Classic Rhubarb Crumb Cake

I have few complaints about living in Florida.  It’s actually been a pretty exceptional experience that I am sometimes in awe of.  I’ve been some seriously cool places, met some incredibly awesome people, and I feel a peace and happiness I haven’t felt in a very long time.

A lot of this probably has to do with weather – sunshine!  Blue sky!  And the ability to discover an entirely new place with a seemingly endless amount of things to explore.  Maybe some of it has to do with me being more open and working constantly toward being a more positive person, but that was definitely more difficult to do in months of grey, cold days.

There are definitely things I miss.  People, places, tulips and daffodils, flowering pear trees, rhubarb.  Yeah, I said rhubarb.  As someone who loves to cook and bake, I do miss those pink celery like stalks of sour goodness.  A friend grew serious rhubarb and shared it with me, and it was in every market when in season.

In Florida, not so much.  The same goes for ramps, but that’s a different story for a different day.

Luckily I can have some rhubarb shipped in from The Chef’s Garden in Ohio, a go-to produce source for me since the beginning of the pandemic.  This year’s rhubarb was particularly nice and this classic rhubarb crumb cake is one of two recipes I made with it.

In some ways there’s not a lot to say about this cake.  It’s everything you know and love about crumb or coffee cake.  Those craggy, crunchy, lightly spiced crumbs that I dare you not to pick off the cake every time you walk past.  The tender, tart rhubarb.  The rich cake that stands up to those toppings with big flavor and personality.

You just have to get your hands on some rhubarb and make this cake.

Classic Rhubarb Crumb Cake

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★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Laura
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: 10 servings 1x

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Description

Lightly spiced crumb topping on top of tender and tart rhubarb all on the base of a rich and flavorful cake for a perfect breakfast or snack treat.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Crumbs

1 cup paleo flour blend (2 cups almond flour, ¾ cup coconut flour, 1 ¼ cups tapioca starch)

1 teaspoon ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

¾ cup almonds, coarsely chopped

½ cup coconut sugar

¼ cup pure maple syrup

6 tablespoons olive oil

Cake

1 ½ cups paleo flour blend

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

2 teaspoons vanilla bean powder

½ cup coconut oil

¼ cup maple sugar

2 large eggs

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

2 heaping cups thinly sliced rhubarb

¼ cup maple syrup

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Instructions

Preheat oven too 350 degrees F/ 325 degrees F convection.  Oil a 9 inch cake pan.

Make the crumb topping.  In a medium bowl, stir together flour, ginger, cinnamon, almonds, and sugar until combined.  Stir in syrup and oil until clumps of various sizes form.  Set aside.

Make the cake.  In a large bowl, cream oil, vanilla, and sugar until well combined and slightly lightened in texture and color.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Stir in half the flour, followed by the almond milk.  Stir in the remaining flour, baking soda, salt, and cardamom, just until the batter comes together.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Top with an even layer of the rhubarb.  Drizzle the rhubarb with the maple syrup.  Sprinkle with crumb topping and bake about 1 hour until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs.  Cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving.

Cake may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or frozen, wrapped in parchment and foil, and placed in a zipper bag, for up to 3 months.  Thaw in the microwave about 1 minute.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Food52