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It is such a luxury this year to have all the rhubarb I could want. Our oldest plants are finally 3 years old, which means we can pick from them pretty freely – yay!
As my Mom reminded me on a another rhubarb post a few weeks ago, my grandmother loved rhubarb, and I can still remember the gooey sweet and tart pies that she made with it. She would give us little bits to eat raw, and even though it was so puckery-sour that it nearly turned us cross-eyed, we ate them anyway. They were a taste of spring; a part of visiting there and spending time with her while she worked in the yard. I can’t imagine there was any more welcome depression-era sight than the long stalks and big leaves of rhubarb coming up every year. No work to plant, nothing to peel or seed – just juicy yumminess leaping from the ground with rampant abandon as soon as the weather warmed up a bit. No wonder grandma was such a fan!
I think modern cultivars of rhubarb are sweeter than the old-time kinds my grandmother grew. I have one old-fashioned plant that a friend gave me and it has bigger, greener stalks that are definitely more on the sour side. Then I have a number of plants with more slender, bright red stalks – these are almost sweet enough to eat on their own. I like to combine the two kinds to get the best of each of them. This kuchen is an awesome way to do that – and despite being a yeasted cake, it is surprisingly easy and fast to get together.
If you look up “kuchen” online, you will find there is actually more than one baked good called by this name – some are custard filled cakes, some a thicker cinnamon topped cake, and then this type, which is more like a coffee cake than anything else. The rich buttery cake layer is topped with tart spiced rhubarb and then with a layer of crunchy sweet streusel. You can mix the whole thing up with just a whisk and wooden spoon. 
Rhubarb Kuchen
Ingredients
Filling
- 2 - 3 cups rhubarb cut in 1/4 inch pieces
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- pinch salt
Cake
- 2 & 1/4 cups all purpose flour divided
- 1 packet granulated yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 honey
- 1/4 cup soft butter
- 1 large egg
Topping
- 4 teaspoon very soft butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cinnamon
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Generously butter two 8 or 9 inch cake pans
- Combine the filling ingredients and set aside, stirring every few minutes - it will become very syrupy as the sugar melts and the rhubarb lets out its juice.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 & 1/4 cups of the flour, the yeast and salt.
- Measure the milk, butter and honey into a 2 cup glass measure, or a small glass bowl, and microwave on low until the milk is warm - stir to melt the butter and get everything combined well. [this can be done on the stovetop, in a small pan, if you prefer]. You should be able to hold your finger in the mixture without feeling like it's burning you - if it is too hot, let it sit a few minutes before going to the next step.
- Whisk the milk mixture into the flour mixture and whisk for a couple minutes, until the batter is very smooth.
- Whisk in the egg.
- Switch to a wooden spoon and mix in the final cup of flour, until well combined and the batter is fairly smooth.
- Divide the batter between the two buttered 8 or 9 inch cake pans and spread to the edge - you can dampen your fingers to do this, or use a silicone spatula. I use a scale to get an equal amount in each pan.
- Divide the rhubarb mixture evenly between the pans, getting it spread evenly over the cake layer.
- Use a pastry cutter or a fork to blend the topping ingredients together - it will be a rather crumbly texture.
- Spread the topping evenly over the rhubarb layer.
- Set in a warmish place to rise for an hour.
- Preheat oven to 350º, and bake the cakes for around 40 minutes.
- Use a toothpick to test that the cake layer is done - there should be no crumbs on it at all. The fruit layer should be bubbly, and the topping nicely browned.
- Cool in pans on a rack.
- The cake can be served from the pan, or you can put it on a plate by loosening around the edge with an offset spatula, and then kind of keeping the spatula under the cake as you guide it onto a plate. Serve warm or at room temperature. You can top it with a bit of glaze [1 cup confectionery sugar with cream mixed in to give it a drizzle-able consistency], whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, creme fraiche, Greek yogurt - or just eat it plain.
