Indulge in the Ultimate Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake: A Perfect Blend of Sweet and Tart

Prepare to be captivated by this magnificent Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake, a creation that perfectly balances the tangy essence of rhubarb with the sweet juiciness of fresh strawberries. Crowned with an irresistible crunchy sugar almond topping, this cake is more than just a dessert; it’s an experience. Its moist crumb, vibrant flavors, and delightful texture make it the ideal companion for your morning coffee, a luxurious addition to any brunch spread, or a comforting treat any time of day.

If your heart beats for the classic combination of strawberry and rhubarb, we’re confident you’ll also adore our delightful Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake – another must-try recipe that celebrates these two harmonious flavors.

Some culinary creations defy simple description, and this Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake is undoubtedly one of them. From the very first bite, you’ll discover a symphony of textures and tastes: a satisfying crunch from the almond streusel, a delightful sweetness, a refreshing tartness from the fruit, and an incredibly moist, tender crumb that melts in your mouth. This cake is truly the quintessential way to elevate your morning routine or impress guests at your next brunch gathering. I was absolutely thrilled with how effortlessly this recipe came together and how perfectly it turned out!

Why This Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake is a Must-Try

The marriage of strawberry and rhubarb is a timeless classic, celebrated for its unique balance of sweet and tart. It’s a flavor profile that evokes warmth, comfort, and the freshest tastes of spring and early summer. For many, including my husband, it’s an absolute favorite. I still recall the excitement in his voice when I sent him a photo of this coffee cake while he was at work; his immediate response was, “I want that!” He knows a good thing when he sees it, and this cake delivers beyond expectation. You’ll want to make sure to snag a slice quickly, as it tends to disappear fast!

Understanding Rhubarb Season: Fresh or Frozen, Always Delicious

Rhubarb truly shines during its peak season, typically spanning from April through June. During these months, you’ll find fresh, crisp stalks at farmers’ markets and grocery stores. Look for firm, bright red stalks that show no signs of wilting or blemishes. The brighter the red, the sweeter the stalk often is, though green rhubarb is perfectly fine to use and equally delicious. When preparing fresh rhubarb, be sure to trim off any leaves, as they are not edible.

However, if you’re craving this incredible Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake outside of its brief season, there’s absolutely no need to wait! Most well-stocked grocery stores offer frozen sliced rhubarb in their freezer section, ensuring you can enjoy this delightful treat all year long. Frozen rhubarb works wonderfully in this recipe and can be used directly from the freezer without thawing, making preparation even simpler.

Crafting Your Perfect Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake: A Step-by-Step Guide

Making this exceptional coffee cake is simpler than you might imagine, resulting in a show-stopping dessert that tastes like it took hours. Here’s a detailed breakdown to guide you through each stage:

Preparing the Batter:

1. **Start with the Wet Ingredients:** In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, a portion of the white granulated sugar, egg, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat these ingredients together until the mixture is light, creamy, and perfectly smooth. This forms the flavorful foundation of your cake.
2. **Whisk the Dry Ingredients:** In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda. Ensuring these dry ingredients are well combined helps create an even texture throughout the cake.
3. **Prepare the Milk:** Measure out the specified amount of milk (1/2 cup) and set it aside. This will be alternately added to the batter.
4. **Combine Wet and Dry:** Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet sugar mixture, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Beat until the batter is smooth and just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tough cake.

Assembling the Fruit and Topping:

1. **Toast the Almonds:** Place the sliced almonds in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Stir them occasionally until they are lightly golden brown and release a fragrant, nutty aroma. This crucial step enhances their flavor and adds an extra layer of crunch to the topping.
2. **Prepare the Fruit:** In a small bowl, gently combine the chopped rhubarb and strawberries with a tablespoon of flour. This clever trick helps prevent the fruit from sinking to the bottom of the pan during baking, ensuring a beautiful distribution of vibrant fruit throughout your coffee cake.
3. **Add Fruit to Batter:** Carefully fold the floured fruit mixture into the prepared cake batter. Distribute it evenly to ensure every slice gets a burst of strawberry and rhubarb.
4. **Prepare the Pan:** Pour the mixture into a well-greased 9-inch cake pan. For effortless removal of your baked goods, I highly recommend using these convenient round parchment paper with handles. They make getting your cake out a cinch!
5. **Create the Crunchy Topping:** In another small bowl, stir together the remaining white sugar, a pinch of cinnamon, the remaining toasted almonds, and melted butter. This creates a delectable, crunchy streusel-like topping.
6. **Sprinkle and Bake:** Generously sprinkle the almond streusel mixture evenly over the top of the cake batter.

