Name: Rhubarb Almond Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 225 grams / 1 1/2 cups light spelt flour; 100 grams / 1 cup almond flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon sea salt; 60 grams / 1/4 cup coconut oil; 100 grams / 1/2 cup coconut sugar; 2 large eggs; 125 ml / 1/2 cup nondairy milk, oat, almond; 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract*; 2-3 stalks rhubarb, sliced on a diagonal about 1.5cm (1/2 in.) thick

This recipe was originally published in May 2018. It has been updated as of May 2020 with improvements to the text and an updated recipe.

This cake is dairy free but not egg free, I’m afraid. The weight of the rhubarb kept causing the cake to fall after baking with eggless versions – I tried an upside down version but the taste wasn’t as good.

So, here we are, a buttery almond base, with a couple eggs in the mix, topped with rhubarb. Rich, not too sweet, and with a nice balance between the almond, rhubarb, and vanilla flavours. You might see what looks like cane sugar on the top of the cake, and that’s because I forgot to add the vanilla when mixing so I topped it with a packet of vanilla sugar instead.

I love rhubarb. It’s one of my favourite things about spring, and I share a number of new rhubarb recipes every year. Here’s a vegan lemon rhubarb cake, and a really great German rhubarb crumble cake with a yeasted base.

The crumb for this almond rhubarb cake is soft and a touch dense, very much like a coffee cake, so you can pack it up and cart it just about anywhere. Perfect for parties and a good way to use up some rhubarb! I always seem to end up with more than I can reasonably use. This recipe is adapted from my hazelnut fig cake, another great buttery nut-based cake.

Almond rhubarb cake with a slice cut and turned on its side.

What’s in this cake?

Light spelt flour
Almond flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Coconut oil
Coconut sugar
Two eggs
Non-dairy milk
Apple cider vinegar
Vanilla
A couple stalks of rhubarb

Almond rhubarb cake on a large round metal cooling rack.

Method

This method is a bit different from my cakes usually are, so it’s worth reading. You’ll need a spring form pan (though I’m sure a regular cake pan is fine, I haven’t tried it).

The dry ingredients are sifted together in a large bowl, and then the coconut oil and coconut sugar are beaten in a separate bowl until lightened in colour. Add the eggs, mix again, add the remaining ingredients, then mix it into the large bowl with the flour mixture.

This is more typical of a regular eggs, butter, and sugar cake, than how I usually make dairy free and vegan cakes. It’s a couple more steps and a couple minutes more time, but it’s what gives this cake such a good texture.

Rhubarb cake with a slice cut on a metal cooling rack.

Substitutions

As always, all-purpose or regular white flour can be substituted for light spelt. Another nut flour (like hazelnut) can be used instead of almond flour if preferred, and cane sugar can take the place of coconut.

As mentioned above, I don’t have a substitute for the eggs or a way to make this vegan/egg-free. I also haven’t tried with an oil other than coconut as it needs to be solid.

Vanilla is so expensive now, and I often don’t have any, but a touch of cardamom makes a good substitute here.

More Rhubarb Recipes

Rhubarb Ginger Muffins
Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
Rhubarb Almond Tart
Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Here’s a small collection of healthy rhubarb recipes!

Rhubarb topped cake with a slice removed to show interior crumb.

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Yield: 1 cake

Rhubarb Almond Cake

A healthy dairy free rhubarb almond cake with spelt and almond flour, topped with plenty of rhubarb for a sturdy, picnic-ready spring coffee cake.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Bake Time 35 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

225 grams / 1 1/2 cups light spelt flour
100 grams / 1 cup almond flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
60 grams / 1/4 cup coconut oil
100 grams / 1/2 cup coconut sugar
2 large eggs
125 ml / 1/2 cup nondairy milk, oat, almond
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract*
2-3 stalks rhubarb, sliced on a diagonal about 1.5cm (1/2 in.) thick

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F and grease a 20cm / 8 inch springform pan with coconut oil. Set aside.
In a large bowl, sift together the spelt flour, almond flour, baking power, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut oil and coconut sugar until fully combined and slightly lightened in colour (you can also use electric beaters), about 3-4 minutes. Whisk in the eggs until incorporated, then add the milk, vinegar, and vanilla. Stir to fully combine.
Add the milk mixture to the larger bowl and whisk gently until just combined. Don't over-mix, spelt is sensitive.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, then top with the rhubarb in a spiral shape. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cakes comes out clean. Cool for ten minutes in the pan before removing the sides and cooling completely on a rack.

Notes

• Of course you don't have to add the rhubarb in a pattern, if you just throw it on it'll taste the same.

* I know vanilla is really expensive - it can be substituted for here with a 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom instead.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 268Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 237mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 5gSugar: 12gProtein: 8g

This data is provided by a calculator and is a rough estimation of the nutritional information in this recipe.