Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake
This strawberry rhubarb coffee cake with a cream cheese filling and light crumb topping is a perfect spring and summer dessert.
Nothing screams spring to me more than seeing gorgeous pink stalks of rhubarb at the grocery store.
I never grew up eating rhubarb desserts, but when my husband and I started dating, he told me about the strawberry-rhubarb pies that his grandmother used to make, and how amazing they were. It didn’t take long to try my hand at my own strawberry-rhubarb pie, and then I went on a roll with rhubarb crumb cake, a rhubarb-ginger crumble, and vanilla bean rhubarb-ginger scones.
This fabulous coffee cake has a biscuit-like texture, along with a cream cheese filling and a quick and easy strawberry rhubarb jam baked right in… a perfect springtime dessert or brunch treat!
I made this for our Sunday dinner dessert last weekend, and it was met with rave reviews. A nice change of pace from heavy desserts, the multiple components make for a fantastic combination. If I’m not eating chocolate for dessert, then I’m quite happy eating something with a cheesecake layer!
Do you have any favorite rhubarb desserts? I’d love to play around with more recipes this spring, so share them below if you’d like!
Five years ago: My Dad’s Favorite Chocolate Birthday Cake
Seven years ago: Honey-Vanilla Sour Cream Pound Cake
Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake
Ingredients
For the Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
- 1 ½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) fresh strawberries, coarsely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) fresh or frozen rhubarb, coarsely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 tablespoon water
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces (226.8 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 egg
For the Cake
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- ¾ cup (172.5 ml) sour cream
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a circle of parchment; grease the parchment and set the pan aside.
- Make the Strawberry Rhubarb Jam: In a small saucepan, stir together the cornstarch and sugar, then stir in the strawberries, rhubarb and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Make the Cream Cheese Filling: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and mix to combine.
- Make the Cake Batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour and sugar, then cut in the butter until it is the size of small peas. Reserve ¾ cup. Stir the baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the remaining flour mixture. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, egg, and vanilla extract, then stir into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until thoroughly combined.
- Spread the batter (it will be thick) onto the bottom and ½ inch up the sides of the pan. Spread the cream cheese filling over the batter, leaving a ½-inch border. Spoon the strawberry mixture in dollops over the top, then sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture.
- Bake until the edges are golden brown, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool for 20 minutes, then loosen the sides from the pan and cool completely before serving. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
This a great tasting cake! Thanks for putting up.
Made this last night and it was delish! I didn’t have the rhubarb but first week of strawberries at the farmer’s market. Next time, I’ll definitely use them. The crumb on this was so good with a nice crunch on the ends. I may add almonds to the crumb that is spread over the berry mixture. It was yummy with the cream cheese mixture but needed more texture. Still excellent recipe though and good for dessert, brunch or with tea. Thank you!
Hi Leah, So happy to hear you enjoyed this, and thank you for the suggestions!
I live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and still have snow on the ground this time of year, so no fresh rhubarb yet. I do have some of my mom’s homemade strawberry rhubarb jam on hand. If I were to swap that in for the fresh jam, about how much would I need? Would I need to loosen the jam up, or do you think it would be fine as is?
Hi Erin! I would loosen up the jam a bit and use 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup. Enjoy! :)
Im looking forward to make this it looks so good.. Â Thanks for sharing the recipe..
My favorite is a cake with buttermilk in it (the best!) and streusel top. Â When you taken it out of the oven you poke holes in it and pour a mixture that includes evaporated milk, sugar and vanilla over the top! Â It’s the best!!
Hi Michelle!
Another beautiful recipe that I’m excited to try. I first encountered rhubarb here in Germany, and the Germans taught me that you have to “peel” it before baking with it. They do so by breaking the stalk in two or inserting a sharp knife just behind the red skin, then pulling the strands down from top to bottom. The result is probably easier to eat, but the beautiful red color vanishes when you pull the skin and strands off. (They do the same with celery, by the way, which I had never heard of when I was growing up in the USA.)
So, my question is: Are the strands bothersome in the jam, or do they “disappear” when they are cooked? Thanks & have a wonderful Easter!
Hi Betti, Oh that’s so interesting! I’ve not heard of that, but no, the rhubarb is not stringy at all once it’s cooked down. Thank you and Happy Easter to you!
Michelle, just wanted to let you know that I made this beautiful coffee cake (my first coffee cake ever) for my birthday this week. It was a big hit, and a very beautiful cake. Thanks for your reply above. I didn’t peel the rhubarb, and the red spots in the cake was so pretty.
Sooooo, I’m never peeling rhubarb again – yay! Your recipes are ALWAYS no-fail. I don’t know how you do it, but every single time I make one of your recipes, it turns out just like it should and my guests rave. I so appreciate what you put into your blog – I hope you know it’s really worth it! I’ve said it before: You have made me a better baker,. THANK YOU! Wishing you a wonderful rest-of-the-spring with your lovely family. :-)
You are so sweet, thank you Betti!
 I 100% agree about rhubarb screaming spring is here!!  Love the biscuit like texture of this coffee cake.  It looks reminiscent of swedish rhubarb cakes.  And anything with cream cheese is automatically 10x better than anything with our it;)  YUM!! Â
Strawberry rhubarb is my favorite! Love the cheesecake layer! I need to add this to our Easter brunch menu!
I just changed my Easter menu!!! This is just the dessert I was searching for. Thank you!
I love rhubarb! It is so underrated. This coffee cake looks fab and reminds me of the Entenmann’s ones of my youth.
Our rhubarb plants just started peeking through our garden. I’ve been so excited to bake with them and this is definitely something I am going to try!
This looks like a delicious recipe. We always have a ton of rhubarb from the garden, so I’ll definitely be giving this recipe a try this summer.
I can’t wait to make this coffee cake. We live in a fifth generation home in western New York and have a rhubarb patch in the back yard that was my husband’s grandmother’s. It must be 50-75 years old. I make sauce, pies, cakes, coffee cakes and even have  a punch recipe. Taste of Home magazine did a feature years ago on rhubarb. I have made many of those recipes. I have never tried a rhubarb recipe I didn’t like.Â
I must make this! Â I grew up picking rhubarb in our backyard. We would have a Dixie cup of sugar and dip the rhubarb right in. But I much prefer a good rhubarb dessert!
Grew up eating lots of rhubarb desserts as well, but usually with the strawberry. My husband loves it that way. I also grow it but the deer pound it and now they know my spot won’t leave it alone. So annoying!!! But I can buy huge bunches of it at roadside stands. This looks really good!
Hi Michelle! I love rhubarb as much as you do! I actually talked my husband into planting another half dozen rhubarb plants last spring, so I’m anxious to see if they are producing for me this year! You can never have too much rhubarb, and using fresh from the garden is so much better than the stuff from the grocery store. My little ones are always anxious to see the rhubarb starting to pop up in the spring – it’s a good thing! You’ll find a dozen of my favorite rhubarb recipes at SNOWFLAKESandCOFFEECAKES.com – here is the link: http://www.snowflakesandcoffeecakes.com/rhubarb.html
Hope that you enjoy!
UPDATE: I fell in love with your recipe and just took this out of the oven 30 minutes ago. It is gone. Demolished and vanished! Huge hit! Thanks BEB for another fabulous recipe!