Go Back
Print

Rhubarb Coffee Cake with Warm Vanilla Caramel

This rhubarb cake is soft, moist, and loaded with fresh rhubarb. Don't skip the caramel sauce!
Servings 1 9-in pan

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp butter room temperature
  • 3/4 cup sugar see notes
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk I used kefir
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen rhubarb diced

Streusel:

  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter melted

Vanilla Sauce

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 6 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease one 9-in square pan.
  • Dice your rhubarb and set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy.
  • Beat in egg.
  • In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Add half of the flour to the creamed mixture and mix. It doesn't have to be fully incorporated. Then add half of the buttermilk and mix. Continue alternating until flour mixture and buttermilk are done. Don't overmix.
  • Fold in chopped rhubarb and spread evenly in prepared pan.
  • For the streusel, in a small bowl, mix together flour, sugar, and melted butter until crumbs form.
  • Sprinkle evenly over the cake and bake for 30-40 min or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool.
  • While the cake is baking, make the caramel sauce. In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt butter. Add sugar and evaporated milk. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 2-3 min, or until thickened. The caramel will thicken more as it cools. Once done cooking, stir in vanilla.
  • Slice the cake and pour caramel sauce over each individual slice. Enjoy!

Notes

*By itself, this cake is very lightly sweetened, but with the caramel sauce, it's perfect. However, if you want a sweeter cake, you can do 2 cups sugar in the cake and 1/4 cup sugar in the streusel.
*I tried doubling this cake and baking it in a 9x13 in baking dish. While the cake was good, it was too doughy and cakey. If doubling this cake, bake it in 2 9-in baking dishes instead. 
*If doubling the caramel sauce, gently boil for 5 min.