This rhubarb cake was always made by my Oma for her grandkids after she picked through her garden. Probably not good for the thighs, but Oma's cooking is always good for the taste buds.
What a winner! Noticing the recipe called for no fat, I was tempted to add a 1/2 stick of butter and I'm so glad I didn't and stuck to the recipe as written, only adding 1 tsp. of vanilla to the batter. This was SO nice and moist with a perfect amount of rhubarb. Any more, I fear, might have made this soggy rather than cakey, particularly after the first day. I was afraid of glopping on the cinnamon by shaking it over the topping, so rather than take a chance I mixed maybe 3/4 tsp. of cinnamon in with the topping ingredients. Good call I think! This is simply a great, old fashioned coffee cake - nice balance of rich, moist cake, delicately flavored with rhubarb and topped with a buttery, crackly, streusel. Grandmas always seem to know how to do it best!
Read More What a winner! Noticing the recipe called for no fat, I was tempted to add a 1/2 stick of butter and I'm so glad I didn't and stuck to the recipe as written, only adding 1 tsp. of vanilla to the batter. This was SO nice and moist with a perfect amount of rhubarb. Any more, I fear, might have made this soggy rather than cakey, particularly after the first day. I was afraid of glopping on the cinnamon by shaking it over the topping, so rather than take a chance I mixed maybe 3/4 tsp. of cinnamon in with the topping ingredients. Good call I think! This is simply a great, old fashioned coffee cake - nice balance of rich, moist cake, delicately flavored with rhubarb and topped with a buttery, crackly, streusel. Grandmas always seem to know how to do it best!
Easy, simple and delicious! I didn't have sour cream on hand so I substituted plain yogurt. I used 3/4 cup of packed brown sugar instead of white sugar (personal taste preference) and also added 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts to the topping. I'll make this again. UPDATE May 8, 2011: If anyone is interested in cutting back calories - I've made this using 3/4 cup sugar in the cake and only half the topping. Still delicious with a crusty crunchy top. This may depend on how sour your rhubarb is. Also, try using a cup of red currants in place of 1 cup of rhubarb.
Very moist and flavorful cake. I got great reviews. However, if the topping was suppose to be a crumb topping like a crumb cake, mine did not turn out that way. More flour would have been needed. I will be using this recipe again in the near future. I used frozen rhubarb.
This cake is amazing! I followed several other suggestions, and used 4 cups of diced rhubarb, and 1/4 cup brown sugar in the cake and all brown sugar in the topping. I had slightly less than a cup of sour cream, so I made up the rest with some vanilla yogurt. The rhubarb taste is very subtle, even with four cups of fruit. This was yummy as a morning coffee cake; yummy with afternoon tea, and especially terrific served warm with a scoop of strawberry ice cream for dessert! Alas, the cake lasted less than a day!
This review is for all you high altitude bakers out there. I live at 7500 feet. Not extremely high but not sea level either, so many of these cakes don't turn out the same for me as they do for people even 2000 feet lower. The recipe, as written, didn't work that well for me. Although it was tasty and moist, it was dense and somewhat tough/chewy. Not what I thought a cake should be like. Usually I just give up at that point, eat my failure and mark a par for the high altitude course. BUT...this recipe has received 5 stars from a LOT of people. So, I just had to try it again with high altitude adjustments. Below are the adjustments I made, for what turned out to be a completely different cake - moist, yet light and cakey, with a crunchy/crumbly top. I am so excited by the result I just had to share. For the batter: - moved the butter from the topping, down into the batter - reduced sugar in batter to 1c. - reduced the baking soda to 1/2 tsp - added 1 tsp baking powder - added 3T flour - added an egg I started out creaming the butter and sugar. Added eggs and sour cream. Slowly stirred in the dry ingredients, not stirring too much. Then folded in the rhubarb. The topping: 2/3c brown sugar 3/4 tsp cinnamon Temp/time: - temp up to 375 deg - 30 min until golden brown It wouldn't be fair to give the recipe less stars b/c of my altitude. I gave it, 5 stars because my end result is what I think the author intended - and it's darn tasty!
