Strawberry Rhubarb Cake with Almonds
A moist cake bursting with sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
- 1 egg, large
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 240 grams all purpose flour (2 cups spooned and leveled) + 1 Tbsp
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, see notes
- 200 grams rhubarb, sliced, see notes (about 1 and 1/2 cups)
- 140 grams strawberries, diced (scant 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add egg and beat well until combined. Beat in lemon zest and vanilla bean paste.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, until just combined. Careful not to over mix. (I stop when there are still some streaks of flour because the next step involves more mixing.)
- Quickly toss together the rhubarb and strawberries with 1 tablespoon of flour (this prevents sinking). Add to the batter and fold gently!
- Pour batter into prepared pan. It is a think batter. Use the back of a spoon to spread out the batter evenly. Top with sliced almonds.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool. Dust the top with powdered sugar right before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- I recommend investing in a kitchen scale. I always measure flour by weight because it can make a big difference in the outcome of your baked goods. If you do not have a scale, Sally's Baking Addiction has a helpful guide for how to measure properly: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/how-to-measure-baking-ingredients/
- I rarely have buttermilk at home! I fill up the measuring cup almost to the top, and then add enough apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice) to bring it to the top (about 1-2 tablespoons). Let it sit while you are working through the other steps.
- I had the best results with thinly slicing the rhubarb. I tried dicing it at first and that resulted in everything sinking to the bottom and turning to mush.