Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake
This strawberry rhubarb coffee cake with a cream cheese filling and light crumb topping is a reliable spring and summer dessert.
Nothing screams spring to us more than seeing gorgeous pink stalks of rhubarb at the grocery store.
We never grew up eating rhubarb desserts, but when our husband and we started dating, he told us about the strawberry-rhubarb pies that his grandmother used to make, and how memorable they were. It didn’t take long to try our hand at our own strawberry-rhubarb pie, and then we 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 speedy and straightforward strawberry rhubarb jam baked right in… a reliable springtime dessert or brunch treat!
We 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 we're not eating chocolate for dessert, then we're quite happy eating something with a cheesecake layer!
Do you have any favorite rhubarb desserts? We'd love to play around with more recipes this spring, so share them below if you’d like!
Five years ago: Our Dad’s Favorite Chocolate Birthday Cake
Seven years ago: Honey-Vanilla Sour Cream Pound Cake
Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake
Yield: 10 to 12 servings This strawberry rhubarb coffee cake with a cream cheese filling and light crumb topping is a reliable spring and summer dessert.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
- 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
Nutritional values are based on one serving
- Yield: 10 to 12 servings
- Prep: 30 minutes
- Cook: 50 minutes
- Total: 1 hour 45 minutes
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
Method
- 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.
