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Rhubarb Cake with Butter Sauce 🍰🌿 — A Timeless Dessert with Tangy-Sweet Charm

 

This recipe uses pantry staples, comes together with ease, and makes a generous pan of 15 servings—perfect for feeding a crowd or enjoying as leftovers. It’s also a great way to use up fresh garden rhubarb or even frozen stalks.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 2 cups granulated sugar

  • 4 teaspoons baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 4 cups diced rhubarb (see note below about using frozen rhubarb)

  • 2 cups milk

  • 6 tablespoons melted butter

For the Butter Sauce:

  • ½ cup (1 stick) butter

  • 1 cup sugar

  • ¾ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Follow these simple steps to create a show-stopping dessert that requires no frosting—just a pour of heavenly sauce.

1. Prep the Oven and Pan

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan well. This ensures easy release and helps the cake bake evenly.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined. This forms the base of your cake batter.

3. Add the Wet Ingredients

Add the diced rhubarb, milk, and melted butter to the dry mixture. Stir gently until just combined. Over-mixing can lead to a tough cake, so be mindful to stop once everything is incorporated.

4. Pour and Spread

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and use a spatula to spread it out evenly. It will be quite full, but don’t worry—this cake bakes up beautifully.

5. Bake Until Perfect

Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Your kitchen will be filled with the irresistible aroma of sweet rhubarb.

6. Let the Cake Cool

Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan. This gives the crumb time to set before the butter sauce is added.

7. Make the Butter Sauce

While the cake cools, prepare the butter sauce. In a heavy saucepan, combine the butter, sugar, and heavy cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Let it boil for 1 full minute, then remove from the heat. Allow it to cool slightly to thicken.

8. Serve and Drizzle

Cut the cake into pieces and serve each slice with a generous drizzle of warm butter sauce. It’s best served slightly warm or at room temperature.

Notes

🕒 Recipe Summary

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes

  • Cooking Time: 45 minutes

  • Cooling + Sauce Prep: ~60 minutes

  • Total Time: 2 hours

  • Servings: 15 generous squares

  • Calories: Varies (based on specific ingredients used)

  • Author: niold.com