Description
A strawberry rhubarb coffee cake is a delightful baked good that perfectly balances a rich, moist cake with a vibrant, flavorful fruit filling and a crunchy, buttery streusel topping. The term “coffee cake” can be a bit misleading; it doesn’t actually contain coffee. Instead, it’s a cake traditionally served with coffee, often as part of a breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack. The star of this particular cake is the fruit filling, which features the quintessential spring pairing of sweet strawberries and tangy rhubarb.
Ingredients
Fruit Filling
- 2 cups chopped fresh rhubarb
- 1 (10 oz) package frozen sliced strawberries, thawed
- ⅔ cup white sugar
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
Cake Batter
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Crumb Topping
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Instructions
- Make the filling: In a saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in rhubarb and strawberries. Simmer over medium heat until thickened (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, and let cool.
- Prepare the batter: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In another bowl, whisk buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla. Stir into flour mixture until just moistened.
- Assemble: Spoon ⅔ of the batter into the prepared pan. Spread cooled fruit filling over top. Cover with remaining batter.
- Make the topping: Mix sugar and flour. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over the cake.
- Bake: Bake for 45–50 minutes until golden and a tester comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes
This coffee cake is best enjoyed slightly warm with a cup of coffee or tea. For an extra treat, serve with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. You can also swap rhubarb for raspberries or blueberries when they’re in season for a fruity twist.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 40
Keywords: Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Cake, Rhubarb and Strawberry Coffee Cake