Easy Rhubarb & Ginger Cake with toasted almond topping is an utterly delicious and simple loaf cake. The tartness of the rhubarb contrasts beautifully with the caramel like sweetness of the Muscovado sugar and mellow warmth of the crystallised stem ginger.
If you’re looking for the best Rhubarb and Ginger Cake recipe then stop scrolling, I think you’ve found it!
Made with just 8 ingredients this easy rhubarb loaf cake is so simple yet incredibly moreish. I defy you to not have an extra slice!
This cake embodies the whole sweet and sour vibe!
Minced crystallised stem ginger gives a hit of mellow warmth throughout this luscious rhubarb cake which is finished off with the delicious crunch of toasted almond pieces.
The Ingredients
You will need:
- Rhubarb – pick the pinker-looking stems for pretty pink flecks in the cake if you can. However, pink forced rhubarb should be avoided as it’s too sweet.
- Softened butter – salted or unsalted (I leave my covered butter dish out on the counter these days for instant soft butter).
- Dark muscovado sugar – adds a beautiful caramel-like depth of flavour.
- Crystallised stem ginger (minced or finely chopped) – disperses evenly throughout this cake for an incredible flavour.
- Eggs – large.
- Plain white flour – or check out the substitutions below.
- Baking powder – make sure it’s in date!
- Blanched almonds (finely chopped) – these toast during baking to give a wonderful nutty flavour.
Substitutions
If you don’t have the exact ingredients to make this Rhubarb & Ginger Cake then there are a few substitutions you could make:
- Crystallised stem ginger could be substituted for stem ginger in syrup (and minced to a paste). However, stem ginger in syrup has to be used within 8 weeks of opening, whereas crystallised stem ginger keeps for 2 – 3 years. Hence, I find the crystallised ginger more convenient and there’s less danger of waste.
- White flour could be substituted for healthier white spelt flour which would add a further depth of flavour.
- Softened butter could be substituted for a buttery spread. I used to bake with buttery spread until the leading brand removed the butter from it, so now I use butter.
- Blanched almonds could easily be substituted for hazelnuts. Just don’t use toasted nuts as they toast during baking.
The Method (see recipe for full instructions)
Making ginger and rhubarb cake couldn’t be easier:
- Grease and flour a 1 lb loaf tin and scatter in the chopped almonds.
- Cream the butter and Muscovado sugar together with a whisk until light and creamy.
- Whisk in the eggs one at a time.
- Add the minced ginger and whisk in to disperse thoroughly.
- Sieve the flour and baking powder.
- Gradually fold the flour mix into the mixture with a large metal spoon (working in a figure of 8).
- Then fold in the rhubarb.
- Spoon cake batter into a loaf tin and smooth the surface with a spatula.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C for 48 – 50 minutes. Then tip onto a wire rack to cool.
What sized baking tin do you use?
I use a 1 lb loaf tin that predates the more modern 450g loaf tins that are slightly smaller. My 1lb loaf tins measure about 21.5cm x 11.5cm x 6cm (from the top) and have a capacity of approximately 1.25 litres.
You could use any other shaped tin as long as it has this volume. Just fill your tin with water then pour it into a measuring jug to test.
How long will rhubarb cake keep for?
This cake will keep for 3 days in a cake tin.
Can you freeze this cake?
Yes, you can, however, I find cake containing fresh fruit tends to make it a bit moist and sticky so if you can make it fresh it’s much better.
More Rhubarb and Ginger Recipes
Once you’ve made my Rhubarb and Ginger Cake, try the following delicious recipes:
- Rhubarb Pudding
- Rhubarb & Marzipan Cake
- Rhubarb & Ginger Jam
- Rhubarb & Gin Jam
- Rhubarb Compote with Vanilla Greek Yogurt & Meringue
- Rhubarb & Orange Food Dessert
- Rhubarb Bread Pudding with Orange Custard
- Rhubarb & Ginger Oat Crisp
- Easy Ginger Avocado Cake with Lemon Drizzle
- Pear Chocolate & Ginger Crumble
- Pumpkin & Ginger Jam
I know you’ll love this easy Rhubarb & Ginger Cake as much as we do!
Leave a comment and rating below when you’ve made this recipe; I love getting your feedback! You can also share your pictures by tagging @FabFood4All over on Instagram.
