Delight your family and friends with this Old-Fashioned Strawberry Rhubarb Bundt Cake. It's so flavorful and tender that you'll wish rhubarb was in season all year long!
I've only become a rhubarb fan over the past few years. Before that, I 'thought' I didn't like it because I'd heard it was sour and bitter. Oh, how wrong I was! I DO like rhubarb and I especially love it in the Strawberry Rhubarb Bundt Cake!
And, now that I know better I like to take full advantage of rhubarb season as often as I can with desserts like this!
Table of Contents Found Here
- The ingredient list:
- Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- Why this recipe works:
- What does rhubarb taste and look like?
- Find out more information about rhubarb.
- What to look for when purchasing fresh rhubarb:
- What NOT to eat when it comes to rhubarb:
- How to store fresh rhubarb:
- Can rhubarb be frozen?
- Additional recipes featuring strawberries and rhubarb:
- How long does this strawberry rhubarb dessert take to make from start to finish?
- The easy instructions:
- Strawberry rhubarb Bundt cake is SO delicious!
- Rhubarb rocks!
- Additional Bundt cake recipes:
- Printable Recipe Card
- Please comment if you've made this recipe.
The ingredient list:
- Fresh Strawberries
- Fresh Rhubarb
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Almond Extract
- Canola Oil
- Butter
- All-Purpose Flour
- Ground Cinnamon
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Confectioners Sugar
- Vanilla Ice Cream (optional)
Kitchen tools and equipment needed:
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- spatula or wooden spoon
- bundt pan
- baking spray
- paring knife or chef's knife
- cutting board
- measuring cups and spoons
- large bowl
- cake tester or toothpicks
- cooling rack
- confectioners sugar shaker or sieve
Why this recipe works:
In my opinion, rhubarb and strawberries are one of Mother Nature's natural flavor combinations.
The tanginess of rhubarb matches perfectly with the sweetness of strawberries.
And, they both look so darned pretty when they're tucked away neatly into this super moist and flavorful Strawberry Rhubarb Bundt Cake.
What does rhubarb taste and look like?
Rhubarb is tart and tangy.
Most people won't eat rhubarb by itself because it can be described as sour. This is what makes rhubarb work wonderfully well in desserts where sugar and sweeteners are involved.
Rhubarb resembles celery in appearance except that rhubarb stalks are primarily reddish/pink in color.
Rhubarb can also be green in color. The green color of rhubarb doesn't affect the taste and doesn't mean the rhubarb isn't ripe.
Green rhubarb can be used for the exact same recipes as the reddish/pink variety. However, most people find the bright red or pink variety more visually appealing in baked goods.
Green rhubarb is also considered to be more mature, and according to some, may not have as much flavor as the red variety.
Believe it or not, rhubarb also comes in purple and yellow varieties.
Find out more information about rhubarb.
What to look for when purchasing fresh rhubarb:
Look for the plumpest stalks at the market.
Rhubarb should be firm in texture and have no bruises or blemishes.
The color of the rhubarb should be shiny and vibrant.
Rhubarb should also be crisp. Snapping off a tiny end is a good way of testing for crispness.
What NOT to eat when it comes to rhubarb:
Do you know that the leaves of the rhubarb plant contain oxalic acid which is poisonous to human beings? True Story.
However, you'd have to eat A LOT of rhubarb leaves in order to show signs of poisoning. That said, why chance it?
Most grocery stores remove the leaves from the rhubarb stalks before displaying them for sale. But, if you're growing your own rhubarb, or purchasing them from a farmers market, always remove and discard stems immediately, and never ingest them!
How to store fresh rhubarb:
Store rhubarb wrapped in plastic (so it doesn't dry out) in the refrigerator for 3 - 5 days.
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Once the rhubarb turns limp and slimy it is no longer useable and must be discarded.
Can rhubarb be frozen?
YES!!
It's a wonderful idea to purchase rhubarb in season, cut it into chunks, and then store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 9 months.
Having rhubarb at your disposal throughout the year is never a bad thing!!
Additional recipes featuring strawberries and rhubarb:
- Strawberry Rhubarb Bread Pudding
- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie from Sally's Baking Addiction
- Rhubarb Tarte from Masalah Herb
- Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce from Finding Zest
- Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake from Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt
How long does this strawberry rhubarb dessert take to make from start to finish?
