Sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb are combined in this buttery handheld cake, creating a light, summery Strawberry Rhubarb Cake that gets rave reviews every time I make it.
I took a plate of this cake across the road to our neighbors a few weeks ago and they loved it every bit as much as we do.
Strawberry Rhubarb Recipes
This really is an absolutely perfect cake that takes very little effort to pull together. No icing, no topping, no fancy layers, nothing else is necessary at all. There are just a handful of ingredients in this recipe and it’s crazy easy to make.
It is reminiscent to me of a coffee cake in texture but much lighter than the typical heavy version. This recipe is adapted from the crazy popular Cranberry Christmas Cake. This is a great way to enjoy that cake year-round when cranberries are much harder to find or make it with frozen mixed berries.
Strawberries with rhubarb is a combination that is hard to beat. The sweet berries and tart rhubarb are fantastic together.
Just a note about the berries in this cake, you’ll want to chop them pretty small (around 1/2″ or smaller). If the berries are not chopped small, they can potentially create too much moisture in the cake.
I like to buy rhubarb whenever it’s available in the stores, slice it thin and chop it up, and then freeze it until I’m ready to use it. You can also find bags of frozen rhubarb in many grocery stores.
For a few more rhubarb and strawberry desserts, Strawberry Rhubarb Brown Sugar Crunch, Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, and Apricot Rhubarb and Strawberry Crisp are all terrific options.
BEFORE YOU BAKE THIS CAKE – please read through the frequently asked questions. If you do have a question, please read through those questions. The odds are good that the question has been answered many times already on the original Cranberry Christmas Cake recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a very thick batter that will resemble cookie dough when it has finished mixing. You will need to press it into the pan to spread it out. This is not a traditional pourable liquid cake batter.
There is no baking soda or baking powder needed in this recipe. The extended beating time for the eggs provides the necessary leavening for the cake. Do not shorten or skip the beating process. Trust the process.
The cake can be made in a variety of different cake pans. It can also be made into cupcakes and mini loaves. Watch the baking time and adjust as needed.
One of the most frequently asked questions is whether you can bake this in a bundt pan. I do not personally recommend that. I’ve tested this cake in a bundt pan twice and it just isn’t the same cake that way. (Once it fell apart on me and another time it worked fine.)
If you decide you must use a bundt pan, grease the pan HEAVILY with butter and then flour the pan generously. The biggest downside to baking this cake in a bundt pan is that you will miss out on the best part, that lovely crust that forms on the top of the cake.
There is no glaze on this cake. The crust forms as the cake bakes and winds up looking as pictured in the photos. Yes, you can choose to glaze it, but the photos here and the way I make it is without any kind of icing or glaze.
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.
Yes, you can freeze this cake. Remove 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.
Strawberry Rhubarb Cake Recipe
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar until slightly thickened and light in color, about 5-7 minutes. The mixture should almost double in size. The eggs work as your leavening agent in this recipe, so do not skip or shorten this step. This mixture should form a ribbon when you lift the beaters out of the bowl.
- Add the butter and vanilla; mix two more minutes. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Add the rhubarb and strawberries and stir to mix throughout.
- Spread in a buttered 9×13 pan. (This is my favorite pan.) Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until very lightly browned and a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean. (43 minutes typically works for me.) Let cool completely before cutting into small slices.
Strawberry Rhubarb Cake
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour see note below for gluten-free alternative
- 2 cups strawberries, washed and dried as much as possible, chopped very small
- 1 cup rhubarb, thinly sliced and chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a mixer, beat the eggs with the sugar until slightly thickened and light in color, about 5-7 minutes. The mixture should almost double in size. The eggs work as your leavening agent in this recipe, so do not skip or shorten this step. This mixture should form a ribbon when you lift the beaters out of the bowl.
- Add the butter and vanilla; mix two more minutes. Add the flour and mix until just combined. Add the rhubarb and strawberries and stir to mix throughout.
- Spread in a buttered 9x13 pan. (This is my favorite pan.) Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until very lightly browned and a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean. (43 minutes typically works for me.) Let cool completely before cutting into small slices. Enjoy!
Julie says
Oh my gosh, how are there no comments on this post? This cake is the best. My whole family loved it.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you like the cake, Julie!
Jeri Kathleen Thompson says
What happens if I use whole canned cranberries in this recipe??
Mary Younkin says
In place of which ingredient, Jeri?
Sylvia says
Hi Mary,
I tried your Christmas Cranberry Cake for Thanksgiving and I absolutely loved it. Everyone raved!
Here is my question: I’d like to make the Strawberry Rhubarb Cake for Christmas as I have frozen strawberries from summer. Will that work? I’d be using frozen rhubarb too. Any suggestions?
Sylvia
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you like the Cranberry Cake, Sylvia. Frozen fruit will work nicely for this one too!
Mary says
Do you think that adding just rhubarb vs strawberry and rhubarb would work?
Love the Christmas Cake!!
Mary Younkin says
I bet it would be delicious that way, Mary.
Lynn says
Can I use frozen rhubarb and/or strawberries?