I made it as above (well, I had an extra cup of rhubarb- so I just dumped it there too). Fantastic!
Wow...Wow! YUMMY is all I can say about this cake...I actually just got this recipe from a friend and came on here to see if anything like this was already posted - this is the exact same recipe and it is amazing! Not too overwhelming with rhubarb but something different than pie or jam. Definately a keeper - you MUST try this!
I was initially drawn to this recipe because of the minimal fat. I adapted the recipe a bit to try and make it a little healthier: I used 1/2 the amount of sugar (by using Splenda brown sugar) and used whole wheat flour in both the cake and topping. I added 2 tbsp of egg white as I found the cake batter a little dry. And I also used 2 tbsp of apple sauce instead of the oil for the topping. It was REALLY more like a paste, so I had to put it on top by spreading it out by hand. I also baked them in muffin trays as they're a little more portable, but my rhubarb chunks were a little large, so they tended to collapse a bit. I also added the cinnemon as well as ground cloves and allspice into the topping. But VERY moist and delicious cake! Will DEFINATELY make again and look forward to adapting even more!
Excellent recipe! My husband's grandmother called me for the recipe...and I've been bragging that grandma wanted one of my recipes! It was so moist.
I didn't have sour cream, so I used plain milk with 1 T vinegar....it turned out GREAT! You need to leave the milk and vinegar out for about 1/2 hour, so it curdles the milk a bit. Other than that, I made just like the recipe. It is SOOO DELICIOUS! THANK YOU!!!
My husband doesn't like pies, so this caught my eye. We liked this cake. It's sweet, but the rhubarb offsets it well. This receipe is going in my book, thanks! I will also try this in the fall using diced apples in place of the rhubarb and some brown sugar. Yummy!
Delicious rhubarb cake. I followed the instructions exactly and was very pleased with the outcome. This would be good as a dessert cake, but also as a morning coffee cake.
I've made this recipe exactly as it's written multiple times. Every time, it's a HUGE hit. Everyone's always surprised to learn there's no butter or oil in the batter, because the cake is incredibly moist. The rhubarb bakes down into the cake, making it nice and tart, and the crumb topping cuts the tartness just enough. This is a great dessert, especially when paired with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, but when we bring a pan of this to the lake, everyone wants a slice for breakfast, too!
This cake has been added to my "Last Meal' menu. It will make leaving this world much less painful...
This good, simple cake is best eaten the day it's made. I added a teaspoon of vanilla to the cake, but otherwise made as written. Changes I'll try next time: up the rhubarb to 4 cups, add a bit of cinnamon to batter, cut the topping in half (using brown sugar), and adding chopped walnuts to topping. Worth another try!
Very simple and very good! This recipe will definitely help use up the few bags of frozen rhubarb that must go to make room for the spring crop. If the cake is this good with frozen rhubarb, I imagine it will be wonderful with fresh picked. I also used plain yogurt (whole milk) in combination with a few tablespoonfuls of sour cream. Added ~1/8 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg to the batter. Moist and delicious! Thank you, Oma!
I made this cake for my sister's birthday and everyone loved it!!! It was easy to make and turned out really moist and flavourful. The crumbly topping was perfectly crunchy- the combination of soft cake and crunchy top was marvelous.
Seriously fabulous! Added cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. Even cold it is addicting! Made it for a 4th time subbing 0% greek yogurt and making into "cupcakes" baked for 18 min. Delish!
This was incredible. My kids loved it and they normally hate cake. I also added a scant 4 cups of rhubarb and don't even think that 3 would suffice. I used plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream since I didn't have the latter. That added some healthy protein and works really well as a substitute. Very moist. I may even cut some sugar out next time. I'm pretty sure that the recipe is fine on its own, but extra rhubarb is highly recommended.
