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Home » Rhubarb Streusel Cake

Rhubarb Streusel Cake

Written on June 4, 2019

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This delicious rhubarb streusel cake is sweet and tangy, super moist, tender, and flavorful and will have you coming back for seconds!

rhubarb streusel cake recipe buttermilk crumb

My husband has always claimed he doesn’t care much for cake or rhubarb but he really enjoys diving into this Rhubarb Streusel Cake.  It isn’t overly sweet and the tanginess of the rhubarb provides a nice contrast and balance.  So if you fall into the camp of someone who doesn’t like rhubarb, this cake may change your mind!

Rhubarb goes back a long way.  It has been used in Chinese medicine for thousands of years.  Over the centuries the rhubarb trade increased and in Medieval Europe its value exceeded that of fine spices such as cinnamon and saffron! Rhubarb entered the U.S. in the 1820’s and has been enjoyed in the popular form of pies, crumbles, compote, and preserves ever since.

By the way, did you know that rhubarb is technically a vegetable?  Yet interestingly it was designated as a fruit in the U.S. in a 1947 court ruling for the purposes of regulations and duties.

What’s interesting is that even though rhubarb is a vegetable, it’s generally only used in sweet dishes as a fruit.  Yet tomatoes, which are technically fruits, are generally only used in savory dishes as vegetables.  Have any of you ever made or seen rhubarb served as a vegetable or tomatoes served as fruits?  Chime in if you have!

One last interest tidbit about rhubarb from Wiki:  “In British theater and early radio drama, the words “rhubarb, rhubarb” were repeated for the effect of unintelligible conversation in the background.”  Pretty amusing, huh?

Go grab some rhubarb while it’s still available and make this fantabulous Rhubarb Buttermilk Streusel Cake!  A tender and moist crumb with a delightful buttery streusel topping (which, incidentally, comes from the German verb “streuen,” which means to sprinkle or scatter) .  This cake is truly lovely and it’s easy to make.  Serve it up with some ice cream and you’re all set.

rhubarb streusel cake recipe buttermilk crumb

Let’s get started!

Cream the butter and sugar in large mixing bowl with an electric mixer.

Add the eggs and vanilla extract.  Beat until combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour, alternating the flour and buttermilk.

Be careful not to over-stir.  Some lumps of flour will remain, and that’s okay.

Wash the rhubarb.  Peel off the outer skin if it’s too tough.  Dice the rhubarb and add it to the batter.  Fold the rhubarb into the batter.

Spread the batter into a greased 8×8 inch square baking pan.  I use the hand-forged aluminum pan by Magic Line, made in the USA.  Love it!

To make the streusel, combine the butter, sugar and flour in a bowl.  Crumb the mixture between your fingers.

Evenly crumble the streusel over the batter.

Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F for 35-45 minutes or until the streusel is a light golden brown in places and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

rhubarb streusel cake recipe buttermilk crumb

Let the cake cool before slicing it.

rhubarb streusel cake recipe buttermilk crumb

Serve with some ice cream and you’re all set!  Enjoy!

rhubarb streusel cake recipe buttermilk crumb

 

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rhubarb streusel cake recipe buttermilk

Rhubarb Streusel Cake

Kimberly Killebrew
This delicious rhubarb streusel cake is sweet and tangy, super moist, tender, and flavorful and will have you coming back for seconds!
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, German
Servings 9 servings
Calories 378 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 1/2 cups rhubarb diced
  • For the streusel topping:
  • 1/4 cup butter melted
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 8x8 inch square baking pan.
  • Cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and egg and beat until combined.
  • In a small bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Using a rubber spatula, fold the flour mixture into the wet mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Be careful not to over-stir. Some flour lumps will remain and that is okay. Stir in the rhubarb.
  • Spoon the batter into the greased baking pan.
  • To make the streusel topping, combine all the ingredients and crumble with your fingers.
  • Evenly sprinkle the streusel topping over the cake batter. Bake the cake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Let the cake cool before cutting into squares. Serve with ice cream.

Nutrition

Calories: 378kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 273mg | Potassium: 222mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 420IU | Vitamin C: 2.7mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 1.8mg
Keyword Rhubarb Streusel Cake
Tried this recipe? Mention @daringgourmet or hashtag #daringgourmet

 

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Topics include: Affiliate, All Recipes, By Country or Region, Dessert, Disclosure, Food, Germany, Western Europe as well as: buttermilk, cake, dessert, fruits, German, Germany, recipe, rhubarb, streusel45 Comments →

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45 Responses

  1. Abigail Wenderson says

    September 3, 2020 at 7:08 am

    Such an amazing recipe. I never get tired of baking so adding this to my favorites.

    Reply
  2. Abigail Wenderson says

    September 3, 2020 at 7:06 am

    Woah! Thanks for sharing the recipe, it looks delicious. Will make this recipe for my kids.

