A cardamon spiced rhubarb cake with almond, yogurt and a twist of lemon.
Choose deep red stalks of rhubarb for the most vibrant color atop this easy-to-make moist cake. Made with almond, it’s gluten-free and perfect for brunch, afternoon tea or dessert.
Why this Recipe Works
- Zero-waste cooking. Use the rhubarb stalk trimmings in the batter and reduce food waste.
- Macerating the rhubarb. Draws out its juices, mellows its sourness and tenderizes the stalks.
- All the flavors. The tart rhubarb is balanced by the nutty almonds, creamy yogurt, warming cardamon and floral vanilla.
How to Make this Rhubarb Cake
Enjoy these step-by-step shots and instructions for easy cooking.
Notes
Why Macerate: Macerating is similar to marinating, except it uses fruit instead of meat or veggies. The fruit absorbs the liquid and seasoning around it causing a slight change in texture and flavor.
Notes: Almond Flour vs. Almond Meal
Almond flour is not the same as almond meal.
Almond meal is coarser and may contain the skin of the nuts.
Almond flour is finer and more consistent in grain size.
Keep in mind that not all almond flour is created equal. They may all be made from ground almonds, but not all are ground finely enough to make cakes and breads that rival their best wheat-based counterparts.
What we want: blanched almond flour, so there’s no little dark bits of skin.
Coconut sugar is subtly sweet and almost like brown sugar with a slight hint of caramel.
More Rhubarb Desserts:
- Vanilla Poached Rhubarb
- Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake
- Rhubarb Tart with Ginger & Pistachios
- Strawberry Rhubarb Galette
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Cooks Tips
- For best results, use blanched almond flour.
- Let rhubarb macerate for at least 30 min.
- The cake can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Have ya tried this recipe? I’d love to hear about it and see it too! Please leave a comment below and take a pic and tag it on Instagram with @DanielaGerson. You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to see more colorfully delicious food and awesome adventures!
Let’s make waves in the kitchen!
Rhubarb Cake
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 1 rhubarb stalk cut into 1" thick slices and any leftover pieces from trimming down the topping
- 1 tablespoon sugar white, brown or coconut
- 1 lemon zest & juice
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup sugar white, brown or coconut
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups almond flour blanched
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
Rhubarb Stalk & Sliced Almond Toppings
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 stalks rhubarb
- 1/4 cup sugar white, brown or coconut
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 lemon zest & juice
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Cake Batter
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Mix 1 cup of chopped rhubarb with the zest and juice of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon of sugar and ½ teaspoon of vanilla. Let sit until your ready to use, at least 30 min.
Rhubarb Stalk & Sliced Almond Toppings
- Toss the rhubarb stalks in a baking dish with zest and juice of 1 lemon, ¼ cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, ½ tablespoon of vanilla, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 10min and then turn oven down to 375 degrees.
Cake Batter
- In the bowl of a food processor with the paddle attachment, beat butter and 3/4 cup of sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, to the butter and sugar mixture, pulsing to combine the first egg before adding the second. Then add the almond extract and pulse for another few minutes until light and fluffy
- Add almond flour, baking powder, cardamom and salt and give it another quick pulse until it’s all combined.
- Gradually add the yogurt and continue pulsing until it's all combined.
- Pour batter into a bowl. Fold in macerated rhubarb with all it's delicious liquid too.
- Scrape batter into a prepared pan. Smooth batter over with a spatula and arrange baked rhubarb on top. There will be some caramelized liquid in the dish that was used to bake the rhubarb ~ don’t throw this out! We are using this to caramelize the almonds next.
- Place cake in oven and bake for 1 hour, turning half way through.
Back to the Rhubarb Stalk & Sliced Almond Toppings
- While the cake bakes, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter directly into the pan used to bake the rhubarb stalks. I placed my baking dish directly on the stove. Once the butter is melted add the sliced almonds and cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until the almonds look and smell caramelized. Set aside until the cake is down. The sliced almond topping is optional.
Cake Batter
- Remove the cake from the oven. Double check that a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool and sprinkled with the caramelized sliced almond goodness.
Notes
- For best results, use blanched almond flour.
- Let rhubarb macerate for at least 30 min.
- The cake can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Definetly my favorite with almond, yummieeeee ?????
You are so super sweet :). Gracias!
I can imagine a strawberry variation on this recipe, too! ???
Yes and yum! Now I wanna make it with strawberries too! Thanks so much for the idea :).