I don't know much about rhubarb, but we grew it in our garden this year, so I had to find a use. This recipe was an excellent one!! It was gone from our house in two days. Very moist and not too strong on the rhubarb flavor. So good, in fact, that my husband said I couldn't make this too often or we'd gain too much weight! :)
FAVORITE RECIPE... Made it an easy ONE BOWL RECIPE by whisking together eggs, sour cream (or yogurt or greek yogurt)and sugar and adding a tsp of almond extract, then adding flour with salt and soda mixed into it a bit and mixing that in with a wooden spoon, then dumping the rhubarb in (I use more than it calls for!) and stirring, then pouring into greased pan and baking, subbing the streusel topping (though that is good too!) for a powdered sugar glaze when it comes out of the oven. THAT is fast :)
Very nice but the topping is too much and too sweet. My son said it was like eating sugar cubes! Next time, I will cut it back for sure.
Used less sugar than called for (1 c in cake, 1/4 c in topping), turned out great. Moist & delicious!
This is very good! I substitued 1 cup of plain greek yogurt for the sour cream due to intolerance. Moist with a cake texture! I just couldn't quit eating it. The first piece I ate right out of the oven, the second piece, I topped with vanilla yogurt, the 3rd piece I ate was warmend with a pat of butter on top. Easy to prepare too!
Fantastic! I didn't have quite three cups of rhubarb, so I added on large apple cut up. I also used 3/4 cup of brown sugar and 1/4 white sugar in the topping, also added in ten or so grahm crackers and sprinkled with cinnimon sugar which was all I had. The topping was crunchy, inside was moist. Made it for my moms birthday tea and cake to have with her Aunt. We all loved it! First time I ever impressed my mom with my baking skills! Thanks Oma!
This cake is so moist!! I took it to work and the guys gobbled it up. Will make this one agian and again. Great way to use up the rhubarb!!
My husband & I scarfed this whole cake in a day. Unbelievably delicious and moist! I didn't change a thing, except I used 4 cups of rhubarb. I have at least that much left, so guess what I am making again today? :)
This recipe was just what I was looking for. I followed the recipe just the way it was written too. Which is odd for me normally I like to add my own twists. But no chnages needed here. I shared this cake with a large group and everyone loved it!
I started making this and realized I didn't have any sour cream so I used 3/4 cup buttermilk and it was still great! I will make this again using the correct ingredients, but I can imagine it will only taste better. :)
I made a half of recipe using whole grain spelt flour and 1/2 cup dark brown sugar in the cake. I made the topping as written. It was delicious though I thought the topping was a bit too sweet for my taste but after placing a piece in a bowl and smothering it with plain yogurt the sweetness was just right. In an 8x8 metal pan I baked it just 35 minutes. The batter was quite thick spreadable though. Highly recommended with just about any fruit you might choose.
Fantastic! My only complaint, and it's minor and easily remedied, is that it's a little too sweet. I used only 1 cup sugar in the cake and scant cup in the topping and will cut both back to 3/4 cup next time. I love the texture and the amount of rhubarb, though, and will keep this recipe!
Fantastic, I didn't have any sour cream so I used 8 oz of strawberry yogurt and it was delicious. I also used brown sugar for the crumb topping and it turned out great!
Very moist and a great recipe for rhubarb. I made a half batch and served it warm with vanilla ice cream. Loved the crunchy topping. Thanks Alea for sharing your Oma's recipe.
This was so unbelievably delicious! I made this for Easter supper and got rave reviews. This will definitely be made again. Thank you for sharing this.
I was one of five people asked to make a Rhubarb cake for my nephew's grad party, I was the last cake to arrive, but the first to be gone! This recipe was GREAT! I did add the extra cup of rhubarb as others suggested, and 1 cup of brown sugar and did 1/2 cup brown sugar with 3/4 cup of white sugar. I will be making this again and again!!
Excellent cake, and extremely easy to make. I cut the sugar by 1/4 cup, and will likely cut more next time I make it. I also probably used 4 C rhubarb. For reference, made this way and cut 6 x 3 (18 pieces) in a 9 x 13 pan, it's 180 calories a piece. Delicious!
Excellent!! I used Daisy lite sour cream instead of regular and my family loved it! I also made one with frozen strawberries and it was great too!
