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!
Thanks for your reply… I think I might try a 9×9 pan then… i don’t have a round pan.
Would this work in a 9×13 pan? Not as pretty but easier to share!
Hi Candee and yes, you could, but I think you’d need to double the recipe (or at least 1 1/2). The 9-inch round cake is quite thin so I don’t think it would fill a 9×13 pan as written.
Thanks for your reply… I think I might try a 9×9 pan then.
I made this a few days ago. It was fabulous! I’m happy to read that it freezes well although there wasn’t any left to freeze after I shared with neighbors. I think this will be a repeat recipe for years to come.
I used less sugar on top but wouldn’t skip it altogether. That little crackle with almonds gave it a great texture and taste. Delicious for breakfast the next day too.
So glad to hear, Lisa! Thanks so much :)
Will his freeze well?
Hi Micheline and yes, it should freeze just fine for up to 3 months.
Should the frozen rhubarb be thawed an drained prior to adding to batter?
Hi Susan and no, you can add the frozen rhubarb directly to the batter. Using frozen rhubarb sometimes needs a few more minutes of baking time, as the extra liquid from the frozen rhubarb needs a bit more time to cook off. Enjoy!
Oh my goodness!!! This cake turned out great!
I wish i could post a pic of it !!!
Delicious !!!
So glad to hear, Carole! Thanks so much :)
This turned out sooo good!I used frozen rhurbarb, so it did take the full 70 minutes to cook,but well worth the extra time!
So glad to hear, Brenda! You’ve reminded me that I have rhubarb in the freezer that I should use up. Thanks so much :)
This looks delicious but my husband is allergic to tree nuts. Any suggestions. Liz
Hi Elisabeth and you can just omit the almonds on top. With the sugar/cinnamon topping only, it will still be a lovely cake :) Enjoy!
A friend made this cake and it was fabulous! But my husband is allergic to rhubarb. Could I substitute other fruit into the cake, for example, apple or pears?
Hi Cassie and yes, you could definitely substitute just about any other fruit. Pears or apples would be great, as would strawberries, raspberries or blueberries :)
Rhubarb leaves are not toxic unless you eat 5 kgs of them. That’s a pretty huge amount. https://www.gardenmyths.com/oxalic-acid-rhubarb-leaves-harm-you/
I don’t recommend eating them, but it’s time this myth is put to rest.
Can this be made ahead and frozen? Would love to have on hand for holiday brunch!
Hi Dek, this one should freeze just fine. Enjoy!
Another fantastic receipe! Ended up using a 9-inch (no 10) springform pan & baked for 70 minutes. No problem using all the batter. Baked up beautifully! The receipe made a big cake which was enjoyed at room temperature for several days. Would definitely make again!
Glad to hear! And thanks for testing the 9-inch pan :)
This is so up my alley. I love how rustic it looks which makes imperfections look perfect! Rhubarb has such a surprising taste as a dessert and adding in cinnamon sounds divine. Does it pair nicely with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped topping?
Thanks so much, Cindy. It’s a delicious cake and yes, great with ice cream or whipped cream!
I made this last night. It was yummy. It looked done at 1 hour baking time. But after I let it sit… the middle started sagging. It tasted great except the middle wasn’t quite done. Either I’ll bake it for the 70 minutes next time or I’ll use a tube pan. The edges were perfect. Thanks for the recipe. I’ll let you know how it turns out next time. Blessings!
I hate when that happens, Christine, but glad the outside was good. Sometimes I pop a sheet of aluminum foil over the top loosely, to stop the cake from browning too much, while still letting the cake cook a little longer.
Gorgeous looking cake! Perfect for a springtime party!
Thanks so much, Jess. One of my favourite cakes!