A delicious and moist rhubarb sour cream cake, topped with cinnamon, sugar and flaked almonds. You can make this cake with fresh or frozen rhubarb!
This old-fashioned rhubarb cake is wonderfully spiced with cinnamon and I love the bit of almond on top. This is a great cake to use up frozen rhubarb or an excellent use for a fresh crop if yours is ready now. Thanks to the addition of sour cream, this is a wonderfully moist cake, that keeps well.
Ingredients and substitutions
A few notes on the key ingredients …
Rhubarb – you can use either fresh or frozen rhubarb for this cake. If frozen, no need to thaw!
Sour Cream – full-fat sour cream is recommended for the nicest texture and moistness of the finished cake.
Flaked Almonds – flaked almonds make the prettiest cakes, but if you want a nut-free cake, simply omit and just use the cinnamon sugar mixture.
How to make rhubarb sour cream cake
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl and set aside.
- Cream together the butter and brown sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla, then add the sour cream and mix together.
- Mix in the flour mixture, then add the rhubarb and fold in to the batter.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared baking pan.
- In a small bowl, mix together the topping sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle a bit of the sugar mixture, followed by the flaked almonds, then topped with a bit more of the sugar mixture. Bake.
Recipe video
Recipe tips!
- You may feel like there is a good bit of sugar going on top of this cake, but the cake itself is fairly lightly sweetened and of course, rhubarb is quite tart, so it really doesn’t put this cake over the top in the sweetness department. It’s just right for my taste, but if you prefer, just use the amount of sugar you are comfortable with.
- You can use either a 9-inch or a 10-inch springform pan. I feel like an 8-inch springform would be too small for all the batter here.
- When testing this cake, be sure to poke several holes, as it is chock full of rhubarb and you will likely hit some when testing, which may make it look not done when it is. That said, be sure not to under-bake this one either, especially if you started with frozen rhubarb. The frozen rhubarb keeps the batter colder longer and has extra moisture, that needs to cook out of the cake and usually requires longer baking time.
Top Tip!
Baking time for this cake will vary, depending on the size of the pan used, the colour of the pan (black pans bake more quickly!) and whether using fresh or frozen rhubarb. Watch closely and test often!
Making ahead, storing and freezing
This rhubarb cake keeps really well, so it is perfect for making ahead. Once cooled, cover with plastic wrap and store on the counter for 2-3 days.
This cake will also freeze well. Wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months.
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Get the Recipe: Rhubarb Sour Cream Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, reduce to 1/2 tsp if using salted butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste
- 1 cup sour cream, full-fat recommended
- 4 cups rhubarb, fresh or frozen, diced
Topping:
- 1/3 cup flaked almonds
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
For Garnish:
- Icing/Confectioners’ Sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. (regular bake/not fan-assisted) and grease a 9 or 10-inch cake or springform pan. Line the bottom with a round of parchment (just to make your life easier, as this is a moist cake and it will just come out of the pan more easily). Set aside. *An 8-inch round pan isn't recommended as it wouldn't hold all the batter.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar until it is well combined and resembles wet sand, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and beat until the mixture is well combined and there are no lumps of brown sugar. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat to combine. *Take a moment to scrape down the bowl, especially under the beater, where unmixed brown sugar can hide sometimes. Beat again after scraping.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Fold in the rhubarb with a spoon. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
- In a small bowl, stir together the 1/3 cup white sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon for the topping, then sprinkle a bit over the cake. Scatter the flaked almonds on top and then sprinkle a bit more of the sugar mixture overtop. You don't need to use it all of the sugar mixture. Just use what feels like the right amount for you.
- Bake in preheated oven until golden and a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean, 60-70 minutes, checking at about 50 minutes and if the cake is browned enough, lay a sheet of aluminum foil loosely over top to cook it longer without over-browning. If starting with frozen rhubarb, the cooking time could be as long as 70 minutes. Tip! Test often and be sure to test in several places near the centre of the cake. Sometimes the tester will hit rhubarb and not cake batter, making it seem done when it isn't.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the outside and carefully remove the outer ring. Transfer to a cooling rack (with the bottom part of the pan still on) and allow to cool until warm. Serve immediately or allow to cool completely, then remove the bottom part of the pan. This cake is nice served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
More Rhubarb Recipes to Love!
Hi! I’m Jennifer, a home cook schooled by trial and error and almost 40 years of getting dinner on the table! I love to share my favourite recipes, both old and new, together with lots of tips and tricks to hopefully help make your home cooking enjoyable, stress free, rewarding and of course, delicious!
Made this cake, and doubled the recipe. It is very good cake. Super moist. Took it over to my folks and they kept saying how good the was. Will diffently make it again.
So pleased to hear, Kathy :) Thanks so much!
Fabulous looking cake! In the picture it looks like you’ve made it in a cast iron fry pan? I don’t have any thing else round. Hopefully that will work, please let me know, thanks!
I’m not sure if this one was made in my cast iron pan, but I do a lot of bakes in my cast iron pan, so I’m sure it will be fine! Enjoy :)
It was so fabulous the first time I had to make it again. Just as fabulous!
Thank you!!
Thanks so much, Lisa! So glad you enjoyed it :)