Grandma’s Beloved Rhubarb Coffee Cake: A Moist Sour Cream Streusel Recipe

There are some tastes that transport you instantly back in time, and for me, that’s the irreplaceable flavor of Baba’s Rhubarb Coffee Cake. For years, I feared this cherished recipe was lost to time, a delicious memory from my childhood. Then, a joyous revelation! My Auntie Tania rediscovered it, and now I’m thrilled to share this treasured family heirloom with you.

This isn’t just *any* cake; it’s *the cake* that ignited my lifelong love affair with rhubarb. Baba, my grandmother, adored it, often baking it in large batches and sending generous slices home with us. I vividly recall savoring it for breakfast, its tender crumb and tart-sweet rhubarb a perfect start to any day. More than just a dessert, it’s the *only* handwritten recipe I possess from her, making it profoundly special. Every bite is a homage to her memory and culinary legacy.

As spring unfurls its vibrant colors and fresh rhubarb stalks emerge, this is the definitive recipe you need to try. This Rhubarb Coffee Cake, crowned with a irresistible streusel topping, is incredibly moist, bursts with delightful flavor, and truly makes your rhubarb sing! Whether you’re working with fresh-from-the-garden stalks or conveniently frozen rhubarb, this recipe adapts beautifully, delivering consistent deliciousness every time. Its tender texture and tangy notes make it a versatile treat, perfect for a leisurely breakfast, a comforting afternoon snack, or a delightful dessert.

If you’re a fellow rhubarb enthusiast, you’ll be pleased to know I have a whole collection of recipes to celebrate this wonderful plant. Beyond this coffee cake, I highly recommend exploring my other favorites, including Rhubarb Squares, Sticky Rhubarb Pudding, Rhubarb Cookies, Old Fashioned Rhubarb Crumble, my refreshing No Bake Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake and No Bake Rhubarb Dessert, wholesome Healthy Rhubarb Muffins, classic Stewed Rhubarb Recipe (with Strawberry Gelatin), and my surprisingly simple 2 Ingredient Rhubarb Lemonade. Each recipe highlights rhubarb’s unique charm, offering diverse ways to enjoy its tart goodness throughout the season.

🍒Reader Review: Why Everyone Raves About This Rhubarb Coffee Cake!

Nothing speaks louder than happy bakers! This recipe consistently receives glowing reviews, a testament to its comforting flavors and perfect texture. One delighted reader shared, “I love rhubarb but this recipe takes my love to a whole new level. This is super delicious!!” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ It’s feedback like this that makes sharing Baba’s recipe even more rewarding. You’re not just baking a cake; you’re creating a moment of pure culinary bliss, a taste experience that truly elevates the humble rhubarb.

🥘Key Ingredients for the Perfect Rhubarb Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Crafting this incredible Rhubarb Sour Cream Coffee Cake involves a few simple yet powerful ingredients that contribute to its distinctive taste and moist texture. Below are the key components you’ll need for both the rich cake batter and the irresistible streusel topping. The four small dishes in the photo below showcase the streusel ingredients: sugar, salt, flour, and cinnamon.

• Sour cream.  This unsung hero of baking is pivotal for achieving an incredibly moist and tender cake. Its creamy texture adds richness and body to the batter without thinning it out. Beyond moisture, sour cream’s natural acidity reacts with the baking soda, contributing to a lighter crumb, and beautifully balances the sweetness of the cake, creating a more complex and satisfying flavor profile that keeps you coming back for more.
• Unsalted butter. I consistently opt for unsalted butter in my baking recipes. This allows me complete control over the total salt content, ensuring the flavor is perfectly balanced. Salt content can vary significantly between different brands of salted butter, so using unsalted butter eliminates any guesswork and ensures consistent results every time you bake this delicious coffee cake.
• Cinnamon. The warm, aromatic spice of cinnamon is a classic companion to rhubarb, enhancing its tartness with a comforting depth of flavor. It’s not just about taste; cinnamon also adds a beautiful subtle color to the streusel topping and infuses the entire cake with an inviting aroma that signifies homemade goodness.
• Rhubarb. The star of our show! Fresh rhubarb should be firm, crisp, and free from blemishes. For frozen rhubarb, ensure it’s thawed and properly drained to prevent excess moisture from making the cake soggy. Rhubarb’s unique tartness provides a wonderful counterpoint to the sweetness of the cake and streusel, creating a harmonious balance that defines this coffee cake.
• All-Purpose Flour. The structural foundation of our cake and topping. Ensure it’s fresh for optimal results.
• Sugar. Provides sweetness and contributes to the cake’s tenderness and the crispness of the streusel.
• Eggs. Act as a binder, provide structure, and add richness to the cake batter.
• Baking Soda & Salt. The baking soda, activated by the sour cream, is our leavening agent, giving the cake its lovely rise. Salt, while often overlooked, is crucial for enhancing all the other flavors, making them pop.

*See the full recipe card below for exact quantities and detailed instructions.

