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Sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb are paired with a tender, buttery cake and sweet streusel topping in this strawberry rhubarb cake. Make this simple yet delicious cake for a spring brunch or dessert.
I had never tried rhubarb until I was well into adulthood. In fact, the first time I made a recipe with rhubarb was my rhubarb streusel cake.
Rhubarb definitely has a unique, tart flavor. If you aren’t sure about it, try pairing it with berries! The sweetness of the berries is the perfect complement for the tart rhubarb, so recipes like raspberry rhubarb pie and this strawberry rhubarb cake just make perfect sense.
Plus, there’s a crumb topping involved! What’s not to love?
About this strawberry rhubarb cake
Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable that grows between late spring and early summer, usually April through June.
The rhubarb plant has thick pinkish-green stalks and large leaves. The leaves are inedible, so make sure you discard those—the stalks are what you want.
Rhubarb is very tart and when it is raw, it is crisp and a bit stringy. You can eat it when it’s raw, but it’s so tart that it doesn’t taste very good. I love sour candy, so I’m no stranger to eating super tart stuff. But for me, rhubarb needs sugar in its life.
Sweet, juicy strawberries are the perfect pairing with rhubarb. In this cake, they mellow out the tartness of the rhubarb. Paired with a buttery cake with the perfect, tender crumb and a sweet streusel topping, you’ve got a dessert that is definitely worth sharing.
Enjoy this strawberry rhubarb cake for dessert or slice it up and serve it with a cup of coffee for brunch or an afternoon snack. There’s really no wrong time for a slice of this cake.
A note from Jamie
2026 update: This recipe is one that I first shared way back in 2014. All these years later, it is a recipe that still holds up, but it felt like it was time to give it an update with new photos and tips for making the perfect strawberry rhubarb cake. I know you’re gonna love it!
How to make this strawberry rhubarb crumb cake
This is a simple “snack cake” that can be made with fresh or frozen fruit. Make it in the late spring and early summer when fresh strawberries and rhubarb pop up at the farmer’s market, or throw it together any of year with frozen fruit!
Ingredients you’ll need
⬇️ For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below!
This recipe has two main parts: the streusel topping and the cake itself.
The streusel is pretty similar to ones we’ve made for other coffee cakes, such as cranberry cake and easy peach coffee cake. You’ll need:
- All-purpose flour: Before you start baking, make sure you know how to measure flour correctly so your cake and streusel turn out perfect every time.
- Light brown sugar: If you’re out of brown sugar, make a simple brown sugar substitute. If yours hardened in the pantry, learn how to soften brown sugar.
- Cinnamon: Optional, but a delicious addition.
- Fine sea salt
- Melted unsalted butter
For the cake itself, you’ll need:
- Rhubarb: Chopped into 1/2-inch pieces. If you’re using fresh rhubarb, each stalk of rhubarb will give you around 1 cup of chopped rhubarb.
- Fresh strawberries: Also chopped.
- Light brown sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Fine sea salt
- Unsalted butter: This time, soften the butter to room temperature. If you forget to set it out ahead of time, check out my tips for softening butter quickly.
- Confectioners’ sugar: a.k.a. powdered sugar. If you’re out, learn how to make powdered sugar and save yourself a trip to the store.
- Large eggs
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla bean paste will also work.
Making this cake
Start by prepping the streusel. Stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt, then use a fork to mix in the melted butter until large clumps form. Stick this in the fridge until you’re ready to add it to the cake.
Now stir together the chopped rhubarb and strawberries with the brown sugar and 1/4 cup of flour. Set this aside.
For the cake batter, whisk together the rest of the flour with the baking powder and salt. Set this aside, too.
Use a mixer to cream the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. This will take about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla. Make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing the batter until it is just combined.
Spread the batter into an 8×8-inch pan that has been greased and lined with parchment paper. Top the cake batter with the fruit mixture, then sprinkle the streusel over the top.
Bake the cake at 350℉ for 45-50 minutes. It’s done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached.
Let the baked cake cool completely in the pan before using the parchment to lift it out. Cut the strawberry rhubarb cake into squares. If desired, serve with a dollop of homemade whipped cream.
Storage tips
Store this strawberry rhubarb cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Because of the amount of fresh fruit in the cake, it can sometimes get too moist if left at room temperature for too long, especially if your kitchen is warm.
You could also freeze slices of the cake for up to 2 months. Wrap each slice in plastic wrap and store them in a zip-top freezer bag. Let the slices thaw at room temperature for a couple of hours or unwrap and warm them in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use frozen sliced strawberries and/or frozen chopped rhubarb when they are out of season. Do not thaw the frozen fruit before mixing the topping together.
