Rhubarb Cream Snacking Cake

This Rhubarb Snacking Cake is the perfect spring treat—light, moist, and just the right balance of sweet and tart. Made with rich heavy cream and a splash of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, the batter bakes up beautifully tender and pairs perfectly with the bright, tangy bites of fresh rhubarb. It’s simple enough for a weekday snack but elegant enough to serve at brunch or with afternoon coffee.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cake recipe, rhubarb, rhubarb cream snacking cake, snacking cake

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Servings

Calories 266kcal

Ingredients

½ c heavy cream Subs: buttermilk, greek yogurt (120ml)
1 teaspoon lemon juice ⅓ of fresh lemon squeezed
1 Zest of whole lemon microbladed
½ c butter at room temperature (113g)
1 c raw granulated sugar + some for sprinkling on top (215g)
1 large egg (60g)
1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (6g)
2 ¼ c unbleached all purpose flour (280g)
2 teaspoon baking powder (9.5g)
1 teaspoon salt (8g)
2 c thinly sliced rhubarb = 8.5oz + 1Tbs flour (241g)

Instructions

Preheat + Prepare: Set oven to 350F lightly butter a 9x9 square baking pan. l prefer to line my pans with parchment paper to easily lift out the cooled cake, and for easy cleaning.
Cream + Lemon: Stir the fresh squeezed lemon juice into the 40% cream and set aside to thicken.
1 teaspoon lemon juice, ½ c heavy cream
Butter + Sugar: Cream the soft butter and sugar together until fluffy and light in color.
½ c butter , 1 c raw granulated sugar
Egg + Vanilla: Whisk egg and vanilla with a fork.
1 large egg, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest + Lemon Cream: Add lemon cream mixture and zest to the egg and vanilla
1 Zest of whole lemon
Flour the Fruit: Toss 1 tablespoon of the flour + 1 Tbs sugar with the rhubarb.
2 c thinly sliced rhubarb
Dry Goods: Whisk together dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, and salt.
2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 ¼ c unbleached all purpose flour
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients by mixing half of the dry goods, and then half again, until mixed. Batter will be thick.
Fold in Fruit: with a spatula or wooden spoon gently fold in rhubarb. (rhubarb is actually a vegetable, in this recipe I am treating it as a “fruit”)
Spread + Sprinkle: place cake mix into the prepared pan, sprinkle top evenly with sugar. An offset spatula helps with spreading, or push in with the back of a spoon.
Bake 350°F/180°C for about 40-43 minutes in an 8x8 metal pan. You can also use an 8x8 ceramic dish, which takes a bit longer to heat (40-45 minutes). Bake until cake turns golden, and when a toothpick poked in center comes out clean. Let the cake cool sufficiently before cutting.

Notes

Makes 9 large 3”x3” servings, or 12 petite 2.25” snacking squares.
Rely on the toothpick test, may need to add +2 minutes.

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