This Old-Fashioned Strawberry Rhubarb Cake is a simple buttery snack cake with a soft crumb, pockets of sweet-tart fruit, and a crisp sugar top.
I like this one because it tastes like spring, but it still feels like an everyday cake. The rhubarb keeps it bright, the strawberries add sweetness, and the batter bakes up tender and not at all heavy.
For me, it’s best as a coffee cake-style slice in the afternoon, but it also works as a low-key dessert with something cold and creamy on the side. The crunchy sugar top is worth doing, even if you keep everything else plain.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Easy snack cake: It’s one bowl for the fruit, one bowl for the batter, and you’re done. No layers, no frosting, no fuss.
That sweet-tart fruit: Strawberry and rhubarb is such a good combo for cake because it stays bright and a little jammy as it bakes.
Tender, buttery crumb: This is the kind of cake that slices cleanly but still feels soft when you eat it.
Crisp sugar top: A simple sprinkle of sugar gives you that crackly finish that makes the whole thing feel more “old-fashioned.”
Works with fresh or frozen: If you’ve got freezer fruit, you can still make this and just give it a little extra bake time.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Fruit
- Rhubarb: Fresh is great, but frozen works too (no need to thaw). I like a small dice so you don’t get huge stringy pieces in the slice.
- Strawberries: Use ripe berries for the best flavor, but slightly soft strawberries are fine here since they bake down anyway. Frozen strawberries also work; just keep them frozen until you toss them in.
- Granulated sugar: This sweetens the fruit and helps pull out a little juice so it turns lightly saucy in the cake.
- All-purpose flour: A little flour with the fruit helps thicken the juices so the cake doesn’t get gummy in the middle.
- Lemon juice: Don’t skip it. It keeps the fruit tasting fresh and helps the rhubarb taste more balanced.
- Lemon zest (optional): I add it when I have a lemon around. It’s subtle, but it makes the fruit taste a little brighter.
Cake Batter
- All-purpose flour: Regular flour is what I use here. If you want a slightly heartier cake, you can swap in some whole wheat pastry flour.
- Baking powder: This is what gives the cake its lift so it stays light instead of dense.
- Fine salt: Small amount, big help. It keeps the cake from tasting flat, especially with the fruit.
- Unsalted butter: Softened butter creams nicely with sugar and gives that old-fashioned buttery flavor. If your butter is melted, the crumb won’t be quite the same.
- Granulated sugar: Keeps the cake sweet and classic. If your strawberries are super sweet, you can shave a little off.
- Eggs: Helps the cake set and stay tender. Use large eggs if you can.
- Vanilla extract: Plain vanilla is perfect here. It rounds out the fruit without competing with it.
- Milk or buttermilk: Either one works. I like buttermilk when I have it because it gives a slightly softer crumb and a little tang.
Topping
- Coarse sugar or granulated sugar: Coarse sugar gives the best crunch on top, but regular sugar still works and looks nice.
- Ground cinnamon (optional): Not a must, but a light sprinkle is good if you want a warmer, more “coffee cake” feel.
Recipe Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan, and line it with parchment if you want easier lifting and cleaner slices.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour with the baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, then set aside.
- Mix the fruit: Toss the diced rhubarb and quartered strawberries with 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, lemon juice, and optional lemon zest. Set aside while you mix the batter so the fruit can get juicy.
- Cream the butter and sugar: Beat the softened butter with 3/4 cup sugar until it looks lighter and creamy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Add the vanilla and mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and milk: Mix the flour mixture into the batter in additions, alternating with the milk (or buttermilk). Stop mixing as soon as you don’t see dry flour.
- Fold in the fruit: Fold in the fruit mixture, including any juices in the bowl. The batter will look thick and a little messy, which is fine.
- Fill the pan: Spread the batter into the prepared pan and level the top as best you can.
- Add the topping: Sprinkle the coarse sugar (or regular sugar) over the top, and add the cinnamon if you’re using it.
- Bake: Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let cool: Cool the cake for at least 20 minutes before slicing so it sets up and doesn’t fall apart.
Some of my tips!