Pin Rhubarb & Ginger Loaf Cake for later!
Previously published 27/5/2013 (updated 17/5/2022).
Rhubarb & Ginger Cake
Ingredients
- 230 grams rhubarb chopped into 1.5cm pieces
- 30 grams blanched whole almonds finely chopped
- 150 grams butter softened
- 150 grams dark brown Muscovado sugar
- 30 grams crystallised stem ginger minced to a paste in a herb chopper/blender or very finely chopped
- 150 grams plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 190°C.
- Butter and flour a large loaf tin (21.5cm x 11.5cm x 6cm).
- Sprinkle chopped almonds into base.
- Cream (ie whisk) the butter and sugar together until light and creamy. (Takes about 10 minutes).
- Add the eggs beating in one at a time. Don’t worry if the mixture splits but it shouldn't if you've beaten it for long enough).
- Whisk in the minced ginger.
- Sift the flour and baking powder together and fold in gradually.
- Fold in the rhubarb.
- Place mixture into the loaf tin and spread out evenly with a spatula.
- Bake in the middle of the oven for about 48 – 50 minutes until cake springs back to the touch in the centre or a skewer comes out clean.
Odette Edley
Love this cake. Was just wondering if it will freeze so I can take it away with me.
Camilla
Hi Odette, I have to admit I have never frozen any cakes that I’ve baked but I think that the fruit would become icy and then once thawed deposit it’s water into the cake making it a bit soggy. So I wouldn’t freeze if it was me but you could take the chance.
Rachel
Do you need to pre cook the rhubarb please
Camilla
Hi Rachel, no it just cooks in the cake:-)
Euph
Lovely moist cake, the whole family enjoyed it.
Camilla
Awesome, so glad you all enjoyed it. Thank you for letting me know:-)
Keryn
Lovely….and now after posting on FB I have sent this recipe to alot of friends around the world….I didn’t have enough rhubarb so threw in a handful of raspberrys and used fresh ginger instead of crystallised. Also I would put the almonds on the top next time as I didn’t need to turn it upside down….easy and so yummy
Camilla
Great Karyn, so glad you liked it and made it your own:-) Thank you for sharing the link with your friends:-)
Mandy Street
I’ve just been given rhubarb from my daughters garden with a request “to bake something nice” this recipe looks promising.. However, as my son in law has a nut allergy the almonds will have to be omitted, is there an alternative you could recommend or should I just go without?
Camilla
Hi Many, I’d just leave them out.
Pat Morgan
I loved this cake. I used flaked almonds and stem ginger together with fresh rhubarb straight from my neighbour’s garden. So lovely and moist – I will definitely be making this again when rhubarb is back in season.
Camilla
Awesome Pat, so glad you like the cake. I’m growing rhubarb right now so must make this cake again when I finally pick it:-)
Linda
Great tasing cake definitely one to make again as everyone loved it. I used chopped walnuts instead of almonds and increased the nuts and ginger to 50g each.
Camilla
Hi Linda, glad you like the recipe and great to put your own stamp on it:-)
Brenda Bruce
Have just made this cake and it is so, so tasty. Anxious in case rhubarb would be too tart but this was not the case. I used stem ginger and this is perfect. Great recipe. Next bake will be rhubarb and marzipan!
Camilla
Excellent Brenda, so glad you like the recipe! I’m sure you’ll love my Rhubarb & Marzipan Cake too!
Kev Sargant
This recipe I will definitely use again. I used fresh ginger as I didn’t have crystallised and ground Almonds and sunflower seeds for the base,I only had duck eggs which helped the texture. Very pleased with the outcome.
Thank you.
Camilla
Thank you Kev, I really must re-shoot this recipe soon:-)
Julie Lewis
This cake was beyond delicious. As a vegan I swapped the two eggs for half a cup of blitzed bananas and cooked for a little less (I tested at 37 minutes as we have an Aga and that changes cooking times and it was done). I must say its the best cake I have ever tasted. I’ll definitely be doing this one again. Many thanks.
Camilla
Aaw, that’s so lovely to hear and love that you used banana in place of the eggs, I’ve been reading up on vegan egg replacements recently so can imagine that worked really well:-)