Baking to Perfection:

1. **Initial Bake:** Bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes.
2. **Cover and Continue:** After 30 minutes, loosely cover the cake with aluminum foil to prevent the topping from over-browning, and continue baking for another 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. This indicates it’s perfectly cooked through.
3. **Cool and Serve:** Allow the coffee cake to cool slightly in the pan before carefully inverting it or using the parchment paper handles to lift it out. Once cooled enough to handle, cut it into 8 generous slices and serve warm or at room temperature.

The rhubarb within this Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake doesn’t just add a fantastic tartness; it also imparts a beautiful, subtle pink hue to the cake’s interior, making each slice as visually appealing as it is delicious.

Creative Variations for Your Rhubarb Coffee Cake

While the strawberry rhubarb combination is undeniably stellar, this coffee cake recipe is incredibly versatile, allowing for delightful modifications to suit your taste or what you have on hand:

• **Pure Rhubarb Bliss:** For those who adore the tart, unique flavor of rhubarb, you can certainly omit the strawberries entirely and create a sensational Rhubarb Coffee Cake. The tartness will shine through even more, offering a sophisticated and less sweet profile.
• **Berry Swaps:** Rhubarb pairs exceptionally well with a variety of berries. Consider swapping out the strawberries for raspberries, blueberries, or even blackberries. Each berry will bring its own distinct flavor profile and color to the cake, creating new and exciting versions of this classic coffee cake.
• **Spice It Up:** A touch more cinnamon, a hint of nutmeg, or even a pinch of ground ginger can further enhance the warm, inviting flavors of this cake.
• **Glaze It:** Once cooled, a simple powdered sugar glaze (powdered sugar mixed with a little milk or lemon juice) drizzled over the top would add an extra layer of sweetness and a beautiful finish.

The Sweetness Factor: Our Love for Sugar

If embracing the joy of sugar is considered a fault, then I wholeheartedly choose to be wrong! This Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake masterfully utilizes two types of sugar: rich brown sugar and classic white granulated sugar. Each plays a distinct role in achieving the perfect balance of sweetness and texture within the cake.

Both of these essential ingredients come from our wonderful sponsor, Dixie Crystals. For over a year, they have consistently supported me and the culinary events I participate in, and my admiration for their brand continues to grow. I deeply appreciate companies that recognize and value the work of bloggers, and Dixie Crystals truly stands out in this regard. Their high-quality sugars consistently deliver excellent results in all my baking endeavors. I also have some of their powdered sugar on hand, which I believe would create an absolutely fantastic, smooth glaze to drizzle over the top of this coffee cake, adding an extra touch of elegance and sweetness.

A Stunning Centerpiece for Any Brunch Table

Beyond its incredible taste, this Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake is a visual delight, making it the perfect centerpiece for your next brunch table. Its rustic charm, vibrant fruit, and tempting almond topping will invite everyone to gather around and enjoy. Serve it alongside fresh fruit, a hot pot of coffee, or even a mimosa for a truly memorable culinary experience. Its homemade warmth and inviting aroma will make any occasion feel special.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Prep 10 mins

Cook 40 mins

Total 50 mins

Author Megan | Strawberry Blondie Kitchen

Yield 8 servings

This Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake is sweet and tart with a fabulous crunchy sugar almond topping!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, white granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 1/4 cup, plus one tablespoon, all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/3 cup rhubarb, chopped
• 1/3 cup strawberries, chopped
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted*
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

*To toast almonds, add to a dry skillet over medium low heat.  Stir occasionally until lightly golden brown and fragrant.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Start by mixing together brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, egg, vegetable oil, vanilla and almond extract.  Stir together until smooth.
3. Into a medium, bowl whisk together 1 1/4 cups flour, salt and baking soda.  
4. Measure out 1/2 cup milk.
5. Add dry mixture into the mixing bowl with the sugar mixture alternating with the milk.  Beat until smooth. 
6. Toast sliced almonds until fragrant.
7. Into a small bowl add 1/4 cup toasted almonds and chopped rhubarb and strawberries.  Stir in 1 tablespoons of flour.  This helps from the fruit sinking to the bottom of the pan when baking.
8. Pour mixture into a well greased 9 inch cake pan.
9. Into a small bowl stir together 2 tablespoons white sugar, cinnamon,  remaining toasted almonds and melted butter.  Sprinkle over coffee cake.
10. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.  Cover with foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
11. Allow to cool slightly and cut into 8 slices and serve

Courses Breakfast

Cuisine American

BrunchWeek 2019: A Celebration of Deliciousness!