- Store leftovers in the fridge or wrap tightly and freeze to keep longer than a few days.
This would make a nice breakfast addition and it’s a great dessert. I like to serve it warm [you can easily re-heat it, wrapped in foil in a medium oven for 15 minutes] and Larry is particularly fond of it with a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream. But Grandma, and my Mom always put butter on their coffee cake, and I don’t think it’s at all overkill to have this with a nice big pat of soft butter on top.
And it is pretty darned good all by itself!
Lemony Carrot Muffins
Brown Butter Rhubarb Cake
English Muffin Bread
Green Tomato Jalapeno Salsa
Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Blueberry Ginger Buttermilk Cake
Herbed Cheese Gougères
Banana Streusel Coffee Cake
Cinnamon Pecan Blondies
Apple Crisp Bars
Oh Yum! Perfect timing!
LOL – that is what we aim for, HBM!
This looks amazing, Donalyn. It’s a wonderful idea!
Thanks Carla!
Hi Donalyn, I am such a fan of rhubarb! I grew up with a big patch and have warm memories of my mom cutting it and making pies. Your kuchen looks scrumptious! Definitely a lovely taste of spring.
Hi Hannah – I have good memories of it too and thanks!
I adore rhubarb…and wish the rest of my family did! I may have to make a batch of muffins just so I can have them in the freezer. But I’m really dying for a slice of your kuchen!
I’m fortunate that all the family enjoys it Liz – no complaints when I bake something rhubarb!
Fresh rhubarb is really a luxury. I tried to bring some seeds to asia from our plants in europe last year but they turned into mold in just a day. Love your Kuchen! I coudl eat the while thing in less then 10 minutes. =D
Thanks Helene – I know it can be started from seed, but most people just get a piece of it from someone – not an option if you are in another country though I guess, with regulations about plants and such.
I love fresh rhubarb, this looks perfect! I would definitely eat the whole thing by myself 🙂
Thanks! I try to control myself 🙂
I’ve never cooked with rhubarb but I’ve heard it’s sooo good! Your coffee cake with that topping looks out of this world – I’d love to have it as part of breakfast, often!
I hope you get the chance to try it Julia – SO good.
I would love to eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner and dessert 😀
YUM!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thanks CCU!
Really such a nice recipe! I love rhubarb, but I don’t believe I’ve ever had a kuchen. Definitely something I need to try. Thanks so much for this.
Kuchen is a very useful recipe, John – works with so many different kinds of fruit.
I know this is technically a dessert but it would be a perfect pairing with my morning tea. Great little recipe.
We had it for breakfast! 🙂
oh my goodness! I want some of this right now! Yum!
Cool SJ – probably still some rhubarb still around there down in PA 🙂
Beautiful rhubarb cake, Donalyn. I keep on making rhubarb drinks and forget to bake a cake. I’d better hurry up before it’s too late.
Well Rhubarb drinks are pretty good too Sissi!
Growing rhubarb in the garden outback is the connection between myself and my mother and to my grandmother. My mother and grandmother went through the depression so the berries and fruits you could grow where the real treats. Rhubarb, strawberries, and homemade ice-cream; it seems like such a distant island now, I have rhubarb in the garden that is more than 3 years old so your recipe will come in real handy, thank you so much.
Perfect Charlie – I hope I you give it a try!
What a gorgeous cake! The crumble topping, the rhubarb, the glaze, the tender dough….mmmm, I’d love a big slice!
Thanks Averie – hope you give it a try!
I have all the ingredients in my kitchen, except… Rhubarb! Maybe my daughter can get me some from her neighbor. Love the sound of this Rhubarb Kuchen.
Donalynn, I made your Rhubarb Kuchen following your wonderful directions. One pan got eaten right away and I have a second pan in the freezer waiting for a special occasion. Featured you and your recipe in my blog post today and have pinned this page on Pinterest.
http://stepbystepinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2013/07/remembering-rhubarb.html