Rhubarb Crumble Cake, truly addictive!
by meike peters
There are two of my recipes, classics, that I can’t live without. I constantly adapt and change them according to the seasons and there isn’t a month without them. I’m talking about my beloved quiche and my crumble cake, filled with seasonal fruit and topped with the most amazing crumbles, buttery and crunchy! In winter I filled it with apples, now it’s time for rhubarb and there will be more to follow. I have no preference, I love all of them!
For this cake, I like to choose fruit with a strong texture, the dough rises around these moist pockets and stays juicy without becoming soggy. I use lots of cinnamon for the crumbles, one of my favourite spices for baking which refines the fruit’s flavours perfectly. The rhubarb brings in a bit more sourness than the apples, it fits to the fresh feeling of this season. In the post about my apple crumble I’ve praised the cake’s light and spongy base, the perfect composition of soft, juicy and crunchy and its dessert and teatime qualities. Now it’s time to bake rhubarb crumble, but be prepared, this cake is truly addictive!
Rhubarb Crumble Cake
Prepare the dough for the base first, the rhubarb afterwards and the crumbles at the end.
For a 26cm /10″ springform pan you need
butter 125g / 4.5 ounces
sugar 125g / 4.5 ounces
a pinch of fresh vanilla
organic eggs 3
plain flour 250g / 9 ounces
baking powder 2 teaspoons
a pinch of salt
rhubarb, cut into 4cm / 1.5″ pieces, 800g / 28 ounces
For the crumbles
plain flour 200g / 7 ounces (you might need some more if the crumbles are too sticky)
sugar 125g / 4.5 ounces
a pinch of fresh vanilla
cinnamon 2 teaspoons
butter, melted, 125g / 4.5 ounces (plus more if the crumbles are too fine)
Set the oven to 180°C / 355°F.
For the base, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla till fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time and continue mixing for a few minutes. Add the flour mixed with the baking powder and salt and continue mixing until well combined. Scrape the dough into a buttered springform pan and arrange the rhubarb vertically in circles pushing it into the dough.
The crumbles need good preparation as you have to make sure that the mixture is neither too moist nor too dry. Have some extra flour and melted butter close at hand so that you can add some immediately if necessary.
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Pour the melted butter on top and mix quickly with the hooks of your mixer, stop as soon as it crumbles. If the crumbles are too moist and sticky add a bit more flour (1-2 tablespoons). If they are too fine and don’t form bigger crumbles add more melted butter. Spread quickly on top of the rhubarb. If you have bigger lumps of crumbles you may have to separate and spread them.
Bake in the oven for 55 minutes or until golden. Check with a skewer, it should come out clean, and let it cool.
You can serve the cake with sweet whipped cream or vanilla or cinnamon ice cream.
Hello, Meike! I’m from Ukraine. Once i found your profile in Instagram, I liked the photo and I tried to cook according to your recipe. The first was “A Cinnamon and Apple Crumble”, it’s delicious and my mom really loved this crumble. But yesterday we cooked “Rhubarb Crumble Cake”-is a soft base, crunchy crumble with cinnamon, which I love and light acidity….mmmm. Also our Easter I baked Panettone. It’s was incredible! Thank you for your recipes! Now they are stored in our family recipe book. Wish you success and inspiration.
Hello Irina! Thank you so much for your words. It’s such a great compliment to know that my recipes are not only enjoyed but also in a family’s private recipe book. This means a lot to me! Enjoy the blog – and maybe my book that will be published in autumn! All the best, Meike
[…] crumbles, I used the recipe from my old kitchen friend, my beloved rhubarb (or plum or apple!) crumble cake. The flavour of the spice is strong enough to stand up to the apricots, the crumbles stay […]
[…] Crumble, which was one of the first cake recipes on the blog, before I welcomed spring with my Rhubarb Crumble. I love all three of them, I think there is no other sweet recipe I’ve used more often in […]
Rhubarb is my absolute favourite and this cake looks like the perfect way to eat it.
Thank you Kathryn, the sour rhubarb is great together with the sweet cinnamon crumbles!
Have a nice week! Meike xx
I am always looking for new ways to use rhubarb…looks and sounds delicious, Meike.
Thank you Marigene! Have a nice Sunday! Meike xx