I was craving rhubarb, and this recipe came with great reviews, so I gave it a shot. Simple to prepare, and very moist, but too sweet for my taste. One of the reviewers made it with half the sugar, so I may try that the next time. After writing the paragraph above, I asked my husband what he thought of it. He loved it, and my 5yo son said he would give it 10 stars, if he could. I'm raising it to a four star, and eating it with coffee.
Good base recipe but I think it needs some modifications. I made the recipe as written except that I reduced the sugar in the batter to 1 cup and in the topping to 3/4 cup and I still found it too sweet. The cake came out super moist, which was awesome and it think it would be great with other fruit too. However I like at least a little bit of tart in my rhubarb desserts and this was just downright sweet. Maybe it just depends on the rhubarb you use. I will play with this recipe some more to perfect it to my taste buds.
Made this recipe to use some fresh rhubarb from the garden. Baked in a mini-loaf pan with eight mini-loaves, the batter nearly filled each mini-loaf and then baked up with a nice muffin-esque top. All I had on hand was low fat 5% sour cream, which seems to have worked well with this recipe.
ABsolutely fantastic!! Made this for a large crowd and everyone raved about it! The only changes I made were to use 4 cups of rhubarb, and for the topping I used brown sugar, mixed the cinnamon right in, and added a some rolled oats. This was great both warm and cold, even a couple days later.
I made them into squares and then took them to our 4th of July Party....yummy, everybody loved them :)
This is a FANTASTIC recipe. I didn't change a thing and it turned out perfect! Very easy too.
Wonderful cake. I didn't even use the topping. I just took it out of the oven, brushed it with butter, and sprinkled brown sugar on top. Great recipe!
Love this receipe, but I think the white sugar is a bit of an overload ... the topping would be awesome with brown sugar.
Oh My Gosh. This recipe is awesome and easy. Mine didn't quite look like the picture but the taste is fantastic. All in moderation.
This cake is so awesome! I made it just the way it is written and took it to church. Everybody loved it!
This recipe is SO GOOD...I just had to cover the dish because my husband and I keep snitching cuts out of the pan. I made it according to the recipe, but as someone recommended, I used brown sugar for the topping. I wanted to reduce calories and did not have fat free sour cream or fat free plain yogurt, so I used 80% fat free vanilla yogurt. I also forgot to put the cinnamon on top. I am a gardener, but I am not a baker. This was one of the easiest, best baked goods I ever made!
This is soooo good. I used previously frozen rhubarb so it had probably compressed to the equivalent of 4 cups fresh, and I also added a few strawberries. I used full-fat live culture sour cream.
This was terrific, and very easy to make. I made according to directions and liked it, but next time would definitely make a couple of modifications. Would add 1 t of vanilla to batter, and I think I would use brown sugar instead of white sugar for the topping (the topping was a little too sugary/gritty for me). Probably could use 1/2 c brown sugar and I also would just add 1 t of cinnamon in with the topping rather than trying to sprinkle over the top. And you could easily drop another cup of rhubarb in there if you have more. I served it out of the oven with vanilla ice cream, but actually think it tasted better cold the next day. This is a great dessert, or coffee cake.
Excellent cake. We received rhubarb from our csa this week and I wanted to try a new recipe. I made it exactly as stated. The only bad thing I can say is that it's not healthy, loaded with sugar but it sure tastes good.
I made this for my husband's birthday. This cake was very moist and delicious. We kept it in the refrigerator for a refreshing treat. The recipe is great the way it is and great altered as well. Try 2 cups of rhubarb and 1 cup of strawberries and cut back on the sugar.
This is a very basic, moist cake that is good, but not too exciting. There are other rhubarb recipes that use vanilla, at least part brown sugar, etc. that we would choose over this recipe. Quick to prepare if you are in a hurry.
Very Good had some right when I took it out of the oven. I had to cook it a little bit longer (10 min's) ovens are different you know. My husband will love it. Very easy to make and top was nice and crispy. The lady who said her topping was not crispy must have put too much butter in it. Sooooo Goooood TY for sharing recipe.
A nice moist cake. I found the crumb topping to be just the right amount. I used fat free sour cream and splenda instead of sugar.
this recipie is fantastic! I have made it several times and my husband loves it. I also made it with 100% whole wheat PASTRY flour. it is so moist the cake come out wonderful with white or whole wheat. it is actually better the next day!
