Spring Baking Lemon Rhubarb Strawberry Cake (Print Version)

Layers of lemon cake with fresh rhubarb, strawberries, and buttery almond streusel topping capture the essence of spring baking.

# Ingredient List:

→ Cake Base

01 - 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tsp baking powder
03 - ¼ tsp baking soda
04 - ½ tsp salt
05 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1 tbsp lemon zest
09 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
10 - ½ cup buttermilk

→ Fruit Filling

11 - 1 cup fresh rhubarb, diced
12 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
13 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
14 - 1 tbsp lemon juice

→ Almond Streusel

15 - ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
16 - ¼ cup granulated sugar
17 - ¼ cup sliced almonds
18 - ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
19 - ¼ tsp salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - Toss rhubarb and strawberries with sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside.
03 - Combine flour, sugar, almonds, salt, and cold butter. Rub with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Refrigerate until needed.
04 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
05 - Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in lemon zest and vanilla.
06 - Add half of dry ingredients to wet mixture, followed by buttermilk, then remaining dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
07 - Spread batter into prepared pan. Arrange rhubarb and strawberries evenly over batter. Sprinkle streusel topping. Bake for 40 minutes until toothpick comes out clean and top is golden.
08 - Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The magic happens when tart rhubarb mingles with sweet strawberries beneath a buttery almond blanket
  • This cake manages to feel fancy enough for company while being surprisingly straightforward to pull together
  • The combination of lemon zest and buttermilk keeps the crumb impossibly moist for days
02 -
  • The streusel must stay cold until it hits the oven, or it will melt into the cake instead of staying crumbly
  • Overmixing the cake batter makes it tough, so stop as soon as the flour disappears
  • Fresh rhubarb is essential here as frozen will release too much water and make the cake soggy
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not optional here, they are the difference between a dense cake and one that practically floats
  • The streusel can be made in a food processor if you prefer, just do not let it go too far or you will end up with almond butter
  • If your rhubarb stalks are thick, peel away the tough outer strings before dicing

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