Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake combines some of your favorite spring flavors into an irresistible snack cake or a sweet dish for Mother’s Day brunch!
This is a sponsored post on behalf of Fleischmann’s® Yeast. The views and opinions expressed on My Baking Addiction are my own, and based upon my experiences with Fleischmann’s® Yeast products. Thank you for supporting the brands that continue to make My Baking Addiction possible.
Do you love strawberry and rhubarb together? I have to admit I never had this combo when I was growing up, but now, I go for it every time I find it on a menu, or in a recipe.
Anyone who knows me well knows that my favorite flavors in life come from sour things – especially sweet and sour things. Gummy candies, sweet tarts, and sour hard candies are my jam. Strawberry rhubarb – anything – is the real food version of my favorite flavor profile in the world.
This Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake is based off a Fleischmann’s Yeast recipe and uses a filling very similar to one you’d use in a strawberry rhubarb pie (always a winner!). The filling actually creates poke-a-dots throughout the cake because of how you spoon this filling into the cake batter. You’ll make small wells in the risen dough, and then spoon this bright pink filling into each one. When it’s baked up, it just looks festive, without a sprinkle in sight!
If this is your first time baking with yeast, just know that you never have to be scared about baking with yeast when you’re using Fleischmann’s®. This cake calls for their Active Dry Yeast, their original dry yeast, made since 1945. This is the yeast that brought the Fleischmann’s® name into my Nana’s home, and it’s one I keep on hand at all times. 71 years of consistent results is something you can trust.
You’ll start by whipping up the base dough for this Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake. It comes together really easily in your stand mixer, and then just let it hang out in the pan you’ll bake it in for an hour. While that’s going on, you can make the strawberry rhubarb filling, and that delectable crumb topping.
Because let’s face it – it’s not a coffee cake without crumb topping, friends. It’s just not. At least, not to me. The added texture and crunch just makes me happy. Tell me I’m not the only one?
This is the sort of coffee cake you want to have on Sunday morning with the best coffee you can find. It’s perfect for a family get together, like Mother’s Day, or book club night. Everyone will love its springy flavors – especially Mama. Be sure to bake a little extra because everyone it’s a great way to show you care, and anyone enjoying this cake will be sure to want seconds!
For more delicious recipes using Fleischmann’s® Yeast, be sure to check out these Blueberry Cream Cheese Kolaches and this Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread!

Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake
Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake combines some of your favorite spring flavors into an irresistible snack cake or a sweet dish for Mother’s Day brunch!
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
- 1/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°F)
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1 envelope Fleischmann's® Active Dry Yeast
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup warm milk (100° to 110°F)
- 1 egg
- 2-1/2 cups bread flour
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
FOR THE STRAWBERRY RHUBARB FILLING
- 1-1/2 cups cut-up rhubarb (1-inch pieces)
- 3/4 cups chopped fresh strawberries
- 1/3 cup water
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons strawberry gelatin powder
FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
FOR THE GLAZE
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine warm water, 1/4 teaspoon sugar and yeast in a small bowl. Let sit 5 minutes until yeast is foamy.
- Combine 1/4 cup sugar, salt, 1/4 cup butter and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Add warm milk and stir to mix. Add yeast mixture, egg and flour. Beat on medium speed until well blended.
- Spread into greased 13 x 9-inch pan. Brush with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Cover and let rise in draft-free area until doubled, about 1 hour.
- For the Strawberry Rhubarb Filling: Combine rhubarb and water in large saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until the rhubarb is soft and beginning to lose its shape.
- Add in strawberries and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Stir together corn starch, sugar, and gelatin powder; add to rhubarb mixture.
- Continue to cook and stir until the mixture is thick, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and use a potato masher or fork to mash the fruit pieces. Allow the sauce to cool before readying the cake for baking.
- For the Streusel Topping: Combine all ingredients in a bowl with a pastry blender until butter mixture is the size of peas.
- Before baking the cake, gently make small wells in the risen coffee cake, about 1 inch apart. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of strawberry rhubarb sauce into each well.
- Spread the remainder of the rhubarb filling evenly over the top of dough. Top with streusel topping.
- Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 to 35 minutes until the top begins to brown.
- Cool on wire rack for at least 15 minutes.
- Combine all glaze ingredients together and drizzle over coffee cake. Best served warm.
Courtney
Sunday 20th of June 2021
What's not to love about this recipe! The lightness of of cake, isn't overly sweet, it's large enough for a guest brunch and easy to transport.
Jamie
Sunday 20th of June 2021
So happy to hear you enjoyed the cake, Courtney Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback! -Jamie
Cookies4kids
Monday 15th of July 2019
I’m assuming this is regular yeast. If so, could I also use instant yeast which I have on hand? I’m also wondering about using all rhubarb in this recipe along with the strawberry jello.
Jamie
Saturday 3rd of August 2019
Hello! I haven't attempted this recipe with this substitution, so I am not sure of the result. If you happen to give it a try, I'd love to know how it turned out. Thanks so much for stopping by. -Jamie
Samantha Couture
Wednesday 6th of June 2018
This looks amazing - I recently had a strawberry rhubarb marscapone cronut (amazing) and found this recipe. Do you think that I could add a thin layer of marscapone to the cake and then the strawberry/rhubarb on top?
Just a thought! Thank you!
Jamie
Thursday 7th of June 2018
I think that would be delicious! :)
Veronica
Friday 10th of June 2016
Que es riubardo
Jamie
Friday 10th of June 2016
Hi, Veronica! Rhubarb is a vegetable that has an edible stalk similar to celery. Let me know if I can answer anything else!
Gina @ Running to the Kitchen
Sunday 15th of May 2016
I'm such a fan of the sour things in life too from gummies/sweet tarts to literally drinking balsamic vinegar out of the bottom of the salad bowl. Love rhubarb for that reason but still have yet to bake with it! I don't know why it intimidates me but it does. I want to start with this cake though because I SO wish there was a piece right now accompanying my coffee!
Jamie
Monday 16th of May 2016
Thank you, Gina! I wish I was having a cup of coffee with you! xxoo