Loved it! Didn't change a thing! Would love to maybe add some strawberries next time? Beginner cook here, so we'll see how that turns out!
Amazing recipe! I was short on sour cream, so I added half Greek yogurt and it turned out just fine. I will definitely make this one again.
Made it last night, it was wonderful. I added an extra cup of rhubarb, because we have a ton.
It sounded a little lame when I was looking at the recipe.. but I really wanted to try something new. This is my favorite thing to make with rhubarb now.
Excellent! You can actually taste the rhubarb. I did add 1 tsp of vanilla and I put the cinnamon right in the topping instead of sprinkling it on after.
I've made this at least once a month since I found it. it's wonderful. I've substituted rhubarb for cherries fresh pitted as well as frozen and blueberries. I often omit the topping and it's still delicious and a big hit with my family. I've tripled the recipe many times and it freezes really well.
My rhubarb plant produced over twenty stalks(not bad for its first year) and I needed a recipe to use them all up so when I saw the high reviews and since I gad all the ingredients available at home I decided to give this recipe a try. Unfortunately, my cake did not get high reviews at home. First of all, the crumb topping was like plaster thus leaving my cake half raw. Also, the cake was tasteless perhaps substituting brown sugar and some other spices would have been more palatable. I added the rest of the rhubarb to my apple pie now that was delicious! It was an interesting experience for me because I had never baked with rhubarb before.
WOW! I am very impressed with this recipe. It was absolutly fabulous--moist, sweet, chewey, with a crunchy topping. Just awesome! Will make with half brown sugar next time (and all brown sugar in the topping) and put a little cinnamon in the batter as well. Thanks so much for this great recipe, I will make again and again!
Delicious!! My husband and I loved it. Even though I used less sugar than required the cake was still wonderful. I am trying to cut our sugar intake so I used 1 cup sugar for the cake and 1/3 for the streusel. I think one can swap the rhubarb for tart apples or tart cherries and the result will also be great. I must try. Thank you very much for the recipe!
Delicious and easy to make substitutions. I used yogurt instead of sour cream and brown sugar instead of white in the topping. A moist and flavourful cake - good for breakfast.
I used frozen rhubarb. The bottom of the cake was too wet. It didn't become soggy even after a week. I just didn't like the texture. I may try it in the summer with fresh rhubarb.
Great tasting cake. Only gave it four stars because the rhubarb flavor is really weak, even though I added four cups like the other reviews said. I make a rhubarb sauce (4 cups rhubarb, 2 tbsp butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar) and topped the cake with that. Really brought out the rhubarb flavor. Next time I will make the sauce w/o sugar and add it directly to the cake batter, hopefully adding more flavor.
I have made this 3 times now and planning a 4th next week. Everyone I have shared this with, loves it !!! I did add cinnamon & nutmeg to the cake mixture & cinnamon to the topping, as others suggested...it is sooooooo easy and absolutely delicious !!! :-)
Terrific. We love rhubarb pie (using the Fresh Rhubarb Pie recipe from this site) and can't wait for the season. This year we have a bumper crop of rhubarb and after making several pies, I was looking for a change of pace. This recipe was definitely it. I used the recipe as-is except I used greek yogurt, half brown sugar, and extra cinnamon to suit our personal tastes. I'll definitely make again with and without those changes and in the fall when apples are in season. My college age son is home for the 4th of July weekend so I made this for breakfast. He devoured almost half of it (he's the typical eating machine). We enjoyed it so much that later after our cookout we ignored our other dessert and polished this off with a side of ice cream. Thank you for sharing the recipe! After one use, it is already one of my family's keepers.
Love it and will make it again for sure! Best and easiest rhubarb recipe I have come across!
Yummy! I forgot the butter and didn't miss it at all! I used frozen sliced rhubarb and frozen strawberries. Pureed together with the sugar.
Made it as printed. Turned out most and very flavorful. Yup was crunchy. Even better the second day. Pretty high in carbs and calories so we cut half size pieces. Will make again.