📖Creative Variations & Easy Substitutions for Your Rhubarb Coffee Cake

This Rhubarb Coffee Cake recipe is wonderfully forgiving and adaptable, allowing you to customize it to your taste or what you have on hand. Feel free to experiment with these variations and substitutions:

• Sugar choices: While white granulated sugar creates a classic crisp streusel, you can easily substitute brown sugar for the topping. Brown sugar will impart a deeper, more caramel-like flavor and a slightly chewier texture to the crumble, adding another layer of complexity to your coffee cake.
• Rhubarb flexibility: This recipe welcomes both fresh and frozen rhubarb. If using frozen rhubarb, remember to defrost it completely and then gently drain off any excess liquid before measuring. This crucial step prevents the cake from becoming watery and ensures the perfect moist crumb. However, avoid squeezing the rhubarb dry, as you want to retain some of its natural juices for flavor.
• Butter options: If you only have salted butter on hand, you can certainly use it! Simply omit the ½ teaspoon of salt from the cake batter ingredients to avoid over-salting your delicious cake.
• Flavorful add-ins: Elevate your streusel topping by incorporating your favorite nuts. Chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts add a delightful crunch and nutty depth that complements the tart rhubarb beautifully. You could also sprinkle in a touch of orange or lemon zest into the cake batter for a brighter, citrusy note that pairs wonderfully with rhubarb. A hint of ground ginger or cardamom alongside the cinnamon in the streusel can also introduce an exciting new dimension of flavor.

🔪Baking Perfection: Step-by-Step Guide to Your Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Creating this delightful Rhubarb Coffee Cake is a straightforward process, ensuring a perfect result even for novice bakers. Follow these simple steps to bring Baba’s cherished recipe to life:

For the Moist Cake Base:

1. Begin by preparing your oven and baking dish. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Take a 9×13 inch baking dish and generously spray it with a non-stick cooking spray to ensure your cake releases easily after baking.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the wet and dry ingredients for the cake. Add your eggs, all-purpose flour, sour cream, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar.
3. Using an electric hand mixer, start on a low speed to gradually combine the ingredients, preventing flour from flying out of the bowl. Once mostly combined, increase the speed to medium and beat for approximately one minute, or until the batter is smooth and well-incorporated.
4. Gently fold in the fresh (or defrosted and drained) rhubarb pieces using a spoon or a rubber spatula. Be careful not to overmix at this stage; just fold until the rhubarb is evenly distributed throughout the batter.

4. Carefully pour the prepared rhubarb cake batter into your greased 9×13 inch baking pan, spreading it evenly with your spatula.

For the Irresistible Crumble Topping:

5. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, prepare the streusel topping. Combine the white granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, and fragrant cinnamon. Now, cut in the unsalted butter. For a top tip on how to do this easily, check out the “Top Tip” section below! Mix the ingredients with your fingertips, a pastry blender, or a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and is well combined.
6. Generously sprinkle this delicious crumb topping evenly over the entire surface of the cake batter in the pan. Ensure good coverage for that perfect crunchy crust.

👪Serving Size & Adjustments

This delightful Rhubarb Coffee Cake recipe is designed to yield 12 generous servings, making it perfect for family gatherings, potlucks, or simply enjoying throughout the week. Should you need to adjust the quantity, you can easily half, double, or even triple the recipe. Simply click on the serving number in the recipe card below and select your desired number of servings. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust for you. Just remember, if you’re increasing the recipe, you’ll need additional 9×13 inch cake pans to accommodate the larger volume of batter.

🍽Essential Equipment for Baking Success

Baking this Rhubarb Coffee Cake requires only a few standard kitchen tools, most of which you likely already own. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

• 9×13 Inch Baking Pan: A standard 9×13 inch pan is ideal for this recipe, ensuring a good cake-to-topping ratio and even baking. It’s important that your pan is at least 3-4 inches deep to prevent overflow.
• Large and Medium Mixing Bowls: You’ll need one large bowl for the cake batter and a medium bowl for preparing the streusel topping.
• Measuring Cups and Spoons: Essential for accurate ingredient measurements, ensuring the perfect balance of flavors and textures.
• Electric Hand Mixer: An electric mixer makes quick work of blending the cake batter until smooth.
• Rubber Spatula or Wooden Spoon: For folding in the delicate rhubarb and scraping down the sides of your mixing bowls.
• Wire Rack: Crucial for cooling the cake evenly and preventing the bottom from becoming soggy.

🌡️Storage Instructions: Keeping Your Coffee Cake Fresh

Proper storage is key to enjoying your delicious Rhubarb Coffee Cake for days to come. Here’s how to keep it fresh and flavorful:

Room Temperature (Short-term): If you plan to enjoy the cake within a day or overnight, you can simply cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and leave it at room temperature. This will keep it fresh and prevent it from drying out.

Refrigeration (Up to 4 Days): For longer storage, this rhubarb cake should be kept in an airtight container in the fridge. This will help maintain its moistness and prevent spoilage. It will stay fresh and delicious for up to 4 days.

Freezing (Up to 3 Months): This coffee cake freezes beautifully! To freeze, ensure the cake is completely cooled. You can freeze it whole, in large pieces, or individual slices. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, then an additional layer of aluminum foil, or place it in a freezer-safe, sealed container. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, simply thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a few hours. You can even warm individual slices slightly in the microwave or oven for that freshly baked taste.

💡Top Tip for Perfect Streusel: Grate Your Frozen Butter!

Achieving that perfectly crumbly, light streusel topping is easier than you think, thanks to a clever trick! My favorite top tip for preparing the butter for streusel (or even pie crusts and biscuits) is to keep it frozen and grate it directly into your dry ingredients. Instead of cutting in cold butter cubes, which can be messy and time-consuming, simply grab a stick of frozen unsalted butter and use a box grater. The grated butter quickly integrates into the flour and sugar mixture, staying perfectly cold and ensuring a light, airy, and evenly distributed crumble. This method saves time, minimizes mess, and results in a superior streusel texture every single time!

❔ Frequently Asked Questions About Rhubarb Coffee Cake

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