Rhubarb cake from Dessert Person: Recipes and Guidance for Baking with Confidence (page 56) by Claire Saffitz

Where’s the full recipe - why can I only see the ingredients?

Always check the publication for a full list of ingredients. An Eat Your Books index lists the main ingredients and does not include 'store-cupboard ingredients' (salt, pepper, oil, flour, etc.) - unless called for in significant quantity.

Notes about this recipe

  • Eat Your Books

    The online recipe is on Claire's YouTube video page.

  • lindsey_5xsrit on May 30, 2026

    This was the second time I made the recipe, this time as muffins. A good recipe for rhubarb!

  • rita_uj484e on May 15, 2026

    Perfectly balanced, crunchy from the Demerara sugar. Such a lovely spring treat.

  • zoelaz on May 10, 2026

    Very nice cake but extremely moist, definitely err on the side of over baking as instructed in the recipe. However, I do think the cake is a bit on the sweet side for myself as someone who enjoys the tartness of rhubarb and could cut the sugar despite the instructions not to

  • sashae on April 27, 2026

    absolutely phenomenal, will make again.

  • angela_gnbj4y on April 20, 2026

    This is such a fun way to use up some of the first rhubarb of the season. When I read the instructions it felt like a lot of faff but it actually came together quite quickly and easily. I left the rhubarb off the top- did 3/4 in the puree and 1/4 small pieces per her recipe. Also subbed sr cream for the yogurt and omitted the orange zest. It’s a moist, delicious cake with zippy rhubarb flavor. Make it!!

  • eliza on June 10, 2025

    I made a half recipe in a 6” round pan, and also had to leave out the orange zest (added some lemon zest instead). I baked at 350 fan for 45 min then at 325 for 10 min. The cake was nice but I think I overbaked it a touch. Taste was good however I wasn’t blown away; took it to a gathering and everyone seemed to like it. I will probably make again and will reduce bake time. Very well written recipe.

  • amandabeck on May 31, 2025

    Think banana bread, but with rhubarb! Delicious. I left off the long strips of rhubarb because I was afraid they would be stringy and I didn't like the texture. Less spectacular looking but it didn't last long enough to matter because we ate it in less than a day!

  • stef on May 18, 2025

    Finally made this cake. As good as everyone noted. Rhubarb taste in every bite. Using a bread knife gave a neat cut.

  • aistern on September 12, 2024

    Made the Bon Appetit version a few years prior. I think preferred that version but this was still good

  • KCKB on May 06, 2023

    Made this for a retirement party and several colleagues asked for the recipe! Wonderful, balanced flavor, and a nice choice when you know the other options will all be very sweet.

  • EmilyR on April 06, 2022

    Another dazzling review. I've been waiting for rhubarb for a long time and I got excited the moment I could buy it to make this.

  • Hansyhobs on February 17, 2022

    Really tasty, I cooked mine for approx 80mins. Will do again

  • leilx on August 18, 2021

    Made this several times this summer as written and it was a hit every time. Mostly took longer to bake for me, but I am at high altitude so I don't worry too much about things not working exactly as the book says. Would definitely make this again.

  • hirsheys on July 05, 2021

    I made the rhubarb cake yesterday and was wowed. I love rhubarb in all its incarnations (including pie), and have other cake recipes I like, but this is one of the absolute best. It’s both moist and rhubarb-y. I found the cake a little annoying to make (the rhubarb mush almost burned before it got soft, so I needed to put the lid on). I also don’t like the stringy rhubarb on top (makes it hard to cut), despite it looking pretty - will leave that off in the future. Can’t wait to make other things from the book, but I’m also just glad to have found this recipe. (My cake was perfectly cooked in the listed time) ETA: mix in extra rhubarb from top as chunks, instead, don’t add to mush.

  • anya_sf on June 10, 2021

    I needed to add a little extra water when cooking the rhubarb, but otherwise this was simple to mix. Although the tester came out clean after 80 minutes in the oven and the top felt firm, the cake started to sink upon cooling, so I baked it for another 10 minutes at 300 F (to avoid overbrowning) and there was still a tiny gummy layer at the bottom, although nothing terrible. The cake was super moist and tasty, plenty sweet but not overly so.

  • Astrid5555 on March 21, 2021

    What a delicious rhubarb cake. I love the clear instructions and notes in this book, otherwise I would have probably panicked when my cooked rhubarb turned into a grey mass after adding the baking soda. Please do as she says and err on the side of overbaking and tent the top early with foil. It took almost 2 hours for the tester to come out clean in the middle.

  • meggan on March 08, 2021

    We had old rhubarb which can tend to be a little stringy so I left out the chunks and just used the mash and decorative top. I think it turned out well and I am not even a rhubarb fan!

  • lofolky on February 14, 2021

    This was so delicious! I used salted butter because I was out of unsalted, but other than that followed to a T and it turned out great! Will definitely be making this again.

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