Mary Younkin says
That should work, Lynn.
Karen Rise says
Soooo good. I used 1/2 the sugar; brown. And 1 c blue and 1 cup mulberries. Used iron skillet. Yyyum!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Karen!
Rod says
Can I use a white box cake mix ?
Mary Younkin says
I’ve never tried that, Rod.
Christie L Gauthier says
Can you use frozen strawberries for this Rhubarb Cake
Mary Younkin says
That should work fine, I’d thaw them and drain off any excess water. Happy baking!
Kim Schrippe says
Love this cake! It will definitely be a go-to when I have rhubarb around!! Followed the recipe exactly as written. I did keep mine on the counter, in an airtight container and didn’t feel it changed it too much. Maybe we just ate it that fast – hahaha! Thanks!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad you love the cake, Kim!
Wendy says
Cake didn’t rise, I rechecked recipe & I noticed there was no baking Soda or Baking powder.
I cannot serve this 1 inch cake.
Turned out like a very hard bread pudding.
Definitely not cake texture
I used recommended size cake pan
Mary Younkin says
Did you beat the mixture exactly as directed? You should have beat the eggs and sugar until slightly thickened and light in color, about 5-7 minutes. The mixture should almost double in size. The eggs work as your leavening agent in this recipe, so do not skip or shorten this step. This mixture should form a ribbon when you lift the beaters out of the bowl.
Liz Whitenight says
Not sure what I did wrong but my batter wasn’t thick it was pourable and I used my mixer when I put in the fruit not sure that was suppose to be by hand. Cake did not come out looking like the picture. It’s a dark color. Not sure what I did wrong. Usually I can follow a recipe and it comes out perfect.
Mary Younkin says
Was the cake texture correct, Liz? Did you by chance substitute any ingredients? Without being in your kitchen, it’s hard to guess what may have happened.
AJ says
Super easy to make and needed to use up some leftover strawberries and rhubarb before they went bad. I was like, 2 cups of sugar?! But then the minute I started mixing, it all made sense, haha. Thanks for this recipe!
Mary Younkin says
I’m happy to hear that it was a hit, AJ!
Amy says
I had one last harvest of rhubarb and strawberries to use up and came across this recipe. Soooo delicious! The dense but fluffy texture is wonderful, and fruit in every bite! I baked mine a few minutes longer than I’d wanted but left a fabulous crunchy top. Can’t say enough yummy things here, thanks for the recipe!
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you enjoyed it, Amy.
Tina says
Do I have to adjust for high altitude baking if this recipe?
Mary Younkin says
I’ve never tried that, Tina.
Sandy says
This is the best!! I can’t believe how good this is!! So simple- just the sweetness of the strawberries and tartness of the rhubarb.
I love it!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you like the cake, Sandy!
Kathy says
Made this as directed but with frozen fruit (thawed and squeezed out excess juice)and it never rose nor cooked on the middle despite adding more time and more temperature, more than doubling the time. Won’t waste my precious rhubarb and strawberries with this again.
Mary Younkin says
I can’t even imagine what went wrong, Kathy. That must have been very frustrating. My guess is that there might be an issue with your oven. Doubling the baking time for this fruit crisp should have burned the top and more than cooked it through.
Michele says
I’d like to know if I could cut the recipie in half and use a 9×9 pan? If so, how long would i bake it for?
Mary Younkin says
This will work fine divided in half. The baking time will remain about the same. Check it a few minutes early though.
Edwina says
Enjoyed the cake. Found 2 cups sugar a little too sweet. Perhaps 1 cup would have worked. Also added 1 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp baking soda. With this rising agent, perhaps 2 eggs could work with half a cup of yogurt. I added 1 heaped tsp of ginger paste, 1 tsp cinnamon and half tsp nutmeg. Substituted the margarine for oil. Could reduce to half a cup. Overall, Yummy!
Mary Younkin says
Wow. That’s a whole lot of alterations, Edwina. I’m glad you enjoyed the cake!
Mary Highlands says
I made this cake for my boyfriend’s father’s birthday. He loves anything rhubarb.. what a hit !! So delicious!! So good in fact that my boyfriend’s mother wanted the recipe. Thanks so much!!
Mary Younkin says
Mary – I agree with loving anything rhubarb. What a delicious birthday treat!
Linda says
Can you use frozen strawberries in the strawberry rhubarb cake?
Mary Younkin says
Linda – I have not tried it with frozen strawberries. However if you do try it keep in mind that frozen berries typically have a higher moisture content and it will take longer to bake and you might need more flour. Again I have not tried it but you will need to experiment with your own adjustments.
Stephanie Marko says
This cake was divine! I made it gluten free with cup for cup all purpose gluten free flour and plant based butter, since my daughter also can’t have dairy. I made a little struesal topping with cinnamon, brown sugar, flour and plant butter. It was so moist and rose perfectly. I will be sharing 😊
Mary Younkin says
Stephanie – Thank you for sharing your variation. I always enjoy hearing how my readers customize the recipes to fit their needs.