The Best Almond Rhubarb Coffee Cake for Spring Baking

Welcome the spring season with this incredibly moist and flavorful Almond Rhubarb Coffee Cake. This recipe perfectly balances the tartness of fresh rhubarb with the subtle sweetness and richness of almond, making it the ideal centerpiece for brunch or an afternoon treat. Get ready to bake a cake that everyone will request again and again.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This Almond Rhubarb Coffee Cake is a must-try because it elevates the humble coffee cake format with sophisticated flavor pairings. The crumb topping, infused heavily with almond extract and almond flour, stays perfectly crisp while the cake base remains wonderfully tender. It’s simple enough for a weekday morning bake but beautiful enough to serve at a spring gathering, showcasing beautiful pink rhubarb ribbons throughout.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
• 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (for topping)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (for topping)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for topping)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for topping)
• 1/4 cup almond flour (for topping)
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (for topping)
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional, for topping)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch square baking pan or line it with parchment paper, allowing an overhang for easy removal.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer.
4. Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until just combined. Mix in the sour cream until smooth.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix.
6. Gently fold in the chopped rhubarb pieces into the batter.
7. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan.
8. Prepare the crumb topping: In a separate bowl, combine the 1 cup all-purpose flour, brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, cinnamon, and almond flour.
9. Cut in the 4 tablespoons of cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the sliced almonds, if using.
10. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter.
11. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The topping should be golden brown.
12. Let the coffee cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving warm or at room temperature.

Expert Tips / Pro Tips

To ensure the most tender crumb and best rise, make sure your butter, egg, and sour cream are all at room temperature before starting. Cold ingredients do not emulsify properly, leading to a denser cake. When chopping rhubarb, try to keep the pieces uniform in size so they distribute evenly throughout the batter. For a cleaner bake, toss the rhubarb pieces lightly in a tablespoon of flour before folding them into the batter; this helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom.

Variations & Substitutions

If fresh rhubarb is unavailable, you can substitute it with 1 1/2 cups of frozen rhubarb (do not thaw first). For an enhanced almond flavor, you can substitute half of the all-purpose flour in the batter with almond flour. If you prefer a glaze over crumbs, you can omit the almond topping entirely and drizzle the cooled cake with a simple glaze made from 1 cup powdered sugar whisked with 2-3 tablespoons of milk and an extra 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract.

Serving Suggestions

This Almond Rhubarb Coffee Cake is wonderful served warm on its own, complementing a hot cup of coffee or tea perfectly. For a slightly richer dessert experience, serve it alongside a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream. It also pairs beautifully with a light dusting of powdered sugar just before serving for visual appeal.

Storage, Freezing & Reheating

Store leftover coffee cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. If your kitchen is warm or humid, storing it in the refrigerator can extend its freshness slightly, though it may cause the cake to firm up. To freeze, wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature. To reheat slices, microwave briefly (about 15-20 seconds) or warm in a toaster oven until just heated through.

Nutrition Information

Note: Nutritional information is an estimate and can vary based on specific ingredient brands and amounts used.

FAQ

Can I use different fruit instead of rhubarb?

Yes, you can substitute the rhubarb with similar tart fruits like chopped cranberries or blueberries. If using sweeter fruits like apples, you might want to slightly reduce the amount of granulated sugar in the cake batter by about 2 tablespoons.

How do I know when the Almond Rhubarb Coffee Cake is done baking?

The cake is done when the edges pull slightly away from the sides of the pan, the topping is golden brown, and a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs attached (not wet batter).

Why is my crumb topping wet or greasy?

This usually happens if the butter used in the topping mixture was too warm or melted when mixed in. Ensure the butter is cold and cut into small pieces, and use your fingers or a pastry blender quickly to maintain that crumbly texture before sprinkling it on top.

Almond Rhubarb Coffee Cake

A moist, tender coffee cake featuring tart rhubarb swirls and a crunchy almond streusel topping. Perfect for brunch or an afternoon treat.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 10 slices

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 390

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the Rhubarb Filling

• 2 cups Fresh Rhubarb Chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Cornstarch

For the Cake Batter

• 1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tablespoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter Softened
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 large Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup Sour Cream or Plain Yogurt
• 2 tablespoons Almond Extract

For the Almond Streusel Topping

• 3/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Slivered Almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter Cold, cubed

Method

 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan. Prepare the rhubarb filling by tossing the chopped rhubarb, 1/4 cup sugar, and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Prepare the streusel topping: In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, slivered almonds, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Cover and chill until needed.
3. Prepare the cake batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together the softened butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla and almond extracts.
4. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the sour cream to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry mixture. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
5. Spread half of the cake batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle the rhubarb mixture evenly over the batter. Top with the remaining cake batter, gently spreading it over the rhubarb layer.
6. Sprinkle the chilled almond streusel topping evenly over the top of the cake batter. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing and serving warm or at room temperature.

Notes

If fresh rhubarb is unavailable, frozen (do not thaw) can be substituted. For an even richer flavor, use almond flour in place of 1/2 cup of the AP flour in the main cake batter. This cake keeps well covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.