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Tender Rhubarb Cake Recipe with Brown Sugar Crumb

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A tender rhubarb cake with a brown sugar and sour cream crumb topping that balances tartness and sweetness, perfect for a cozy homemade dessert.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar
  • ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ½ cup (120ml) sour cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (about 300g) fresh rhubarb, chopped into ½-inch pieces
  • ¾ cup (95g) all-purpose flour (for crumb)
  • ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar (for crumb)
  • 3 tbsp (45ml) sour cream (for crumb)
  • 4 tbsp (55g) cold unsalted butter, cubed (for crumb)
  • ½ tsp cinnamon (optional, for crumb)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch square baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
  3. In another bowl, combine 1 cup packed brown sugar and ½ cup melted unsalted butter. Use a hand mixer or whisk vigorously until smooth and slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  4. Beat in 2 large eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
  5. Stir in ½ cup sour cream until smooth and creamy.
  6. Gradually fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients using a spatula until just combined; avoid overmixing.
  7. Gently fold in 2 cups chopped rhubarb.
  8. In a small bowl, combine ¾ cup flour, ½ cup packed brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and 3 tablespoons sour cream. Cut in 4 tablespoons cold cubed butter using a pastry cutter or two forks until crumbly.
  9. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the cake without pressing down.
  10. Bake for 40–45 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no raw batter.
  11. If the crumb topping browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil halfway through baking.
  12. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Notes

Do not overmix the batter to keep the cake tender. Use cold butter for the crumb topping to achieve a flaky texture. Drain frozen rhubarb well to avoid soggy cake. Tent with foil if topping browns too fast. For dairy-free, substitute sour cream with coconut yogurt and butter with plant-based butter.

Nutrition

Keywords: rhubarb cake, brown sugar crumb, sour cream topping, easy dessert, spring dessert, homemade cake

Find it online: https://emmastirs.com/tender-rhubarb-cake-recipe-with-brown-sugar-crumb-easy-homemade-dessert/