    Reply
  3. Abigail Wenderson says

    September 3, 2020 at 7:04 am

    Woah! Thanks for sharing the recipe, it looks so great. Going to try this tommorow morning

    Reply
  4. Beth says

    July 1, 2019 at 10:31 am

    we made this recipe twice this weekend it was so good. i have tried a few cake based recipes for rhubarb, but this one is by far the best. Everyone loved it so much including my son who is not a big cake fan. I added more rhubarb then listed. 3+ cups. I highly recommend this recipe.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 1, 2019 at 10:47 am

      I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that, Beth, thanks so much for the feedback!

      Reply
  5. Josie says

    June 19, 2019 at 8:22 pm

    This turned out perfectly, just like the pictures! I did accidentally add twice as much butter as the recipe calls for in the cake batter… whoops! I used about a cup of strawberries and reduced the rhubarb to about 1 3/4 cups, and reduced the sugar to about 3/4 cup to compensate for the sweetness of the strawberries.
    This is definitely an easy, delicious recipe that I’ll make again! (I’ll try it with the right amount of butter next time. Ha!)

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      June 19, 2019 at 11:16 pm

      Wonderful, Josie, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! And adding twice the amount of butter probably wasn’t such a bad thing, lol :) Thanks so much for the feedback!

      Reply
  6. Macy Brown From MakeTheBread says

    June 17, 2019 at 4:14 am

    Hey Kimberly…I really glad to read your posts, and this perfect for treat, love your idea as well..Thanks for sharing….!

    Reply
  7. Pam says

    June 14, 2019 at 3:06 pm

    Can spelt flour be used or is this not a good choice?

    Reply
    • Anonymous says

      June 14, 2019 at 3:08 pm

      Oh. I found the rhubarb at Whole Foods market

      Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      June 15, 2019 at 3:10 pm

      Spelt will work great, Pam. As with any whole grain it will be a bit coarser and drier, but whole grain is what I usually use for most baked goods. You “might” need to add just a tad bit more liquid since you’re using whole grains. I’m so glad you found the rhubarb!

      Reply
  8. Pam says

    June 12, 2019 at 8:17 pm

    I love rhubarb. Just can’t find it here in the south. Maybe I’m not checking in the right stores. Any clue

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      June 13, 2019 at 12:49 pm

      Hi Pam, I wish I had some suggestions but I’m in the PNW. Rhubarb season typically runs from April through September with its peak being mid-summer, but it does prefer cooler climates so it may just not be as readily available in the south. Perhaps some of our southern readers can chime in with suggestions.

      Reply
  9. Lola Osinkolu says

    June 11, 2019 at 2:12 pm

    Moist cakes r the best way to show ur professional baking skills!This looks perfect!

    Reply
  10. Ruth McAllister says

    June 9, 2019 at 6:39 pm

    In Burmese cooking, there is a vegetable that is very like rhubarb and is used in stews and curry.
    And in China I have often seen cherry tomatoes on top of birthday cakes!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      June 11, 2019 at 2:40 pm

      That’s super interesting, Ruth, thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  11. Toffeeapple says

    June 6, 2019 at 12:59 pm

    So that is where our word ‘strew’ originates! I do enjoy finding out things like that, thank you.

    Your streusel is, therefore, different from our crumble in that you add liquid to the mix – interesting, I must try that.

    Reply
  12. Barbara Holly says

    June 16, 2018 at 10:10 am

    If I don’t have buttermilk can I still make it?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      June 17, 2018 at 5:49 am

      Hi Barbara, to ensure the proper acidity level to get a tender crumb, you can make your own “buttermilk” by stirring 1 tablespoon of white vinegar into the milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes.

      Reply
  13. Kitty says

    May 19, 2018 at 5:18 pm

    I am making it a 2nd time….Just a few changes: instead of 1/4 cup butter in the cake, I accidentally used 3/4… ! I will let you know how it turns out. I also used a little over 3 cups rhubarb, because I had extra. I also made a rhubarb sauce to be served with it.

    Reply
  14. Margaret says

    August 15, 2017 at 6:10 pm

    Hi, made this cake several times now and I can’t get enough of it. For the first time, I substituted white sugar for brown, but the cake it’s in the oven, so I can’t tell yet which streuseI I like better. Another thing I do differently is that I put tiny layer of cake batter, rhubarb on top and the rest of the batter on top. It’s so delicious and I always make a double batch and just bake it in rectangular glass cake pan. It turns out perfect each time I make it. My family keep on asking for more and more.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      August 16, 2017 at 10:51 am

      Fantastic, thanks so much, Margaret!