The complete time from start to finish (including macerating, and cooling) is roughly 2 hours.
This Old Fashioned Strawberry Rhubarb Bundt Cake is super simple to make. It only takes a few easy steps.
First is cutting the rhubarb and strawberries into chunks and then to macerating them (soften and infuse) in a bit of sugar for 30 minutes before assembling the rest of the ingredients.
The easy instructions:
- Place the cut rhubarb and strawberries in a medium-size bowl with ¼ cup of granulated sugar.
- Stir well. Set aside and allow the fruit to macerate (soften and drink in the sugar) for 30 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, blend together the eggs, ¾ cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract, and the canola oil.
- Slowly blend in the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt until stiff batter forms.
- Using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the macerated berries until fully incorporated.
- Scrape the batter evenly into a prepared bundt pan that has been sprayed liberally with baking spray.
- Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove and cool on a wire tack for 15 minutes.
- Invert the semi-cooled cake onto a serving platter and allow to cool completely before dusting with confectioners sugar and adding fresh strawberries as a garnish, if desired.
Strawberry rhubarb Bundt cake is SO delicious!
The batter for this cake is thick....really thick.
But that's what enables the fruit to stay wonderfully suspended throughout the entire cake, and not sink to the bottom (make that the top) of the cake, when the cake is inverted.
In almost each and every forkful you take of this Old-Fashioned Bundt Cake you'll have a plump piece of strawberry or rhubarb, which is a very good thing!
Rhubarb rocks!
I hope you'll try this recipe before rhubarb season is a thing of the past. If you don't, you'll have to wait for another whole year!
By the way, you can find rhubarb stalks in the produce section (for a limited time in the spring) right where they sell the fresh strawberries. Look for them...you won't be sorry!
Additional Bundt cake recipes:
Lemon lovers, this is for you! This Meyer Lemon Bundt Poundcake is wonderfully dense, moist, and loaded with luscious, lively lemon flavor.
Chocolate Cherry Bundt Cake is a chocolate and cherry lover's dream come true! It's a rich, dense cake with a brownie-like consistency, and you have my promise that the chocolate and cherry taste will make you swoon with delight!
Gingerbread Bundt Cake with Zucchini is a deliciously moist and flavorful cake. It's a wonderful cake to serve any time of year, not just the holidays.
When you make today's recipe (and I hope that you will), I'd appreciate it if you'd take the time to come back and give it a star rating along with a comment on why you rated as you did.
Search engines such as Google appreciate comments and ratings and, in turn, will show my recipes to more people. Please look for the pink star rating box within the printable recipe card. Thank you!!
Printable Recipe Card
Old-Fashioned Strawberry Rhubarb Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- 5 medium fresh rhubarb stalks , halved, and cut into 1" pieces
- 1 pint fresh strawberries , hulled, halved and quartered (if needed)
- 1 cup granulated sugar divided
- 3 large eggs , at room temperature
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1¼ cup canola oil , or vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons butter , softened
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- confectioners sugar for garnish , optional
- fresh strawberries for garnish , optional
- vanilla ice cream for serving , optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place the cut rhubarb and strawberries in a medium-size bowl with ¼ cup of granulated sugar. Stir. Set aside and allow the fruit to macerate (soften and drink in the sugar) for 30 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, blend together the eggs, ¾ cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, and almond extract and the canola oil.
- Slowly blend in the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. The batter will be thick and heavy. Not to worry.
- Using a spatula or wooden spoon, stir in the macerated berries until fully incorporated.
- Scrape the batter evenly into a prepared bundt pan that has been sprayed liberally with baking spray.
- Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Remove and cool on a wire tack for 15 minutes. Invert the semi-cooled cake onto a serving platter and allow to cool completely before dusting with confectioners sugar and adding strawberries as a garnish, if desired.
- Serve the cake at room temperature, with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
I sincerely hope you've enjoyed today's strawberry and rhubarb Bundt cake recipe as much as I've enjoyed bringing it to you.
Should you have any questions or comments regarding anything you've seen on my site, please don't hesitate to reach out to contact me. It is always my distinct pleasure to get back with you just as soon as I possibly can!