This recipe was super yummy! I only had light sour cream and it came out wonderfully. I also added chopped pecans to the streusel topping and mixed in my cinnamon instead of sprinkling it on after-the-fact. Mine baked for 55 minutes though I used a glass pan that was closer to an 8x12. Serve it while it is hot. It is fabulous that way! Oh and don't be concerned if the batter seems very sick. It worried me at first but it all came out just fine.
Simple to make, and delicious. I added a tsp of pumpkin pie spice to the flour mixture, and doubled the topping.
This cake is really, REALLY good. And about as easy as it gets. Other than adding a little cinnamon to the batter, I made it exactly as directed. It's more like a coffee cake. Great for a brunch. A good reason to plant some rhubarb in the yard.
Delicious! Made a few suggested changes from other commenters -- I added an additional cup of rhubarb (as I had it already chopped), used half brown sugar in the topping and mixed in the spices to the strusel mixture. I also doubled the strusel mixture for the top as the folks I was making it for LOVE strusel! I think that weighed the cake down too much, but it got rave reviews from my guests. Cake itself was moist and just tart/rhubarb-ey enough.
great recipe wouldn't change a thing. Cant wait until my rhubarb comes up this is the first thing I will make and will freeze some for winter. I made this with the last bag of rhubarb in my freezer from last years crop.
Easy and delicious. I have made it twice now, and both were great. I used 4 cups of fresh rhubarb in both, because I have a ton of it in my yard. The first time I used 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 vanilla yogurt because I didn't have enough sour cream. I reduced the sugar a little to compensate for the yogurt. It was soooo yummy and moist. The second time I used all sour cream as the recipe calls, and I think I like the half yogurt just as well if not better. Other refinements include adding walnuts and a little extra flour to the topping and mixing the cinnamon in rather than sprinkling on top. I will definitely this again. My boyfriend and some house guests all loved it. A great use of rhubarb when no other fruits are available.
Excellent! There was some free rhubarb in my church kitchen today, and this was my first experience cooking with rhubarb. The cake is deliciously moist, tangy, and tender.
For the topping, I did half brown sugar and half white sugar, and also replaced the flour with oatmeal. I needed more oatmeal than 1/4 c.... Maybe closer to 3/4 c. It gave it great texture! This cake was AMAZING, very flavorful, and very moist! It will be one of new "go to" recipes!
Fabulous - definitely a favourite with family and friends. I often add an extra cup of rhubarb.
Wow! It did turned out excellent. Everyone loved it and the men had 2nds. I doubled the topping portion like I always do for any strusel.
Wonderful cake for no fat in the batter! The rhubarb cooks up to provide the needed moisture. The cake is moist with a nice tart-sweet balance between the cake and topping. I used 3/4 c. brown sugar and a half teaspoon of cinnamon in the batter and a half cup of brown sugar for the topping. Great way to use fresh rhubarb.
I made this as a coffee cake for a wedding shower. IT was delicious and a real hit! Thanks for sharing!
I made it as is and was happy with the taste, and the cake was gobbled up. I now use 2/3 cup sour cream & 1/3 cup apple sauce, to reduce fat. I've also made the cake with rhubarb & strawberries, with apple, and with blueberries. Four cups of fruit seems to be perfect when using fresh fruit. Very tummy and easy enough for my 10 yr. old granddaughter to make.
A fantastic cake! I followed other reviews and added more rhubarb. It was great warm for dessert with ice cream, but would be great as a cake for a coffee hour or brunch.
This is the best rhubarb cake I have ever had. Everyone loves it and I make it very often. Last time I tried making it with splenda and it wasn't as sweet, but it was still very good. It did not turn out as thick as making it with sugar.
Rave review's from church family! I added 1/2 teaspoon vanilla with rhubarb and used 3/4 cup brown sugar (instead of white sugar) and added 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon in the topping instead of dusting on top.
A good cake. Not as flavorful as I expected, thus 4 stars, but my hubby gives it 5. He loved it! The sour cream really keeps it moist. I may try to spice it up a bit more next time.