      Reply
  15. Rita says

    June 28, 2017 at 6:56 pm

    Hi! Do you think you could also make this recipe with red currants?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      June 28, 2017 at 7:42 pm

      Definitely, Rita! You can really substitute most fruits and berries. I love red currants. They’re really popular in Germany where I’m from but are virtually impossible to find here in the U.S.. We planted some red currant bushes in our garden last year and are eagerly awaiting the harvest :)

      Reply
  16. Nancy says

    September 19, 2016 at 5:04 pm

    I’m pretty sure the rhubarb season is over, but I lucked into some rhubarb at the organic store. I made this cake this afternoon and it was perfect! I normally reduce sugar in most recipes, but I followed yours exactly as you wrote it and it’s a keeper!

    Several hours later and the house still smells fabulous.

    Many thanks!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      September 19, 2016 at 7:28 pm

      That’s terrific, Nancy, thank you! We still have a lot of rhubarb left in our garden that’s situated in the shade where it managed to escaped the heat wave this Summer. I was just thinking that I need to harvest some and make this streusel cake this week :)

      Reply
  17. Miranda says

    May 19, 2016 at 3:19 pm

    Wonder how this would be as cupcakes/muffins. Anyone try it yet?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      May 31, 2016 at 6:56 am

      Hi Miranda, we just got back from vacation and I apologize for the delayed response. I haven’t tried making it in cupcake form and wonder if it might be a little to moist for that. If you give it a try let us know how it goes!

      Reply
  18. Anonymous says

    May 24, 2014 at 8:56 pm

    Could you double it and put it in a 9×13 pan?

    Reply
    • The Daring Gourmet says

      May 24, 2014 at 9:56 pm

      I haven’t tried that yet, but I can’t think of a single reason why it wouldn’t work. Go for it, happy baking, and enjoy! :)

      Reply
    • Mary says

      June 12, 2019 at 9:47 am

      I made this last night in a 9x 13 pan, had to bahe a little longer but it turned out great

      Reply
      • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

        June 13, 2019 at 12:52 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Mary, thank you!

        Reply
  19. Katie says

    May 21, 2014 at 9:30 am

    Made this recipe yesterday. Well it’s all gone today! It was very good. So moist. Glad I got a chance to use my garden rhubarb.

    Reply
    • The Daring Gourmet says

      May 21, 2014 at 10:01 am

      That’s wonderful, Katie, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! We really love it, too. And you’re so lucky that you have your own rhubarb! By the way, frozen rhubarb (left to thaw and drain before added – but not squeezed dry) works really well in this cake, too, in case you have some left at the end of the Summer you want to freeze.

      Reply
  20. Angie says

    April 27, 2014 at 9:14 am

    Hi I just tried this! Switching the white sugar to brown sugar for the streusel topping. I must say its one of the best cake I have ever made! Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
    • The Daring Gourmet says

      April 27, 2014 at 3:06 pm

      Thank you for making it, Angie, and for your feedback!

      Reply
  21. abby says

    January 25, 2014 at 4:42 pm

    I was a little afraid to try this recipe, but really wanted to get rid of my frozen rhubarb so I gave it a go. Long story short, made it, added cinnamon to the strudel, and it was amazing. My husband loved it and it was both of ours first time trying rhubarb. Thanks for the recipe! !!!

    Reply
    • The Daring Gourmet says

      January 25, 2014 at 5:39 pm

      Awesome, I’m so happy to hear that, Abby! And I’m happy that this recipe made rhubarb lovers out of both of you :) Thanks for the feedback! Best, Kimberly

      Reply
  22. Ariane says

    August 23, 2013 at 7:22 pm

    This sounds so good! Any recommendations if I use frozen rhubarb? Wondering if I should thaw it or just put it in frozen?

    Reply
    • The Daring Gourmet says

      August 23, 2013 at 7:40 pm

      Hi Ariane! Thank you! Yes, you can absolutely use frozen rhubarb. Just thaw it completely. Don’t squeeze out the liquid -just let it drain in a colander. It will turn out beautifully!

      Reply
  23. Serena @Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch says

    August 19, 2013 at 8:06 pm

    This looks delicious! My husbands favorite is rhubarb pie with crumb topping so I’ll have to pin this for later! I found you through MB things I know on Facebook. Have a wonderful night!

    Reply
    • The Daring Gourmet says

      August 19, 2013 at 8:20 pm

      Thanks, Serena, and thank you so much for stopping by! I checked out your lovely Facebook page and am headed over to your blog now!

      Reply
  24. huntfortheverybest says

    July 27, 2013 at 12:59 pm

    this looks delicious. great idea!

    Reply
    • The Daring Gourmet says

      July 27, 2013 at 1:38 pm

      Thank you, huntfortheverybest!

      Reply
  25. Laura Dembowski (@piesandplots) says

    July 27, 2013 at 5:17 am

    Rhubarb is such a great thing to bake with! This cake looks and sounds like such a great treat!

    Reply

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