Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 cups fresh rhubarb, trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
- For the Brown Butter Sauce:
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk or light cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan or a 9-inch round springform pan. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes).
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Gently fold in the chopped rhubarb pieces into the batter. Pour the batter evenly into your prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. If using a round pan, baking time might be slightly longer. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cake cools, prepare the Brown Butter Sauce: In a small saucepan, melt the ½ cup butter over medium heat. Continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns a golden brown color and smells nutty. Be careful not to burn it. Remove from heat immediately.
- Whisk the powdered sugar into the brown butter until smooth. Stir in the milk/cream, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until the sauce is silky and pourable. If the sauce is too thick, add a tiny bit more milk/cream; if too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- Once the cake has cooled completely (or is just slightly warm), drizzle the brown butter sauce generously over the top. Slice and serve.
Notes
For an extra crunch, sprinkle a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans over the cake before baking. If fresh rhubarb isn’t available, you can use frozen rhubarb; just don’t thaw it beforehand and toss it lightly with a tablespoon of flour to prevent it from sinking. Store any leftover cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat individual slices slightly for a warm treat.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American Home-style
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/8 of cake)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 55g
- Sodium: 280mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 85mg