Strawberry Rhubarb Cake
Ingredients
For the Streusel:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon optional
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the Cake:
- 1 cup chopped rhubarb ½-inch pieces
- 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour divided use
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Butter and flour (1) 8×8-inch cake pan. Add a piece of parchment paper across the bottom, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two of the sides. Set aside.
Make the streusel:
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Add the butter and mix with a fork until large clumps form. Refrigerate until ready to use.1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 cup all-purpose flour
Make the cake:
- In a medium bowl, combine rhubarb, strawberries, brown sugar, and ¼ cup of the flour until well combined. Set aside.1 cup chopped rhubarb, 1 cup chopped fresh strawberries, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining ¾ cup flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.0.75 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, beat butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- With the mixer on low, gradually add in the flour mixture, mixing just to combine.
- Spread batter in the prepared pan. Evenly top with the rhubarb and strawberry mixture, then evenly sprinkle the streusel over the top.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan. Using the parchment overhang, lift the cake from the pan to slice into squares for serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This looks so fabulous, Jamie! I’ve always been intimidated by rhubarb for some reason so my goal is start baking with it more this summer and this cake is on my list for sure!
Maegan-
Thank you so much! I’m glad to hear that you’ll give the recipe a try, let us know how it goes! Have a fantastic day.
-Jamie
I love rhubarb. I used to eat the stalks as a kid dipped in a bowl of sugar. I love how sour it is!
Now that I am an adult I make my grandma’s a strawberry rhubarb crisp all the time.
You can cut up the rhubarb and freeze it in quart size baggies and it keeps really well.
The recipe off the top of my head:
Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp: (I usually make it gluten free so my mom can enjoy it too)
4 cups cut up rhubarb…can be frozen…no need to thaw
1-16 oz frozen sweetened strawberries (original recipe uses the 12 oz size)…can be frozen, no need to thaw
3 Tbl flour (regular or brown rice)
3/4 to 1 cup sugar
bring all of these ingredients to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Pour into a 9×13 pan.
In a separate bowl combine 3/4 cup oats (rolled or gluten free), 3/4 cups flour (regular or brown rice), 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1 stick of butter…make into a crumble (I use my hands). Sprinkle on top of the strawberry/rhubarb mixture.
Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes (til browned and bubbly).
Serve hot with vanilla ice cream!
Emilie-
Thanks so much for the recipe! I’ll have to try it :). Have a great day and thank you for following MBA!
-Jamie
I am such a fan of everything rhubarb and have several plants growing in my kitchen garden. I am going to use some of my home grown rhubarb to try your recipe. Thanks!
Celia-
Home grown is definitely the best! Please stop back and let us know your experience in making the cake! Have a great day.
-Jamie
Rhubarb = pure awesome. My grandmother sent some down to me with some visiting family so I can enjoy a little bit of heaven. By “some” I mean a whole shopping bag full of it. Yippeeeee! That stuff doesn’t grow down here and on the rare occasion the grocery store has it, they charge $7.98/pound. Seriously. OUCH. So she gave me some that she grew in her yard. Just another reason to love her.
Anyway, my question is this, what is that first line? “1 cup chopped pound rhubarb” Is it a cup or is it a pound?
Thanks!
Rebecca, sorry about that. It’s been fixed. It should be 1 cup. I’m pretty sure I never would have tried rhubarb if it were $8 a pound!
– Jamie
This strawberry rhubarb crumb cake looks great!! I guess getting the rhubarb in your Door to Door Organics delivery was meant to be! I like it but I’m not crazy about it. . but definitely want to try this recipe, esp with the strawberries! love and pinned!
Mmmmmm! Any recipe with the words “crumb cake” in it are right up my alley and this one looks super yummy!
Vickie-
Thank you so much! I agree, the crumb is the best part :). Have a wonderful day and thanks for following MBA!
-Jamie
1 cup chopped pound rhubarb? So one cup or one pound? :) My family thinks the best way to eat rhubarb is in a pie or crisp. Google strawberry rhubarb streusel pie, the recipe we use is on food.com but we use straight rhubarb and no strawberries. (and we increase the flour or it gets runny).
Hi Asia, it’s actually 1 cup. I fixed it in the recipe. Sorry about that.
– Jamie
Such a pretty cake – and fabulous flavour!
I have never really tasted rhubarb! We just don’t seem to get it here ! But I’m starting to get an idea of how these might taste! I eat my watermelon with salt too! It just somehow enhances the whole watermelon flavor for me! Back to this crumb cake… I AM LOVING IT! I love strawberries and eat them by the handful when they are in season and using them in this cake sounds like the perfect thing to do!
This looks like a terrific, yummy cake, something you would find in a German bakery for an afternoon snack. I could have a piece right now.