Rhubarb Cake with Strawberry Glaze

Rhubarb Cake with Strawberry Glaze

A Sweet Spring Celebration for Family Birthdays

There’s something magical about spring — the gardens waking up, the warm breezes, and best of all, fresh rhubarb ready for picking. Yesterday, while out in the backyard, I spotted our rhubarb plants bursting with life. Perfect timing: I’m thinking about recipes from Lala’s Legacy and wanted to revisit this one. It’s simple, cozy, and bursting with flavor.

Why You’ll Love This Rhubarb Cake

• Uses simple pantry staples (plus seasonal rhubarb!)
• Moist, fluffy texture with a sweet-tart bite
• Bakes beautifully in loaf pans, bundt pans, or rounds
• Naturally adaptable — gluten-free, dairy-free, or nut-friendly
• Perfect with preserves, glaze, or a dollop of whipped cream

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups white sugar (or brown sugar for a deeper flavor)
• 1 egg
• 1 cup sour milk (or buttermilk, or DIY with milk + vinegar)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ – 2 cups diced rhubarb
• Optional: Chopped nuts for topping

For the Simple Strawberry Glaze:

• 2 cups frozen strawberries, thawed
• ½ cup sugar (adjust to taste)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons water
• (Optional) 1-2 drops red food coloring

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Prepare the Cake Batter

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease two loaf pans, a bundt pan, or two 9” cake pans.
• In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. No visible sugar granules should remain.
• Beat in the egg.
• Add the sour milk and mix until combined.
• On low speed, add baking soda, vanilla, and flour one at a time.
• Gently fold in the diced rhubarb.

Baking Tip: Overmixing the batter can cause your cake to sink in the center. Mix only until ingredients are just combined!

2. Bake the Cake

• Pour the batter evenly into prepared pans.
• (Optional) Sprinkle the tops with brown sugar and/or chopped nuts before baking.
• Bake for 35–50 minutes, depending on your pan size.
  Loaf pans usually take about 40 minutes; a bundt pan might take closer to 50 minutes.
• Cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then carefully loosen and invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Helpful Hint: Baker’s Joy spray is my secret weapon for easy cake release!

3. Make the Strawberry Glaze

• In a small saucepan, combine thawed strawberries and sugar over medium heat.
• Stir together cornstarch and water in a small bowl to make a slurry.
• Add the slurry to the strawberries and cook until the mixture thickens.
• Remove from heat and let cool slightly before drizzling over the cooled cake.

Optional: Skip the food coloring — the strawberries are naturally beautiful!

How to Serve

Slice the cooled cake and serve:

• Drizzled with strawberry glaze
• Spread with homemade preserves
• Topped with whipped cream
• Or simply as-is for a cozy afternoon snack