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Strawberries and rhubarb combine with a crumb topping to create a delicious summer cake.
I’ve mentioned before that Eric and I subscribe to the weekly organic delivery service, Door to Door Organics. We absolutely love the service since most of the organic produce in our nearby grocery stores is kind of hit or miss. I should mention that Door to Door Organics does use local produce, they just make it much easier to find! One thing about a delivery service like this though, you have to remember to customize it. Last week we neglected to customize our box, so we ended up with a bunch of rhubarb.
Rhubarb has never really been my thing. In my mind, it’s kind of like celery’s prettier and tarter sister – even though it tastes absolutely nothing like celery. I tried pawning some of on our neighbors, but they had zero interest in taking a few stalks – it is stalks, right? – so, I thought I’d create a few rhubarb desserts to share with you lovely people instead.
I’ve made a rhubarb cake at one point in my life, but typically it’s not a go to ingredient in my kitchen. If you’ve never tasted rhubarb, it’s hard to actually describe the flavor aside from the fact that it is super tart. Like whoa – tart. And this is coming from someone that can shovel tart candy in my face by the fistful. That’s an attractive visual, isn’t it? Back to rhubarb..
In my opinion, rhubarb needs sugar in its life. Once those two ingredients meet, the rhubarb completely transforms itself into something that is not only beautiful, but also delicious. I’ve actually heard of people eating rhubarb raw with salt. Totally not my thing. However, I am a lover of salt on watermelon, so who am I to judge anyone’s rhubarb eating ways. I just know I like mine with sugar, and lots of it!
I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone that didn’t like a sweet, juicy strawberry, though. Since these baked goods get shared with a myriad of people in my life, some of whom may not be keen to try new things, I decided pairing strawberries with my ton of rhubarb is the way to go.
This Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake comes together in a snap, and even the most skeptical dessert eater in your bunch will love it. Sweet strawberries mellow out the tart rhubarb to make one delectable dessert that you won’t be able to stop eating. Remember, friends – sharing is caring! And sharing this Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake is definitely caring.
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake
Ingredients:
For the Streusel
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus room-temperature butter for pan
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Cake
- 1 cup chopped rhubarb (1/2 inch pieces)
- 1 cup chopped strawberries
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan. Line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Butter and flour parchment and pan, tapping out excess flour.
- Make the streusel: In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, and salt. Add flour and mix with a fork until large crumbs form. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Make the cake: In a medium bowl, combine rhubarb, strawberries, brown sugar, and 1/4 cup flour.
- In another medium bowl, whisk 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time; turn the mixer to low speed and add in vanilla. Gradually add in the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Spread batter in prepared pan. Sprinkle with rhubarb and strawberry mixture and top with streusel.
- Bake cake for 45-50 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached.
- Let cool completely in pan. Using paper overhang, lift cake from pan.
- Cut into 16 bars.
Notes:
- Cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
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This looks so fabulous, Jamie! I’ve always been intimidated by rhubarb for some reason so my goal is start baking with it more this summer and this cake is on my list for sure!
Maegan-
Thank you so much! I’m glad to hear that you’ll give the recipe a try, let us know how it goes! Have a fantastic day.
-Jamie
I love rhubarb. I used to eat the stalks as a kid dipped in a bowl of sugar. I love how sour it is!
Now that I am an adult I make my grandma’s a strawberry rhubarb crisp all the time.
You can cut up the rhubarb and freeze it in quart size baggies and it keeps really well.
The recipe off the top of my head:
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp: (I usually make it gluten free so my mom can enjoy it too)
4 cups cut up rhubarb…can be frozen…no need to thaw
1-16 oz frozen sweetened strawberries (original recipe uses the 12 oz size)…can be frozen, no need to thaw
3 Tbl flour (regular or brown rice)
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
bring all of these ingredients to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Pour into a 9×13 pan.
In a separate bowl combine 3/4 cup oats (rolled or gluten free), 3/4 cups flour (regular or brown rice), 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1 stick of butter…make into a crumble (I use my hands). Sprinkle on top of the strawberry/rhubarb mixture.
Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes (til browned and bubbly).
Serve hot with vanilla ice cream!
Emilie-
Thanks so much for the recipe! I’ll have to try it :). Have a great day and thank you for following MBA!
-Jamie
I am such a fan of everything rhubarb and have several plants growing in my kitchen garden. I am going to use some of my home grown rhubarb to try your recipe. Thanks!
Celia-
Home grown is definitely the best! Please stop back and let us know your experience in making the cake! Have a great day.
-Jamie
Rhubarb = pure awesome. My grandmother sent some down to me with some visiting family so I can enjoy a little bit of heaven. By “some” I mean a whole shopping bag full of it. Yippeeeee! That stuff doesn’t grow down here and on the rare occasion the grocery store has it, they charge $7.98/pound. Seriously. OUCH. So she gave me some that she grew in her yard. Just another reason to love her.
Anyway, my question is this, what is that first line? “1 cup chopped pound rhubarb” Is it a cup or is it a pound?
Thanks!
Rebecca, sorry about that. It’s been fixed. It should be 1 cup. I’m pretty sure I never would have tried rhubarb if it were $8 a pound!
– Jamie
This strawberry rhubarb crumb cake looks great!! I guess getting the rhubarb in your Door to Door Organics delivery was meant to be! I like it but I’m not crazy about it. . but definitely want to try this recipe, esp with the strawberries! love and pinned!
Mmmmmm! Any recipe with the words “crumb cake” in it are right up my alley and this one looks super yummy!
Vickie-
Thank you so much! I agree, the crumb is the best part :). Have a wonderful day and thanks for following MBA!
-Jamie
1 cup chopped pound rhubarb? So one cup or one pound? :) My family thinks the best way to eat rhubarb is in a pie or crisp. Google strawberry rhubarb streusel pie, the recipe we use is on food.com but we use straight rhubarb and no strawberries. (and we increase the flour or it gets runny).
Hi Asia, it’s actually 1 cup. I fixed it in the recipe. Sorry about that.
– Jamie
Such a pretty cake – and fabulous flavour!
I have never really tasted rhubarb! We just don’t seem to get it here ! But I’m starting to get an idea of how these might taste! I eat my watermelon with salt too! It just somehow enhances the whole watermelon flavor for me! Back to this crumb cake… I AM LOVING IT! I love strawberries and eat them by the handful when they are in season and using them in this cake sounds like the perfect thing to do!
This looks like a terrific, yummy cake, something you would find in a German bakery for an afternoon snack. I could have a piece right now.