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Rhubarb Sour Cream Cake

Rhubarb sour cream cake with moist, tender crumb and visible rhubarb pieces, finished with a crunchy cinnamon streusel topping. Bakes in a 9x13 pan like a classic coffee cake for easy slicing.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
cooling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For cake
  • 2.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 0.5 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cup fresh rhubarb diced
For topping
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.25 cup butter cold
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and batter
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Mix sour cream, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until combined.
  4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just mixed.
  5. Fold in fresh rhubarb until evenly distributed in the batter.
  6. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan.
Make topping and bake
  1. Mix brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and cinnamon for the streusel base.
  2. Cut cold butter into the dry topping mixture until it forms crumbly bits.
  3. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter.
  4. Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
  5. Cool for 30 minutes before serving to set the crumb and keep rhubarb pieces from sliding.

Notes

For the best texture, fold the rhubarb in gently so you don’t overwork the batter—visible pieces should stay intact. Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days; rewarm individual slices in the microwave for 10–20 seconds. Freezing: yes, freeze slices in an airtight container for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, use low-fat sour cream (about 2%); the crumb will be slightly less rich but still tender.