We hope you’ve been thoroughly enjoying the array of incredible recipes shared during BrunchWeek so far! It’s been a fantastic journey of culinary inspiration. I’m excited to share one last recipe with you tomorrow, so stay tuned for more deliciousness! But first, let’s take a moment to celebrate the wonderful sponsors who made this event possible and learn about the amazing prizes you could win for joining in the #Brunchweek festivities.

Welcome to #BrunchWeek 2019, proudly hosted by Love and Confections and A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures! Marking our 7th year, this event brings together 35 passionate bloggers from across the country, sharing over 140 of their finest brunch recipes. Throughout the week, we’ve delighted in an incredible variety of dishes, including refreshing cocktails, delectable appetizers, hearty casseroles, classic cinnamon rolls, inventive breakfast pizzas, irresistible coffee cakes, an abundance of desserts, and so much more! Our generous BrunchWeek Sponsors have made some fantastic prizes available, and we extend our deepest gratitude for their support. Please take a moment to learn about these wonderful companies and the exciting prizes up for grabs!

PRIZE #1 DIXIE CRYSTALS

Dixie Crystals is offering one lucky winner a Keurig K-Select Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker. Since 1917, Dixie Crystals® has been the South’s trusted choice for high-quality sugar and sweeteners. For generations, Dixie Crystals has been at the heart of family traditions and celebrations. Their pure cane, non-GMO sugar products consistently ensure that cherished family recipes turn out perfectly every time. Bake with love and Dixie Crystals.

PRIZE #2 CABOT CREAMERY CO-OPERATIVE

Cabot Creamery Co-operative is gifting one winner a delicious gift box filled with assorted Cabot cheeses. The farm families who own Cabot Creamery Co-operative pour their hearts into what they do, a tradition they’ve upheld every single day since 1919. Almost a century later, they continue to be proud of their thriving farms, strong communities, and happy, healthy cows that produce the rich, buttery milk used to create Cabot’s award-winning cheese and dairy products. They believe their accolades reflect their commitment to quality, and your enjoyment of their cheese allows them to continue this legacy for generations to come.

PRIZE#3 JOYJOLT

PRIZE#4 SWEETS & TREATS

PRIZE#5 TORANI

PRIZE#6 COOKBOOK SET

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Discover More Deliciousness from the #BrunchWeek Bloggers!

BrunchWeek Beverages:
4 Ingredient Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri from Hardly A Goddess
Grapefruit Lime Spritzer from Love and Confections
Dairy Free Peach Italian Cream Soda from Cookaholic Wife
Mango Strawberry Smoothie from The Mandatory Mooch
Peach Guava Italian Soda from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Peach Mimosas from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen

BrunchWeek Appetizers and Salads:
Deviled Ham Spread from Platter Talk
Eggs Benedict Cobb Salad from Sweet Beginnings
Everything Bagel Dip from Snacks and Sips
Savory Cheesy Pinwheels from Who Needs A Cape?

BrunchWeek Egg Dishes:
Lobster Eggs Benedict from The Redhead Baker

BrunchWeek Breads, Grains, and Pastries:
Banana Split Muffin Recipe from Creative Southern Home
Croissant French Toast Cups from Family Around the Table
Funfetti Cinnamon Rolls from Kate’s Recipe Box

BrunchWeek Main Dishes:
Sandwich Cake (Smörgåstårta) from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

BrunchWeek Desserts:

Blackberry-Mascarpone Dessert Pizza from Tip Garden
Brown Sugar Shortbread from Shockingly Delicious
Kiss Of Chocolate Cupcakes from Seduction in the Kitchen
Rainbow Biscotti from The Crumby Kitchen
Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake from Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
Wheatgerm Chocolate Chip Cookies from Simply Healthyish Recipes

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Disclaimer: Thank you to #BrunchWeek Sponsors: Dixie Crystals, Cabot Cheese, Joyjolt, Sweets & Treats, Torani, Sarcastic Cooking, Dessert for Two, Sweet Phi, and The Little Ferraro Kitchen for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #BrunchWeek recipes. All opinions expressed are my own. The #BrunchWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering, you grant permission to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Six (6) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. Winners have 48 hours to respond once chosen, or they forfeit the prize and another winner(s) will be chosen. The #BrunchWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #Brunchweek posts or entry.