Hi! I jumped over to your site from Foodgawker because your gorgeous photo lured me in. This recipe looks incredibly delicious -- I love the spice mixture, and cardamom is my favorite. My son has Celiac, so when I see a recipe I love that happens to be gluten-free, I'm excited. Your photos are absolutely stunning and I'm so happy to have found your site. 🙂
Your comment just made my day!!! Thank you so much for the sweet words on my photos! So stoked ya found my site too :). Please let me know how the dessert turns out and you've inspired me to make more gluten-free recipes.
I’ve got to be honest—I’ve never had rhubarb. This has got to be the most interest way I’ve seen it prepared though. Looks yummy!
Try rhubarb I say!!! And the most interesting way :)?! I'll take it! Thanks ya so very much!
Hmmm yum! This Gluten-Free Rhubarb Almond Cake looks soooo healthy-licious! Can't wait to try this to my kitchen. Thanks for sharing!
Absolute pleasure Maggie!!! Am adoring the word healthy-licious :)! And am really excited for you to make this in your kitchen :)!
Yes to using ALL the rhubarb! Also, could your photos get any more gorgeous??? Love this and loving those big strips of rhubarb on top
You are too kind Donna! Really appreciate and am super stoked on your sweet feedback! Thanks so much :).
Every single part of this sounds amazing. I love all the information you listed about rhubarb! I love rhubarb and strawberries but seldom showcase it on its own. The sweetness of the almond cake sounds like the perfect way to do that.
Thanks so much for the super sweet feedback Lauren :). I def do love playing around in the kitchen with rhubarb when it's in season :)!
Oooh you've inspired me with this dessert! What a gorgeous cake for rhubarb. I'm still waiting for my grocer to get it in but I can't wait to try this soon 😀
Thanks so much for the sweet feedback Tammy! And def hoping your grocer gets rhubarb soon too! Such a wonderful sweet treat for rhubarb season :).
I'm totally loving those gorgeous photos! It's been a really long time since I last had rhubarb, but I keep seeing that pop of color at the grocery store and was actually just going looking for a recipe! Guess I'll look no further! 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Absolute pleasure Amy! And super stoked to hear I provided the rhubarb recipe answer to your rhubarb recipe question :). Def let me know how it goes after you make it too!
Your rhubarb cake looks so beautiful and enticing! Thanks for explaining what macerating means. I love the ingredients in this cake too - almond flour and coconut sugar. Plus the step by step photo explanation is brilliant. Thanks for posting!
Absolute pleasure Saima! Really appreciate your super sweet feedback! I'm always trying to explain terms that folks may not readily know :). Thanks so much for your words!
I have never seen a rhubarb dish so beautiful than this, I just want to pick up the whole plate and have it right now. Gorgeous pics!
Hehehe.... love and appreciate hearing that Jagruti!!! Thanks so much for the super sweet feedback :).
What a lovely cake! Hooray for rhubarb season, I am going to try this one day this week and serve it with ice cream!
Awesome!!! So super stoked to hear that Sara! And I'm right there with ya.... hip hip hooray for rhubarb season!!! Please let me know how it goes after ya make it... I'd absolutely love to hear :)!
Man this cake looks so amazing! I have paired rhubarb with strawberries but never with almond yet. Now I know what I was missing in my life!
Hehehe... the rhubarb almond combo is dreamy! Thanks so much for the super sweet feedback Neha :).
What size pan do you bake it in?
Apologies for not clarifying!!! Will update the recipe. 9x13 cake pan. Super stoked your making it Jessie :)!
Hi, just noticed that the quantity of sliced almonds for the topping is not listed with the ingredients. I'm guessing about a quarter cup?
Yes exactly! So sorry for that oversight Victoria + so super stoked to hear you're making this! I tend to eye-ball with cooking which doesn't lend itself too well to writing out recipes ;-). And please lemme know how it comes out!
Looks beautiful but I have a question.... what is a paddle attachment for a food processor? I’ve never heard of this, I’ve only ever seen paddle attachments for stand mixers not a food processor, my food processor does not have this piece but my stand mixer does! Will the recipe turn out in a stand mixer?
Hi Elisa and yesssss it will def work in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and apologies for the typo. Meant to refer to the dough blade for the food processor. Can make it with either + please let me know how it goes :)!
Has anyone tried this with an alternative flour? Struggling to get coconut flour so wondering if I could swap out for a different GF flour 🤔
Hi Emily! Are you gf? Haven't tried if with other alternative flours but if you're not, all-purpose flour works as well. Lemme know how it comes out :).