Name: Rhubarb Cake with Vanilla Sauce
Ingredients: 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 egg; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, (melted); 1 cup buttermilk; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 2 cups flour; 1 cup diced fresh rhubarb; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, (melted); 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup butter; 1/2 cup evaporated milk; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

square slice of rhubarb cake on floral plate with vanilla sauce over cake

It’s rhubarb season! I love a good sweet & tart rhubarb dessert! And this rhubarb cake with vanilla sauce is simply amazing! My mom has lots of rhubarb growing in her garden right now, so Levi and I went over the other day and picked a bunch, and now I’m swimming in ideas of what to do with all my rhubarb.

Definitely on the list – making some of this Rosemary Rhubarb Lemonade that Caitlin shared last year – I loved that! Also worth making are these Strawberry Rhubarb Cupcakes!

I also couldn’t wait to try this cake out. I had it a few years ago at a family get together. It was made by my cousin, Emily, and I loved every bite! She shared the recipe with us, but I somehow lost it and kept forgetting to look for it every year during rhubarb season. But this year, I finally remembered!!

I’m so glad because I can’t get enough of this perfect cake! I don’t think it’s too overwhelming with rhubarb, in fact I might add a tiny bit extra the next time I make it. The cake is moist and delicious on it’s own – that sugar topping is so good! But the added vanilla sauce makes this the bees knees! I could eat this all day, every day!

square rhubarb cake on wood cutting board with jar of vanilla sauce next to cake

sheet cake cut into pieces with plate of cake next to it

rhubarb cake on small plate next to sheet cake of rhubarb cake and jar of vanilla sauce

Rhubarb Cake with Vanilla Sauce

Moist rhubarb cake with a crackly sugar top drizzled with a warm vanilla sauce.

Ingredients

For the Rhubarb Cake:

1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups flour
1 cup diced fresh rhubarb

For the Sugar Topping:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup granulated sugar

For the Vanilla Sauce:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Rhubarb Cake:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.
Grease a 9-inch square pan and set aside.
Using a stand or hand mixer, in a large bowl, blend together sugar, egg and butter.
Beat in buttermilk until smooth.
Stir in salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
Add flour and mix well.
Stir in rhubarb by hand.
Pour into prepared pan.

For the Sugar Topping:

Combine melted butter and sugar.
Sprinkle on top of batter.
Bake at 350º for about 40-45 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

For the Vanilla Sauce:

In a small saucepan over medium high heat, stir together sugar, butter and evaporated milk.
Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla.
Serve sauce warm over cake.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home, via my cousin Emily 🙂

slice of rhubarb cake on vintage floral plate with warm vanilla sauce drizzled on top of cake

What about you – are you a fan of rhubarb?

Be sure to follow our Food & Recipe Pinterest Board for more inspiration!

-Manda