This is the part that really makes a difference. If you only read one section, make it this one because this is where I share the little trick that helps the recipe turn out so well.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Dice the rhubarb fairly small. Big chunks can stay a little too firm and tart. A smaller dice bakes up softer and spreads through the cake better.
Don’t overmix once the flour goes in. Mix just until you stop seeing dry streaks, then fold in the fruit. Overmixing is the quickest way to make the crumb tough.
Use frozen fruit straight from the freezer. Don’t thaw it first or you’ll end up with a lot of extra liquid. Just plan on adding 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time.
Watch the center, not just the color. The top can look golden before the middle is set because of the sugar topping and fruit. A toothpick in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Adjust sugar based on the berries. If your strawberries are very sweet and ripe, I’d reduce the sugar by a couple tablespoons. The rhubarb still keeps things nicely tart.
Make some touches!
There are plenty of easy ways to serve this depending on the occasion. Keep it simple, or add a few small touches to make it feel a little more special.
Serving Suggestions
- Whipped cream: A dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream is simple and really good with the tart fruit. I like it best when the cake is just slightly warm.
- Ice cream: Vanilla is the obvious choice, but strawberry or even a little scoop of cheesecake ice cream is great here. Keep the portion small since the cake is already buttery.
- Extra berries: A few fresh strawberries on the plate make it feel a little more dessert-y without doing much work. If you have them, add a couple thin slices for color.
- Coffee or tea: This is one of my favorite cakes for a mug of coffee or strong black tea. It eats more like a snack cake than a big frosted dessert.
Save it for later
This section covers how to store leftovers and what parts of the recipe you can prepare ahead of time.
Storage and Make Ahead
Store leftovers covered at room temperature for 1 to 2 days if your kitchen isn’t too warm. After that, I move it to the fridge since the fruit makes it a little more perishable.
Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. I usually let a slice sit out for 10 to 15 minutes before eating, or warm it briefly in the microwave.
You can also freeze individual portions so you can grab a slice whenever you want. Wrap slices well, then thaw at room temperature or in the fridge.
If you want to make this recipe ahead for guests, I think it’s best baked the day before and left covered. The flavor is even better the next day.
A few quick answers
This section covers a few extra details that may help before you head to the recipe card.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use frozen rhubarb or frozen strawberries?
Yes. Use frozen fruit straight from the freezer without thawing, and expect the bake time to run about 5 to 10 minutes longer.
How do I know when strawberry rhubarb cake is done?
The top should be golden, and the center should be set. A toothpick in the middle should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
Can I reduce the sugar?
A little, yes. If your strawberries are very sweet, reduce the sugar by a couple tablespoons and keep everything else the same.
Can I use some whole wheat flour?
You can swap about half the all-purpose flour for whole wheat pastry flour. I wouldn’t use regular whole wheat flour for all of it here because it can make the cake heavier.
Why did my cake turn out tough?
The most common reason is overmixing after the flour is added. Mix just until combined, then fold the fruit in gently.
You might also like
Before you go, take a look at a few other recipes below the recipe card. They use similar ingredients in a different way and are worth saving too.
MORE DINNER RECIPES TO TRY
Old-Fashioned Strawberry Rhubarb Cake
INGREDIENTS
Fruit
- 2 cups rhubarb diced
- 1 1 2 cups strawberries hulled and quartered
- 1 3 4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest optional.
Cake Batter
- 1 1 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 4 tsp fine salt
- 1 2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3 4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 2 cup milk or buttermilk.
Topping
- 2 tbsp coarse sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 4 tsp ground cinnamon optional.
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep
- Heat oven to 350 F
- grease a 9 inch square baking pan and line with parchment if desired
- whisk 1 1 2 cups flour with baking powder and salt.
Mix and Bake
- Toss rhubarb and strawberries with 3 4 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp flour
- lemon juice and optional zest then set aside
- cream butter with 3 4 cup sugar until light
- beat in eggs one at a time then vanilla
- mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk just until combined
- fold in fruit and any juices
- spread batter in pan and level the top
- sprinkle with topping sugar and optional cinnamon
- bake until golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs 40 to 50 minutes
- cool at least 20 minutes before slicing.
