Rhubarb Bundt Cake
This tender, golden rhubarb bundt cake is packed with fresh rhubarb and topped with a sweet vanilla glaze, making it the easiest showstopping dessert you'll bake all spring.
The Rhubarb Cake Recipe You Will Come Back to Every Spring
If you have ever stood in a garden or farmers market staring at those bold red-pink stalks wondering what to do with them, this rhubarb bundt cake is your answer. It is the kind of old-fashioned, unpretentious bake that fills your kitchen with a warm, sweet-tart aroma and disappears from the cake plate before you even get to announce dessert.
This is not a fussy recipe. It is a simple rhubarb cake recipe built on a buttery, tender crumb held together with sour cream, kissed with cinnamon, and loaded with jammy pockets of fresh rhubarb in every single slice. Finished with a clean vanilla glaze, it is effortlessly beautiful without a single piping bag in sight.
Whether you are searching for a quick rhubarb cake recipe to use up a garden surplus or an easy rhubarb cake worthy of a special occasion, this one covers both.
Why This Recipe Works
A lot of vintage rhubarb cake recipes call for a box of cake mix, and there is nothing wrong with that approach. But this from-scratch version is genuinely just as quick and delivers so much more depth of flavor. Here is what makes it special:
- Sour cream keeps the crumb incredibly moist and adds a slight tang that mirrors the rhubarb's tartness beautifully
- Fresh rhubarb is folded in raw, so it softens into tender, jewel-like pieces during baking rather than turning to mush
- Cinnamon adds warmth without overpowering the star ingredient
- A simple glaze rather than heavy frosting lets the cake shine on its own
Chef's Tip: If your rhubarb stalks are particularly thick, split them lengthwise before chopping. Smaller, more uniform pieces distribute more evenly through the batter and give you rhubarb in every forkful.
Fresh vs. Frozen Rhubarb
Fresh rhubarb is ideal for this rhubarb cake recipe with fresh rhubarb, giving you the best texture and brightest color. Look for stalks that are firm and deeply colored. Avoid any with large, fibrous strands or limp, rubbery feel.
That said, frozen rhubarb is a perfectly acceptable substitute and means you can enjoy this cake well outside of rhubarb season. The golden rule: never thaw it first. Add it straight from frozen into the batter, and the moisture difference will be negligible.
Tools and Ingredients That Make a Difference
The right bundt pan makes all the difference between a cake that slides out cleanly and one that leaves half of itself behind. A well-seasoned or non-stick 10 to 12-cup pan is worth having in your kitchen for recipes like this.
How to Make Sure Your Bundt Cake Does Not Stick
This is the question every baker has. The answer is preparation and patience.
- Grease generously and thoroughly. Use softened butter or a non-stick baking spray with flour. Get into every ridge with a pastry brush.
- Flour after greasing. Tap out the excess. The combination of fat and flour creates a release barrier.
- Cool for exactly 15 minutes. Not five, not thirty. Fifteen minutes lets the cake firm up enough to hold its shape but not so long that steam builds up and creates suction.
Warning: Skipping the full cool time is the number one reason bundt cakes crack or stick. Set a timer and walk away.
Ready to bake the best rhubarb bundt cake of your life? Here is the full step-by-step recipe:
Rhubarb Bundt Cake
This tender, golden rhubarb bundt cake is packed with fresh rhubarb and topped with a sweet vanilla glaze, making it the easiest showstopping dessert you'll bake all spring.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cups sour cream, full-fat, room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups fresh rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 0.5-inch pieces
- 1 cups powdered sugar, sifted, for glaze
- 2 tbsp whole milk, for glaze, adjust for consistency
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, for glaze
Instruction
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Generously grease and flour a 10 to 12-cup bundt pan, making sure to coat every crevice. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until well combined. Set aside.
In a large bowl using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla extract.
Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just until each addition is incorporated. Do not overmix.
Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the fresh rhubarb pieces until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Pour and spread the batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan. Tap the pan gently on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.
Bake for 50 to 58 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the thickest part of the cake comes out clean and the top is deep golden brown.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for exactly 15 minutes. Then, carefully invert the cake onto the wire rack and let it cool completely before glazing, at least 1 hour.
Once the cake is fully cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth. The glaze should be thick but pourable. Drizzle it over the cooled bundt cake and let it set for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
Equipment
- 10 to 12-cup bundt pan
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Rubber spatula
- Whisk
- Wire cooling rack
- Wooden skewer or toothpick
Notes
Serving and Storing Your Rhubarb Bundt Cake
This cake is stunning served at room temperature with a cup of coffee or a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside. The glaze sets to a soft, slightly matte finish that slices cleanly.
Storage tips:
- Room temperature, covered: up to 2 days
- Refrigerator, covered: up to 5 days
- Freezer, unglazed and wrapped tightly: up to 3 months
If you are making this as a rhubarb recipes cake for a gathering, bake it the day before and glaze it the morning of. It actually tastes even better after resting overnight as the flavors deepen and the crumb settles.
Happy baking, and may your bundt cake always release on the first try.
