I love the rhubarb season in Germany. The market is filled with fresh stalks of vibrant red rhubarb. Stalls are filled with rhubarb jellies, jams, and cakes or Kuchen. I wanted a light cake to accent this sweetened, tart, and distinguishing vegetable. This recipe can be made using egg whites and one whole egg which creates a very white cake or you can use wholes for a yellow cake. Either one will give you a light and fluffy cake.
This recipe is meant to be baked in a sheet-cake pan 9×13 with the rhubarb spread on top before baking. However, if you’re looking for a delicious white cake for parties or events it can also be baked in two round cake pans as a layered cake and then iced.
I happened to use a 10×8 oval cake dish which was too small so I used an additional round 6” cake dish and made an additional small cake. I shared it with one of the families in our apartment building. Apparently they enjoyed it since I received a message the next day requesting the recipe! So here I am typing away. I think you will enjoy it as well.
It keeps nicely in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. We like it warm so I slice it and zap it in the steamer or micro for 30 seconds and add my Coconut Whipped Cream while Lutz enjoys a scoop of vanilla ice cream on his. It’s light, moist, and not too sweet, plus the berry and rhubarb combo on the top adds a luscious tang.
Rhubarb Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup of mixed berries fresh or frozen
- 4 stalks of Rhubarb sliced
- 1/2 cup birch tree sugar
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cardamon
- 1 1/2 cup coconut cream (not milk)
- 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups gluten-free flour
- 1 tsp xanthan gum (omit if your flour contains it)
- 2 tsp of baking powder (Backpulver)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda (Natron)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup soft butter, ghee, or coconut oil
- 1 cup birch tree sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla or scrape the inside of a vinyl bean
- 1 egg
- 4 egg whites (or 2 whole eggs if you want a yellow cake)
Directions
- Step 1 Turn on the over to 350 degrees. Butter or oil a 9X13 sheet cake pan. (or 2 round cake pans for a layered cake)
- Step 2 Place the sliced rhubarb, berries,1/2 cup sugar, lemon, cinnamon, and cardamom in a bowl and mix well. Set aside.
- Step 3 In a small bowl place the coconut milk and stir in the vinegar. Set aside.
- Step 4 In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Step 5 In your standing or with your hand mixer beat the butter, ghee or coconut oil with the sugar on medium for 4-5 minutes until fluffy.
- Step 6 Add the vanilla or the inside of a vanilla bean.
- Step 7 Add the egg whites and egg(s) one at a time.
- Step 8 Beat on medium for 5 minutes. Scraping the bowl a couple of times.
- Step 9 Slowly add a third of the flour mixture alternating with a third of the coconut milk mixture. Blend well after each addition until all is incorporated.
- Step 10 Pour into your grease 9×13 sheet pan.
- Step 11 Pour the berries and rhubarb mixture over the top including the liquid. Use a spoon and swirl the berries and rhubarb gently into the top of the cake batter.
- Step 12 Bake for 45 minutes. Check the center with a sharp knife and if it comes out clean it is done. this really depends on the size of your pans. I used a 10×8 oval pan and took 60 minutes to bake.
- Step 13 Enjoy this cake warm with Coconut Whipped Cream or dairy-free ice cream!
I'm Melinda Stevens and living the life of a beach bum was inevitable since my father was a lifeguard for the city of Los Angeles. My memories of growing up on John Street in Manhattan Beach, California were filled with joy, excitement and adventures; until my world, as I knew it, fell apart when we moved to Del Mar, California. My father was offered the position as Captain of the lifeguards and we started the slow migration to the small deserted stretch of beach in 1963. At twelve years old, this seemed like the end of my life. Remember, I’m writing with clear hindsight now, ok somewhat clearer… Little did I know this would be the beginning of a new journey and give a bit more clarity to many of the events that led me to this new cooking adventure.