Thank you so much for visiting me today in my Kudos Kitchen. I hope you found something you'll love and that you will come back and visit me often. Please know that there is always room for you around my kitchen table!
Until we eat again, I hope you have a delicious day!
Monica says
I made this cake twice. The flavor was great! The first time, I macerated the rhubarb and strawberries for 30 min. as directed, but as the rhubarb cooked, it left large air holes as the juices cooked out. I also thought it tasted a little oily. The second time I cut the rhubarb in about 1/2 - 3/4 inch pieces and left it in the sugar for a couple of hours, then added the strawberries to the rhubarb later (30 min. for the strawberries). I also substituted 2 tablespoons of butter for 1/4 cup of canola oil. The rhubarb left smaller air gaps and I liked the flavor better with less oil/more butter. I'm glad that this recipe fills the 10 cup pan when baked (some recipes fall short). The second cake in the Dahlia pan was especially nice.
Renée says
Thanks for the comment and the 5-star review, Monica!
I'm glad you were happy with the results.
Fondly,
Renee
Kelly Walsh says
My son loves Rhubarb, and was going to make this for his Birthday. However I can not find Rhubarb anywhere. Do you think I could use Rhubarb preserves instead? Thank you
Renée says
Hi, Kelly!
That's a great question, but since I've yet to try it, I can not answer your question with 100% certainty.
However, this is what I do know, and then you can base your decision from this information:
Rhubarb jam (unless unsweetened) has a lot of sugar, so you'll want to cut back on the amount of sugar (granulated and brown) called for in this recipe.
The best thing I suggest is that you taste (with less sugar, first) and adjust with additional sugar, if desired, according to your preferences.
In addition, jam will add more moisture to the batter. If using jam, I suggest reducing the amount of oil used in this recipe. For instance, use 3/4 cup oil (instead of 1¼ cup and see how the batter appears. If the batter seems to need additional moisture, add more until you feel the batter is a good cake batter consistency (much like a heavy pancake batter). A lot will depend on your ability to fiddle about and rely on your sense of appearance and taste.
Lastly, I'd be concerned that the jam would turn the batter pink. That may not be a deal breaker, but it's something to consider.
Let me ask you this...have you looked for frozen rhubarb? I think you'd have a better experience using that as opposed to the jam.
I would caution (if using frozen rhubarb) to thaw it thoroughly first and then pat it fully dry before adding it to the batter.
I hope this information gives you a little information on which to base a decision, one way or another, before proceeding.
I'd love to hear back from you about what you choose to do and how it worked.
Best,
Renee
Kelly says
Hi Renee
I wanted to follow up and let you know this cake was a big hit!!! My son was overjoyed. I was still unable to find fresh or even frozen rhubarb so instead of using the preserves, I did find canned rhubarb in light syrup, I used a little of the syrup and cut back on the oil. Turned out amazing! Everyone loved it especially my son. Thank you so much
Renée says
Hi, Kelly!
Thanks for following up and for the 5 star rating. I appreciate it.
I'm so glad you were able to find canned rhubarb and that your son loved the cake.
Yay!! That makes me so happy.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend and please visit again.
Fondly,
Renee
Lisa Deleo says
I know it’s called a Bundt cake and unfortunately I don’t have one. so is it ok for me to bake it in a cheesecake pan. I plan on lining the bottom and sides with parchment paper . If yes, any idea on how long to bake? Thanks
Renée says
Hello, Lisa!
Thanks for your question. It should work without any problems, but, as you already know, it will take longer to bake.
I would guess that it will take an extra 20 minutes, but I'm not positive. Keep an eye on it and after 20 minutes extra time,
test the center with a toothpick or skewer and if it comes out with batter, pop it back in for an additional 5-10 minute increments. If it comes out clean, it's done.
If, while it's baking, the top seems to be getting too brown before the cake is fully baked, cover it with foil and return it to the oven.
Since you won't be turning out the completed cake, you'll be releasing it from it's collar, allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes and run a butter knife around the sides of the pan before unlatching and removing the collar. Then, allow the cake to cool completely before adding the confectioners sugar and garnish (if using).
I hope this is helpful. Enjoy the cake. I really think you'll love the flavor.
Have a wonderful day and please visit me again!
