Strawberry Rhubarb Cake incorporates fresh strawberries and rhubarb into a comfy quick and easy coffee cake recipe. This moist and buttery-rich cake is filled with the classic sweet and tart springtime flavor combination and is topped with a crispy crumble and melt-in-your-mouth glaze.
Simple Strawberry Rhubarb Cake
This Strawberry Rhubarb Cake is the best way to use seasonal fresh fruit and bake them into a delicious, easy to assemble breakfast, snack or end-of-any-day bite. The soft and tender cake layer is studded with sweet strawberries and tangy rhubarb, covered with a crumb topping, and drizzled with a creamy glaze.
The sweet strawberries perfectly balance the tart rhubarb to create a bright fruit filling for this simple cake that is just as beautiful to serve for brunch as it is for Mother’s Day dessert. You will love how the fruit fills the buttery batter with a fresh flavor and the brown sugar crumble adds a warm textural taste with a slight crunch.
For more fruit-filled sweet treats, try my Sheet Pan Cobbler, Strawberry Lemon Blondies, Blueberry Coffee Cake, and Blackberry Cobbler recipes.
Why We Love This Strawberry Rhubarb Cake Recipe
- Quick and easy to make.
- Uses common kitchen staples plus fresh fruit.
- Delicious combination of sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb.
- Bright, sweet-tart fruit filling is baked into a rich, moist cake with a brown sugar crumb on top.
- Perfect beginning or end to any day–tastes like a delicious dessert for breakfast or brunch.
- An absolute must-make when ripe strawberries and rhubarb become abundant in the spring or summer months.
- Great for family get togethers, holidays, special occasions, or simply to enjoy with a cup of coffee.
Ingredients
- strawberries
- rhubarb
- flour
- baking powder
- salt
- egg
- sugar
- unsalted butter
- milk
- brown sugar
GLAZE:
- powdered sugar
- milk
- vanilla
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Substitutions and Additions
- Tasty Toppings: Feel free to sprinkle some chopped nuts (like pecans or almonds), powdered sugar, cinnamon, ground nutmeg on top of the crumble.
- Fresh Fruit: While I love the combination of strawberries and rhubarb, feel free to sub in raspberries, blueberries or blackberries. Rhubarb also pairs well with these berries and would make for a delicious coffee cake.
Recommended Tools
- 8×8 baking pan
- Nonstick spray
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring tools
- Whisk
- Hand held mixer
- Fork
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Cake
This easy-to-make Strawberry Rhubarb Cake is filled with the classic sweet-tart flavor combination then and topped with a crispy crumb and drizzled with a creamy glaze. It’s the perfect spring-inspired treat that bakes a buttery batter with fresh fruit into a delicious coffee cake.
- Stir in 1 Tablespoon of flour to coat the strawberries and rhubarb and set the bowl aside.
Pro-Tip: I recommend chopping your strawberries very small. If the berries are not chopped small, they can potentially create too much moisture in the cake. - Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set the bowl aside.
Pro Tip: Whisking will remove any lumps in the flour.
- Cream together the sugar, butter, and egg on medium-high speed with a hand held mixer for 1-2 minutes.
Pro-Tip: Use room temperature butter. This will help you get a smooth base to your cake. The egg will mix into your cake better if it is at room temperature as well. - Add the milk and mix on low speed until smooth, 1-2 minutes.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just mixed.
- Gently stir in the flour-coated fruit.
- Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Pro-Tip: You can line the bottom of your cake pan with parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking. - Make the topping by mixing together the brown sugar, flour, and butter with a fork until it is crumbly.
- Sprinkle the crumble on top of the cake batter.
- Bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes or until the cake tester comes out with just a few crumbs on it.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Make the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake, serve, and enjoy!
Storage Tips
- To Store: Store your cake at room temperature, either uncovered or very loosely covered for a few days. You can also place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-5 days.
- To Freeze: To freeze, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. Place in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rhubarb is thick and juicy and has a tart taste. It is usually dipped in sugar or a sweet substance if eaten raw, or used in a sweet baked good where sugar or other fruits balance the tart flavor, like this delicious Strawberry Rhubarb Cake.
You don’t have to peel rhubarb before adding it to recipes. However, rhubarb is similar to celery and has strings. If you’d like, you can remove those strings before slicing. It’s in season from April through June.
Yes, you can use frozen strawberries if fresh strawberries are not in season. If you choose to use frozen strawberries, I recommend buying whole frozen strawberries and allowing them to thaw. Drain off any extra juice from the strawberries, then dice them and add them to the recipe.
I store this cake at room temperature, either uncovered or very loosely covered. This is a moist cake and the crust will soften a great deal if it is stored airtight.
It will still be tasty, but it won’t be the same the next day if it’s kept airtight. However, you can store your leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-5 days. Bring the cake back to room temperature to serve.
Yes, you can freeze this cake. Once baked, remove it from the pan and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil.
You can freeze large sections or the whole cake together, or individual sliced portions. If you freeze this cake, thaw it uncovered at room temperature if possible.
Other Easy Cake Recipes
- 8 Delicious Poke Cake Recipes
- 7-UP Cake
- Heaven On Earth Cake
- Cake Mix Hacks
- Pumpkin Roll Cake
- Cinnamon Roll Bundt Cake
- Cranberry Cake
Strawberry Rhubarb Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced strawberries
- 1 cup diced rhubarb
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plus 4 Tablespoons, divided
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 egg room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter plus 3 Tablespoons, divided, softened
- ½ cup milk plus 1 tablespoon, divided
- ¾ cup brown sugar
Glaze:
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Spray an 8×8 baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a small bowl add the 1 Tablespoon of flour to the strawberries and rhubarb and gently stir to coat fruit with flour. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt. (whisking will remove any lumps in the flour). Set aside.
- In a large bowl cream together the sugar, ¼ cup butter and egg on medium-high speed with a hand held mixer for 1-2 minutes. Add the ½ cup milk and mix on low speed until smooth, 1-2 minutes.
- Next add the dry ingredients and stir just until mixed.
- Gently stir in the flour-coated fruit.
- Spread mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
- In a small bowl mix together with a fork the topping ingredients of brown sugar, 3 Tablespoons of flour and 3 Tablespoons of butter until it is crumbly. Sprinkle on top of the cake batter.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake tester comes out with just a few crumbs on it. Let it sit in the pan for 10 minutes before serving.
- For glaze whisk together in a small bowl the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk and vanilla. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Store your cake at room temperature, either uncovered or very loosely covered for a few days. You can also place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-5 days.
- To Freeze: To freeze, wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. Place in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Use room temperature butter. This will help you get a smooth base to your cake
- The egg will mix into your cake better if it is at room temperature.
- I recommend chopping your strawberries very small. If the berries are not chopped small, they can potentially create too much moisture in the cake.
- You can line the bottom of your cake pan with parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking.
I found the cake was too moistโฆit seemed like I should have baked it longerโฆnice flavoursโฆI added oatmeal to the toppingโฆ
I made your Penne Ala Vodka the other day, my husband said I can make this anytime, it was so good, I love your recipes and everyone that I have made, no complaints Thank You