Spring Baking Lemon Rhubarb Strawberry Cake (Printable view)
Tender lemon cake layered with tangy rhubarb, juicy strawberries, and almond streusel topping for the perfect spring dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake Base
01 - 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tsp baking powder
03 - ¼ tsp baking soda
04 - ½ tsp salt
05 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 tbsp lemon zest
09 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
10 - ½ cup buttermilk
→ Fruit Filling
11 - 1 cup fresh rhubarb, diced
12 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
13 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
14 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
→ Almond Streusel
15 - ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
16 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
17 - ¼ cup sliced almonds
18 - ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
19 - ¼ tsp salt
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - In a small bowl, toss rhubarb and strawberries with 2 tbsp sugar and lemon juice. Set aside.
03 - Combine flour, sugar, almonds, salt, and cold butter in a bowl. Rub with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Refrigerate until needed.
04 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
05 - In a separate large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in lemon zest and vanilla.
06 - Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet, followed by buttermilk, then the remaining dry mixture. Mix until just combined.
07 - Spread cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Scatter rhubarb and strawberries evenly over the batter. Sprinkle streusel over the top.
08 - Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden.
09 - Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack. Slice and serve.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The tender cake base strikes the perfect balance between sweet and tangy, letting the fruit shine while the almond streusel adds this incredible buttery crunch that keeps people coming back for seconds.
- It's one of those deceptively simple cakes that looks like it came from a fancy bakery but comes together in under an hour, making it perfect for last minute guests or when you just need something beautiful on a Sunday afternoon.
02 -
- Cold butter is absolutely crucial for the streusel, if it starts melting before it hits the oven, you'll lose that beautiful crumbly texture and end up with a dense layer instead.
- Don't be tempted to add more fruit than the recipe calls for, too much moisture will make the cake soggy in the center no matter how long you bake it.
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients are your best friend here, if your butter is too cold it won't cream properly, and if it's too warm the cake could turn out dense.
- Line your cake pan with parchment paper that comes up the sides a bit, those fruit juices can get sticky and you'll thank yourself when the cake releases cleanly.