Renee
Robert says
This looks delish. Do you think I could use all butter instead of canola oil? Thanks Ruthie
Renée says
Hi, Ruthie!
You can certainly use melted, and slightly cooled butter (measure for measure), in place of the canola oil.
Enjoy the cake. I'm sure you'll love it!
Renee
Laurel Carroll says
I'm looking forward to making this cake this weekend, but have a question: What cup-capacity Bundt pan should I use?
Rhubarb is a great all-around garden plant: It's hardy (I'm in Zone 4), versatile in recipes, and looks great just as a landscape plant. I treat it as I do my hostas: I cut off the flower stalks as soon as they start. This keeps the plants and leaves "younger" longer in the season than they would otherwise. I'm still cutting it into the fall, when my friends are asking me if I have any rhubarb. I always freeze a bunch in 2-cup amounts. It freezes beautifully.
Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Renée says
Hi, Laurel!
Thanks for your info on rhubarb. I appreciate learning gardening tips from seasoned professionals like yourself.
Please use a 12-cup bundt pan for this recipe.
Enjoy and I'd love to know how you like the cake.
Thanks and have a great day!
Renee
Susan says
I have eaten this Bundt cake and it was delicious. I have two questions. What can I use instead of spray to coat the pan, shortening and flour? Also is it okay to use whole wheat flour? Can’t wait to make it!
Renée says
Hello, Susan!
Yes, using butter (or shortening) and a light dusting of flour before adding the batter will work great if you'd like to skip the spray.
Whole wheat flour will also work, but I suggest you only sub in a portion of the WW flour (and make up the remaining difference with AP flour) so the texture of the cake isn't too heavy. I've not done it myself, but that's what I would do in this particular instance.
I hope this helps.
Take good care,
Renee
Judithering Friedman says
I tried the cake this evening so delish nice and moist
Renée says
That's wonderful, Judith! Thanks for getting back to me and letting me know.
I'm glad you adjusted the recipe to fit your tastes and preferences.
Take good care,
Renee
Judithering Friedman says
II II MADE THE BUNDT VAKE, I USED LESS SUGAR, 5 EGG WHITES, CAKE OUT OF PAN PERFECTLY I EVEN ADDED SHREDDED ZUCCHINA BUT HAVEN'T TASTED IT YET
Renée says
Sounds like it will be delicious, Judith! I love that you even use zucchini. Brilliant!!
Take good care,
-Renee
Karen Velthaus says
Question - I have a TON of Rhubarb coming up - my grandfather's root stock. My question is how much, in weight, is 5 stalks. The reason I ask is that my stalks are huge - some 1" in width.
Thanks,
Renée says
Hi, Karen.
I'd approximate it at about 2½ - 3 cups of cut-up rhubarb. In the grand scheme of things, the amount (whatever you decide to use) really shouldn't matter too much. However, if too much is added then the bake time for the cake may be off due to the excess moisture, and it may require more time in the oven. Make sure you use a cake tester or toothpick to determine doneness and be aware that this IS a moist cake, to begin with.
I hope this answer helps. I'd love to hear how you enjoyed this recipe. Please let me know.
Take good care,
Renee
Jennifer says
This was DELICIOUS! Thank you for the recipe!
Taryn says
Best bundt cake ever!
Marjory says
I thought I didn't like rhubarb either...but this is absolutely delicious!
Renée says
Thank you so much, Marjory. Glad you think so!
Jenn says
I'm so super excited to try this strawberry rhubarb cake!!! It looks so fluffy and delicious!
Renée says
That's a good way to describe it, Jenn. You're going to love it!
Lauren says
I love rhubarb! This cake looks really good.
Nancy Piran says
I have yet to try rhubarb! I looks so delicious!
Nutmeg Nanny says
This looks sooooo good! I love the strawberry and rhubarb combo....yum!
Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez says
I do love the way that the fruit is suspended evenly throughout! This cake sounds fabulous.
The Food Hunter says
Can you believe I've never eaten rhubarb.
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
I LOVE LOVE LOVE rhubarb! I didn't used to, but now I do (same as you) :). This looks heavenly!
Martha @ A Family Feast says
Such a classic flavor pairing! I love everything about this cake!
Cookin' Canuck says
Everyone in my family love rhubarb, and I know this cake would disappear in mere minutes!