Description
A springtime classic from Germany, this cake combines tangy rhubarb, creamy vanilla pudding, and crunchy streusel over a soft cake base — perfect for brunch or coffee time.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 packet (3.5 oz) vanilla pudding mix (the kind you cook)
- 2 cups milk (for pudding)
- 2 tbsp sugar (for pudding)
- 3 cups fresh rhubarb, peeled and chopped
- 2 tbsp sugar (to toss with rhubarb)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (for streusel)
- ½ cup sugar (for streusel)
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- Optional: pinch of cinnamon or lemon zest
Instructions
- Prepare pudding by whisking pudding mix, sugar, and milk in a saucepan over medium heat until thickened. Cover and let cool.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, add eggs one at a time, then vanilla.
- Mix flour and baking powder separately, then combine with wet ingredients, alternating with milk. Spread in a greased 9×13 baking dish.
- Toss chopped rhubarb with 2 tbsp sugar and scatter evenly over batter.
- Spoon cooled pudding gently over the rhubarb layer.
- For streusel, mix flour, sugar, and butter until crumbly. Add cinnamon or zest if desired. Sprinkle over pudding.
- Bake 40–45 minutes until streusel is golden and a toothpick inserted in cake (not pudding) comes out clean.
- Cool completely in pan before slicing and serving.
Notes
Use cold butter for crumbly streusel, and allow pudding to cool before assembling. The cake keeps moist for days and is freezer-friendly too.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: German
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
Keywords: rhubarb cake, German dessert, spring baking, streusel, pudding cake