My Rhubarb Traybake is a simple traybake cake with swirls of stewed rhubarb through it. Delicious to enjoy anytime or for breakfast!
When rhubarb is in season in the UK I can’t get enough of it.
As well as enjoying simple stewed rhubarb on its own I also love to incorporate rhubarb into baking recipes.
Rhubarb flapjacks and rhubarb scones are some of my favourites.
This rhubarb traybake cake is a great way to enjoy rhubarb in a cake, it is perfect to cut into squares and this makes it ideal to put in lunches, take on picnics or enjoy as a snack anytime.
Warm it up and serve with custard for a warming dessert too!
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Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe. Get the quantities in the recipe card further down.
- rhubarb – whether you have forced rhubarb (in season in winter in the UK) or normal seasonal rhubarb grown in the garden/allotment or simply bought from the greengrocer or supermarket, look for firm, thin stalks without any blemishes. Where possible pick the reddest stalks just for aesthetics (it doesn’t alter the flavour)! Though the colour of rhubarb may be green, red or speckled it all tastes great.
- eggs – I use large free-range eggs.
- butter – unsalted supermarket own butter is my choice.
- sugar – I use caster sugar to both sweeten the stewed rhubarb and in the cake mixture. You can use granulated (normal) sugar if you have no caster sugar.
- flour – self-raising flour is great in cakes so is my choice here. If you don’t have self-raising you can add a little baking powder to plain flour instead.
Instructions
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this rhubarb traybake recipe perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
- Wash and then chop the rhubarb into small pieces.
- Put it in a saucepan with the caster sugar and water.
- Cook the rhubarb on a low heat for 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally, until soft and thick. Leave to cool.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 160°C / 320°F.
- Mix the butter, caster sugar, eggs and self-raising flour using a hand mixer.
- Only mix until fully combined, don’t over mix.
- Spoon the cake mixture into a lined cake tin.
- Smooth the cake mixture using a spatula or pallet knife.
- Add heaped teaspoons of the cooled stewed rhubarb onto the top of the cake mixture.
- Swirl the rhubarb around using the end of a knife (or skewer/toothpick).
- Bake for 30-35 minutes (at 160°C / 320°F) or until fully cooked in the centre and golden.
Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly then remove from the tin. Allow the traybake cake to cool fully before slicing it into squares.
Enjoy cold or warm for dessert or anytime!
Hint: Using foil cake tins means you can easily transport the cake to an event or bake sale. Lining foil tins lets you reuse them over and over.
I like to use these foil tins (affiliate link) as they are really sturdy.
Variations
Here are a few ways to change up this recipe:
- Blueberry traybake – replace the rhubarb puree with fresh blueberries and a little lemon zest.
- Summer fruit traybake – use a mixture of summer berries such as raspberries, cherries, blackcurrants and blueberries in place of the stewed rhubarb.
- Apple traybake – replace the rhubarb puree with slices or chunks of apple and a little ground cinnamon.
- Plum traybake – replace the rhubarb with slices of fresh plum.
- Nuts – add a handful of your favourite nuts, such as sliced almonds, on top.
- Ginger – rhubarb goes so well with ginger, so if you like add a half teaspoon to a whole teaspoon to the cake mixture.
Storage
This cake keeps well at room temperature for 1-2 days. To extend its life you can store it in the fridge instead and keep for 3 days.
It can be frozen wrapped well in a layer of clingfilm followed by a layer of foil, in pieces if needed. Keep for up to a month.
Looking for more rhubarb recipes? Try these:
Recipe
Rhubarb Traybake
A simple sponge traybake with rhubarb swirled through it, delicious for dessert, picnics or lunchboxes.
Servings: 15 pieces
Calories: 225kcal
Ingredients
Instructions
-
Wash and then chop the rhubarb into small pieces.
350 g rhubarb
-
Put it in a saucepan with the caster sugar and water.
75 g caster sugar (superfine sugar), water
-
Cook the rhubarb on a low heat for 5-10 minutes stirring occasionally, until soft and thick. Leave to cool. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 160°C / 320°F.
-
Mix the butter, caster sugar, eggs and self-raising flour using a hand mixer.
200 g unsalted butter, 175 g caster sugar (superfine sugar), 3 large eggs, 200 g self-raising flour
-
Only mix until fully combined, don’t over mix.
-
Spoon the cake mixture into a lined cake tin.
-
Smooth the cake mixture using a spatula or pallet knife.
-
Add heaped teaspoons of the cooled stewed rhubarb onto the top of the cake mixture.
-
Swirl the rhubarb around using the end of a knife (or skewer/toothpick).
-
Bake for 30-35 minutes (at 160°C / 320°F) or until fully cooked in the centre and golden. Remove from the oven, allow to cool slightly then remove from the tin. Allow the traybake to cool fully before slicing it into squares.
