliate links)
🌡️Storage
Store this rhubarb cake in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. You simply cover it in plastic wrap if you are just storing it overnight.
This cake can be frozen for up to 3 months in a sealed container.
💭Top tip
I love to keep my butter frozen and grate it directly into my recipes. It's easier and less messy!
❔ Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a coffee cake a coffee cake
Coffee cake is a single layer sweet cake with a cinnamon-infused flavor and streusel top made from flour, butter, and sugar. It is meant to be eaten with a cup of coffee.
Yes, you can use frozen rhubarb in cake. For best results, just be sure to defrost it and drain off excess liquid, but do NOT squeeze out the liquid.
If you're looking for a great way to use up that extra rhubarb in your garden in a scrumptious and tender cake, this Easy Rhubarb Cake Recipe is one the entire family will love! A slice of cake is perfect with a cup of coffee (even for breakfast 🙂 )!
⭐ Reviews
Did you make this Rhubarb Coffee Cake recipe? If you loved it, please leave a 5 star rating and a comment below!
Here's what others are saying! "I love rhubarb but this recipe takes my love to a whole new level. This is super delicious!!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
And be sure to give my Sour Cream Rhubarb Pie a try!
📋 Rhubarb Coffee Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 ½ cup fresh rhubarb * can use frozen (defrosted)
Crumble Topping
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup butter (unsalted)
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
* By default, the instruction images will NOT print. If you want them to print, you'll need to check the box beside instruction images
Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/ 175 degrees C and spray a 9X13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix egg, flour, baking soda, salt, sour cream and sugar together.
- Beat with an electric hand mixer until smooth (about 1 minute).
- Fold in rhubarb with spoon.
- Pour into a prepared pan.
Crumble Topping
- In a medium bowl, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter (see Top Tip)
- Mix until crumbly and sprinkle over top of batter.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
Mags
Your directions to make the cake are quite confusing. Beat sugar, eggs and flour together. Then add rhubarb. Put in pan and bake.
You've missed the other half of the ingredients.
Terri Gilson
Hi,
I'm not sure where you are seeing that? I just double-checked and I have full directions in the post and in the recipe card (with photos).
Can you send me the screenshot of what you are seeing?
Thanks,
Terri
Colleen
Not meaning to be picky, though maybe it is. I have this baking right now and I'm certain it will be delicious. Not sure it's needed, but you have salt in your ingredient list so you should add it to the cake instructions. Can't wait to cut into this!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Colleen and not picky at all! DONE! I must have been having a brain blip that day because I missed adding a few ingredients to the directions 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!
Terri
Becky Johnson
I agree. I do not see anywhere in the instructions where it says to add the baking soda or sour cream.
Terri Gilson
Hi Becky: Thank you for specifying what was missing, as I thought she meant steps below were missing. I have corrected it - the sour cream and baking soda are added at the same time as the other cake ingredients and mixed together. Sorry for any confusion!
Kathleen Cheek
I just finished using up a gallon bag of frozen rhubarb that had partially thawed during a power outage 2 days ago then refrozen in the freezer OMG turned out absolutely delicious!!! I had to make the recipe x3 and everyone is raving
Thank you for sharing this!!!!!
Terri Gilson
That's great, Kathleen! I'm so glad you loved it as much as we do!
Terri Gilson
I'm so glad you love it, Kathleen! It's my Baba's recipe and the ONLY one I have so it's very special to me 🙂
Bernice
Excellent recipe! We loved it as part of our long weekend brunch spread. I love how rich and flavourful it is.
Elaine
That crunchy streusel topping on this oh-so-good rhubarb cake keeps everyone coming back for seconds! A keeper recipe!
nancy
it was so crunchy and moist center. so tasty!
Colleen
We loved this cake! The streusel topping is perfect and the cake is so tender and moist. I'll be making this one again. Thanks!
Asha
I love the nostalgic baking recipes that I grew up watching my grandmother make. It's so special that you shared yours. Thank you! The rhubarb in this coffee cake is scrumptious
Sean
I've been craving rhubarb lately, and this looks just perfect. Nice and simple, easy to put together, and great with that crumble topping. Cool tip about the frozen butter too - I didn't know that one!
