Name: Rhubarb cake recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups sugar; 125.00 ml butter, softened; 1 egg; 2 cups plain flour; 1 tsp vanilla essence; 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 1 cup sour milk; 2 cups rhubarb chopped; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1 tbs butter softened

by Shezza Last updated on 01/27/2025

With so many five-star ratings, this lovely and moist fruit-laden cake just has to join your afternoon teas, too! One ABR member said, “It's hands-down the most delicious cake I've ever made. Easy to put together and the rise on the cake was surprisingly high.” If you have some spare time, head to the kitchen right now!

How to make rhubarb cake: key tips

As you’re beating the butter, make sure it’s softened to room temperature before you start, so that it will become well incorporated in the cake batter.

To prepare your rhubarb, simply chop off the leaves and trim the stalks. Give the stalks a wash under tap water, then cut the lengths into 2cm pieces.

This cake recipe calls for a brown sugar and butter topping, but you could dust the cake with caster sugar instead, if you like.

Key ingredients in this rhubarb cake recipe

Rhubarb season is roughly April to June in Australia, so take advantage of this sweet vegetable then, when it’s at its best… and cheapest. It’s also fun to grow your own!

Sour milk works in conjunction with bicarb soda as a leavening agent and gives the cake a slight tang (see notes, below).

Cakes containing pockets of plump and juicy fruit are my favourites. If they’re yours, too, you’ll just have to try this sultana cake and this apple cake.

This recipe was originally submitted by Shezza, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.

- Australia's Best Recipes Team

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 egg
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 cup sour milk
2 cups rhubarb chopped
1/2 tsp salt

Topping

1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbs butter softened

Method

Step 1

Place all ingredients, except rhubarb in bowl, beat until well combined.
Step 2

Add rhubarb and fold into mixture.
Step 3

Put into a greased and lined square tin.
Step 4

To make the topping mix ingredients together and sprinkle evenly over cake.
Step 5

Bake at 180C for approximately 1 hour.

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

Do I need sour milk for this rhubarb cake?

Sour milk is ideal for adding flavour and texture to this rhubarb cake. To make it, simply add 3 tsp of fresh lemon juice or 1 tsp white vinegar to 1 cup of milk. If you like, you can swap it out for buttermilk.

How can I serve this rhubarb cake?

This cake is really delicious served warm. You can gently heat pieces in the microwave before serving if your cake has cooled. As the cake is quite sweet from the rhubarb and sugar, I like to serve it with a large dollop of crème fraîche to cut through and complement the sweetness. A hot cup of tea alongside is also delightful.