Sour Cream Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Soft, tender and delicious sour cream rhubarb coffee cake! Baked with fresh lime and seasonal rhubarb, this sour cream rhubarb cake is easy to mix up. It is topped with a buttery pistachio crumble.

I love baking with rhubarb during rhubarb season! This cake is tender, sweet, a little bit tangy, crunchy, and just so delicious.

If you’re looking for another rhubarb recipe, try these Blueberry Rhubarb Cream Cheese Bars. For more coffee cake recipes, try my blueberry banana coffee cake and this apple cider coffee cake!

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Easy to make: This recipe is super easy to make!
• Tender texture: The sour cream gives the cake just a slight tanginess and very tender crumb.
• Fresh tasting: Lime and rhubarb are so delicious and fresh tasting together.
• Rhubarb cake: The rhubarb becomes tender as it bakes. It makes every bite so good.
• Brown sugar crumble: This crumble makes the perfect sweet, crunchy topping. Chopped pistachios take the place of some of the flour and cinnamon and lime zest flavor the crumble.

INGREDIENTS FOR RHUBARB COFFEE CAKE

Below are some useful notes about some ingredients. See recipe card below for full list of ingredients and measurements.

• Butter– The amount of salt in salted butter can vary among brands. I prefer to use unsalted butter and add my own salt.
• 1 large Egg– Take egg out of refrigerator at least 1 hour before baking.
• Sour Cream-Sour cream creates a moist and tender texture.
• Lime– Use the zest and juice. Lime juice gives the cake a little additional tanginess, but the lime taste is not detectable.
• Fresh Rhubarb-Rhubarb is a vegetable that grows in stalks straight from the ground. It’s sour and tangy but also a bit fruity. Depending on where you get your rhubarb, it can have big stalks or small stalks. Both kinds work.

SUBSTITUTIONS

• Pistachios- Instead of pistachios, use almonds, pecans or walnuts. If you prefer not to use nuts, just replace pistachios for additional flour.
• Sour cream- I recommend using sour cream if possible. Otherwise I recommend full fat Greek yogurt as a substitute.

Try my favorite Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies for the softest, most delicious sour cream cookies! I loved the recipe so much that I also made a lemon version. These Lemon Sour Cream Cookies are tangy, tender and so easy to bake up!

INSTRUCTIONS

STEP ONE-Prepare and chill the crumble. Zest the lime and chop the pistachios. Whisk to combine the flour, chopped pistachios, sugar, cinnamon, salt and zest. Use a pastry cutter, two forks or your fingers to cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until it forms small pebble-sized crumbs. Chill in the refrigerator until needed. 

STEP TWO- Cream the butter and sugar. Use a mixer to cream together the butter and sugar.

Add the egg and mix until combined. Mix in the vanilla and lime zest. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

STEP THREE- Add sour cream and flour. Using a rubber spatula, mix in half of the sour cream then stir in the half of the flour mixture and then the rest of the sour cream and flour. Stir til just combined.

STEP FOUR- Add the rhubarb and top with crumble. Stir in the rhubarb. Spread the batter into an 8 x 8 inch square pan. Top with the crumble.

STEP FIVE- Bake. Bake at 350 degrees for 33-37 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs when inserted in the center. Cool to room temperature before serving. 

EXPERT TIPS

• USE ROOM TEMPERATURE BUTTER: Leave the butter on the counter for about an hour. If you’re short on time or forgot to leave your butter out, check out this article on how to Soften Butter Quickly from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
• ACCURATELY MEASURE YOUR FLOUR: Avoid dredging your measuring cup in the flour. This packs flour in and causes you to use too much. To better measure your flour, spoon the flour into your measuring cup. Use a knife to level it off.

STORING

Store this cake in an air tight container in the refrigerator or at room temperature for up to 4 days.

This Rhubarb Coffee Cake recipe is such a treat. Its tender and moist and baked with a touch of fresh lime and seasonal rhubarb. It’s easy to mix up and is all topped with a buttery pistachio crumble. Amazing with coffee and perfect for breakfast, an afternoon snack or even dessert!

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