It's rhubarb season again, and if you love rhubarb, you'll love this Sticky Rhubarb Pudding! It's a unique and delicious non-traditional rhubarb recipe that's sort of like a pudding cake. It's also easy, quick, and a little indulgent because, well, sometimes you just need to indulge.
My Rhubarb Square is another one of those recipes that are worth the indulgence (to die for, actually!) Full confession: I did try to lighten this Rhubarb Pudding Cake and cut the fat and sugar, but I learned that the sugar and butter made it good. There are just some things you don't mess with! So, if you want to indulge a little and have some rhubarb kicking around, then you'll love this delicious recipe!
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🍒Reader Review
"An absolute winner with everyone!! Only used 4 tablespoons of icing sugar, and still very sweet. Delicious!" ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I got this recipe from my Auntie Sue (she'd had it forever), and my first thought was, "Where have you been all my life?!" Granted, I am a bit crazy about rhubarb, but this is truly one of those old-timey gems!
🥘Ingredient Notes
For this baked sticky rhubarb pudding recipe, you'll need:
- Rhubarb. You can use fresh or frozen. *If you use frozen rhubarb, just make sure you defrost it completely and drain it, but don't squeeze the liquid out. * I used frozen rhubarb for this recipe.
- Milk. I use 1% because it's what I have on hand, but you can use any milk.
- Unsalted butter. I use unsalted butter in my baking so I can control the salt. The salt content in salted butter varies by brand.
- Powdered sugar/icing sugar. The use of powdered sugar gives this pudding a unique taste.
- Cornstarch. Cornstarch thickens this pudding, but you could also use Minute Tapioca.
*See recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
🔪How to Make Rhubarb Pudding
PREP: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/175 degrees C. Grease an 8 or 9-inch square pan. Pour chopped rhubarb into the bottom.
- Step 1: Pour chopped rhubarb in the bottom.
- Step 2: In a large bowl combine flour, granulated sugar, milk, melted butter, baking powder, and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth.t
- Step 3: Pour over rhubarb and spread evenly.
- Step 4: In another bowl, combine powdered sugar and cornstarch.
- Step 5: Scoop mixture evenly over top of rhubarb and batter mixture.
- Step 6: Pour water over top.
- Step 7: Baking Time: Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven, cool, and serve. Garnish: Top with whipping cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can also add a sprinkle of ground cinnamon if you like.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Use Fresh or Frozen Rhubarb Correctly. If using fresh rhubarb, make sure to wash and trim the ends before chopping.. If using frozen rhubarb, thaw it completely and drain excess liquid, but don't squeeze out the moisture-it helps create the perfect pudding consistency.
- Don't Overmix the Batter. Mix the batter until it is just combined. Overmixing can lead to a denser texture instead of a light, pudding-like cake.
- The Magic of the Water Layer. Pour the water over the batter without stirring it in. This step creates the pudding-like sauce at the bottom as it bakes.
- Baking Time May Vary. Oven temperatures can vary, so check your pudding at the 50-minute mark by inserting a toothpick into the cake portion. If it comes out clean, it's done! If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover it with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.
- Let It Rest Before Serving. Allow the pudding to cool for at least 10 minutes after baking. This helps the sauce thicken slightly and enhances the flavor.
- Want a Richer Caramel Flavor? Swap out white sugar for brown sugar to add depth and a slight caramel taste to the dish.
What to Serve with Sticky Rhubarb Pudding
Rhubarb pudding is a wonderful dessert to accompany a spring or summer meal. Try it with my Cajun Chicken Avocado Mango Salad or Spring Salad with Fiddleheads & Blackberry Vinaigrette (add chicken to make it a full meal).
If you're grilling, then it goes great with my Greek Chicken Burger (shown above). Feeding a crowd? Try it with my Slow Cooker Beef on a bun!
👪 Serving Size
This Sticky Rhubarb Pudding recipe makes 8 servings. However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
🌡️Storage
Store this sticky rhubarb pudding in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
You can reheat individual portions in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds or warm the entire pudding in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 10-15 minutes.
❔Recipe FAQs
Absolutely! Substitute the butter with vegan margarine and use a dairy-free milk alternative such as almond, oat, or soy milk.