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Sean! I know what you mean about craving it - as soon as spring hits!
Enjoy....
Terri
Raylene De Bruyn
I love rhubarb but this recipe takes my love to a whole new level. This is super delicious!!
Terri Gilson
I'm so glad you loved it, Raylene!
Tania
This one is a keeper. Easy, fast & so yummy..#1 on my list.
......Especially during this rhubarb season.❤️
Terri Gilson
Tania - I agree! 🙂
Judy
Can this recipe be divided into 2 8x8 baking dishes?
Terri Gilson
Hi Judy,
Yes it can!
Terri
Laura DePace
Can you bake it in a spring form pan?
Terri Gilson
Hi Laura,
I don't see why not? I haven't personally tried it, but springform pans are great for baking cakes!
I'd love to hear how it turns out.
Terri
Kaylee
I made this coffee cake for a weekend trip I haven't even left for the trip and almost a quarter of its gone this is the perfect rhubarb coffee cake and that's coming from someone who dosent like rhubarb. This rubarb coffee cake is definitely gonna be a regular breakfast item in the house.
Terri Gilson
Hi Kaylee,
I’m so glad to hear you loved it and that you think even non-rhubarb fans will too! Thanks for taking the time to comment 😊
Terri
Amber
Delicious! So crunchy on top! I did however add vanilla to the batter and doubled up on the cinnamon. Next time I may add cinnamon to the batter. But either way, it's delicious!
Terri Gilson
I'm so glad you loved it, Amber! Vanilla is a great idea! You must really love cinnamon 🙂
Terri
Elllen
I have this lovely looking cake in the oven. Can't wait to try it with company. They're ok with being experimented on!
I found the photos very helpful but had to scroll back and forth between directions and ingredient amounts. The adverts are Hugely annoying too.
It would be nice to skip the blah blah and have a straight forward recipe with instructions and amounts all melded together.
Terri Gilson
Hi Ellen,
Thanks for your feedback - your experience as a reader is very important to me! I will take a closer look at the flow of my posts. I do have a “jump to recipe button” so you can avoid the “blah blah” but unfortunately it was glitching at the time. It’s working now. Although you find the ads annoying, I do need them to be able to pay all the expenses to keep this blog up and running and to be able to provide readers like you with free recipes.
I hope you enjoyed the cake!
Terri
Marita
It's delicious.
Terri Gilson
Hi Marita,
I'm so glad you loved it!
Terri
Briana Stahl
Can I use pudding instead of sour cream for this recipe?
Terri Gilson
Hi Briana,
I wouldn't use pudding as it's too sweet, for one. The best substitutes for sour cream are: plain yogurt, creme fraiche, buttermilk, plain kefir or cream cheese or mascarpone cheese. Enjoy!
Terri
Nancy Lee
Question before trying - reduced fat sour cream is what I keep on hand. Do I need full fat for the recipe? I can't wait to try it!
Terri Gilson
Hi Nancy,
Yes, you can absolutely use low-fat sour cream - I use it all the time!
Enjoy!
Terri
Karen
This is wonderful!! Thank you for sharing it!!!
Terri Gilson
Hi Karen,
So glad you loved it!
Terri
Bob Thompson
Really great recipe. We love the crumb and are betting using tart apple instead of rhubarb would be a great variation.
Steph
This turned out SO GOOD. I’m definitely printing this. I brought it to work for a treat for my coworkers. They loved it.
Terri Gilson
Hi Steph,
I'm so glad to hear it was a hit!
Terri
Mary Jane Davenport
So good . This will definitely join my pie recipe for must haves this summer.
Terri Gilson
Hi Mary Jane,
Wow - that's a high compliment! I'm so glad you loved it!
Terri
Joe
I baked this coffee cake today I am 76 years old man. The recipe was easy to follow it came out great. Half of it went to the staff were I attend services. I know they will want to make it. Thank you
Terri Gilson
Hi Joe,
That's great to hear that it was easy to follow and it worked out great! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Terri