Easy Rhubarb Cake

A sweetly simple spring rhubarb cake.

You’ll love this easy rhubarb cake recipe that folds tart, fresh rhubarb into moist vanilla cake. It can be served for breakfast or dessert, and freezes well, too. Top with whipped cream or ice cream for the win.

Why You’ll Love This Rhubarb Cake

This recipe developed not from any particular genius inspiration, but from . . . laziness. Rhubarb is a fantastic ingredient to bake with: a quintessential spring ingredient (a vegetable, actually), with a gorgeous pink color and a no-apologies tart flavor.

But that most famous of rhubarb desserts — I speak of strawberry rhubarb pie, of course — can be a little fussy. Rhubarb has a high moisture content and needs just the right amount of thickener and sugar to make it sweet and gooey without being funny or stiff. Then there’s the whole pie crust project. (And if you want another easy rhubarb recipe besides this cake, also check out my quick strawberry rhubarb jam recipe and this recipe for strawberry rhubarb bars.)

That’s why this rhubarb cake recipe is so perfect. It is a simple recipe: mix the vanilla cake batter, stir chopped rhubarb into the batter, and bake. It’s a moist, sweet cake that’s not too sweet, complemented by big flecks of tart, fresh rhubarb that turns pink and almost jammy when baked. It’s a great cake for breakfast or dessert, and freezes well if you’d like to make it in advance or enjoy it after spring rhubarb season is over.

How to Make This Rhubarb Cake

This easy rhubarb cake recipe lets you enjoy the best of rhubarb, without any fuss. How do you make rhubarb cake? It’s an easy vanilla cake recipe folded with chopped fresh rhubarb and baked in a 9 x 13″ pan. The result is a sweet, moist rhubarb cake studded with pink rhubarb. I love to serve this as a weekend breakfast cake, but this works just as well for dessert.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 1 cup neutral vegetable oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 generous cups chopped rhubarb (from about 5 stalks)
• Fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve

Baking Instructions

1. Grease a 9″ x 13″ baking pan and preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or by hand with a large whisk and mixing bowl, beat together the oil and sugar until emulsified.
3. Add the eggs, vanilla, and the lemon zest. Beat on medium- to medium-high until very smooth and lightened in color, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the salt, baking powder, and flour. Stir on low until the flour mixture is mostly combined. Add the milk and continue to mix the batter on low until smooth. Do not overmix. Stir in half the diced rhubarb.
5. Pour the rhubarb cake batter into the prepared baking dish. Scatter the reserved chopped rhubarb all over, and then sprinkle the top of the cake with sugar or cinnamon sugar.
6. Bake for about 1 hour 15 minutes, more or less. The cake is ready when a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Cool before serving, plain or with whipped cream or ice cream.

All About Rhubarb

Below are some common questions and answers about rhubarb so you’ll be in good shape for baking the rhubarb cake.

When Is Rhubarb Season?

Rhubarb season runs from approximately April to June, depending on your location. Rhubarb is a spring vegetable (yes, it’s one of those vegetables we treat like a fruit!) that gets most associated with other spring produce like strawberries and asparagus.

Should Rhubarb Be Cooked Before Baking?

No, you do not have to cook rhubarb before baking it in this cake. The baking process cooks the rhubarb, so it will be soft and tender when the cake is ready.

What does rhubarb taste like?

Rhubarb has a very tart flavor, whether raw or cooked — think raw cranberries — which is why it often gets baked into desserts or other sweet foods like pies, cakes, or jams. The sweetness complements the natural tartness and eliminates any risk of a too-strong sour flavor.

How to Clean Rhubarb

Clean rhubarb as you would celery, in whole stalks. It is much easier than chopping

How to Cut Rhubarb Before Baking This Cake

Rhubarb looks like reddish celery, though the two are not related. But the preparation is very similar. Word of warning, though: Do not eat the leaves of rhubarb. They are toxic.

To prepare rhubarb:

1. Discard the leaves and trim the top and bottom ends of the stalk.
2. Chop the rhubarb into approximately 1/2-inch pieces, more or less. You will need about 5 long stalks of rhubarb to make this cake. You do not have to peel rhubarb.

What to Serve With Rhubarb Cake

This cake, like all cakes, is better the next day. When it come time to dig in, serve the cake plain, dusted with powdered sugar, dolloped with fresh whipped cream, or with strawberry or vanilla ice cream.

Want some more rhubarb dessert ideas? You’ll also like:

• Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
• How to Make Candied Rhubarb Ribbons
• Mixed Berry Shortcakes

Originally published April 2024. Updated May 2025.

Easy Rhubarb Cake

Author: Lisa Ruland

This simple rhubarb cake recipe is perfect for breakfast or dessert. Vanilla cake recipe folded with chopped fresh rhubarb and baked for a sweet, moist spring cake. Top with whipped cream or ice cream. This also freezes well so you can enjoy rhubarb season well beyond spring.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Servings: 10 people (one 9" x 13" cake)

Calories: 529kcal

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup neutral vegetable oil
• ▢ 2 cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• ▢ 4 large eggs
• ▢ 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ Zest of 1 lemon
• ▢ Pinch of kosher salt
• ▢ 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ▢ 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1/2 cup milk
• ▢ 3 generous cups chopped rhubarb (from about 5 stalks, cut into 1/2" pieces, leaves discarded)
• ▢ Fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve

Instructions

• Grease a 9" x 13" baking pan and preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or by hand with a large whisk and mixing bowl, beat together the oil and sugar until emulsified. Add the eggs, vanilla, and the lemon zest. Beat until very smooth and lightened in color, about 2 minutes. (If using an electric mixer, use a medium- to medium-high setting.)
• Scrape the bowl. Add the salt, baking powder, and flour and stir on low until the flour mixture is mostly combined. Add the milk and continue to mix the batter on low until smooth. Do not overmix. Stir in half the diced rhubarb.

  PRO TIP: Mixing the batter on low once the flour is added serves two purposes: First, it prevents a flour "explosion" in the mixer. Second, gentle mixing prevents too much gluten from forming, keeping the cake nice and tender.
• Pour the rhubarb cake batter into the prepared baking dish and use a spatula to smooth the batter evenly. Scatter the reserved chopped rhubarb all over, and then sprinkle the top of the cake with sugar (about 1 to 2 tablespoons).
• Bake the cake for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool fully.
• Serve the rhubarb cake plain or with whipped cream or ice cream. Strawberry ice cream or vanilla ice cream would be particularly delicious.

Nutrition

Calories: 529kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 158IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 2mg

Disclaimer: Nutrition information is provided for courtesy purposes only, and is an estimate not verified by medical or nutrition experts. Read the full nutrition disclaimer.