Yes! You can prepare the pudding in advance and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
No, simply pour the water over the top of the batter before baking. This helps create the pudding-like texture once baked.
An 8-inch or 9-inch square pan works best for this recipe. If using a larger dish, the baking time may be slightly shorter, so keep an eye on it.
If you're looking for the best rhubarb dessert, try this Baked Rhubarb Sticky pudding. It's a tasty, unique, and delicious spring dessert and a great way to make the most of your rhubarb.
And if you are interested in more rhubarb desserts, be sure to try my Oatmeal Rhubarb Cookies and my Rhubarb Sour Cream Pie!
More Rhubarb Recipes
📋Sticky Rhubarb Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups of rhubarb diced
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ⅔ cup white granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup milk
- ⅔ cup butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F/175 degrees C. Grease an 8 or 9 inch square pan. Pour chopped rhubarb in the bottom.3 cups of rhubarb
- In a bowl combine flour, granulated sugar, milk, melted butter, baking powder and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth.1 cup all purpose flour, ⅔ cup white granulated sugar, ⅓ cup milk, ⅔ cup butter, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour over rhubarb and spread evenly.
- In another bowl, combine powdered sugar and cornstarch.1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Scoop mixture evenly over top of rhubarb and batter mixture.
- Pour water over top.1 cup water
- Bake for 1 hour. Remove from oven, cool and serve.
Garnish
- Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. You can also add a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, if you like.
Notes
-
- Use Fresh or Frozen Rhubarb Correctly. If using fresh rhubarb, make sure to wash and trim the ends before chopping.. If using frozen rhubarb, thaw it completely and drain excess liquid, but don't squeeze out the moisture-it helps create the perfect pudding consistency.
-
- Don't Overmix the Batter. Mix the batter until it is just combined. Overmixing can lead to a denser texture instead of a light, pudding-like cake.
-
- The Magic of the Water Layer. Pour the water over the batter without stirring it in. This step creates the pudding-like sauce at the bottom as it bakes.
-
- Baking Time May Vary. Oven temperatures can vary, so check your pudding at the 50-minute mark by inserting a toothpick into the cake portion. If it comes out clean, it's done! If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover it with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.
-
- Let It Rest Before Serving. Allow the pudding to cool for at least 10 minutes after baking. This helps the sauce thicken slightly and enhances the flavor.
-
- Want a Richer Caramel Flavor? Swap out white sugar for brown sugar to add depth and a slight caramel taste to the dish
Rhonda
I made this recipe, substituted the white sugar for brown sugar and it was excellent! Such an easy, no fail recipe to use up fresh rhubarb…a nice change from the standard crisp or pie for all of the rhubarb lovers. I highly recommend topping with ice cream when still warm just out of the oven!
Terri Gilson
So glad you enjoyed it, Rhonda!
Shelley
Tasted nice, cake part was nice, but underneath was rhubarb soup. Literally we ate it with soup spoons. What did I do wrong?
Terri Gilson
Hi Shelley,
Were you using fresh or frozen rhubarb? If frozen, did you fully defrost and drain it? If you were using early spring rhubarb, it contains more water, so you should compensate. I would try adding some cornstarch (1 tbsp) in with the rhubarb next time and that should solve the issue.
Terri
Shelley
Thanks for the reply. It was fresh rhubarb, but it is getting late in the season here. But I will try some cornstarch next time. Thanks.
Terri Gilson
Hi Shelley,
No problem! I hope it works for you next time! 🙂
Terri
Robin
Hello! Would it make sense to add a bit of cornstarch to the rhubarb so it isn't so runny?
Thanks!
Terri Gilson
Hi Robin,
I don't find that it gets too runny, but yes, you could try that if you do find it too runny.
Terri
Nancy Toomey Kundl
Could this be made with frozen rhubarb, do you think?
Terri Gilson
Hi Nancy,
Absolutely! I mention it in the tips: If using frozen rhubarb, thaw it completely and drain excess liquid, but don’t squeeze out the moisture—it helps create the perfect pudding consistency.
Enjoy 🙂
Terri
Joana
An absolute winner with everyone!! Only used 4 tablespoons of icing sugar, and still very sweet. Delicious.
Terri Gilson
So glad to hear you loved it, Joana! I'm going to try it with less icing sugar next time 🙂
Terri