Late spring and early summer are the perfect times to try out new rhubarb recipes, which is why I was so excited when I saw this gluten free rhubarb coffee cake recipe from Healthy Gluten Free Family come across my Instagram feed.
It’s pretty, that’s for sure, but made with my gfJules Flour, it’s also got the perfect gluten free coffee cake crumb — moist, light, not dense, never gritty — something which can prove elusive using many other gluten free flours.
Karen from Healthy Gluten Free Family generously allowed me to reprint her gluten free coffee cake recipe here since I’m so in love with it, and she chose my gfJules Flour to make it.
You can check out her original post on her blog here, or scroll down to see her recipe with my notes below.
Here’s what Karen had to say about the origins of this delightful cake:
This recipe from my Mom was one of my favorites growing up and it’s the first time making it Gluten-free. Omg, SO GOOD! I haven’t had this in years and it is every bit as good as I remember… Maybe even better.
Perfect texture, perfect amount of sweetness, juicy rhubarb and the best cinnamon-sugar-walnut crumble on top! This is my all time favorite and my mom and I actually think it’s better with GF flour, ha!
If you’re wondering whether your family will enjoy rhubarb’s tartness in this recipe (I bet they will – it’s a bit akin to a pop of cranberry!), feel free to substitute the rhubarb with whatever you have on hand or prefer, perhaps apple, pear, raspberries, cranberries … whatever would please you in a coffee cake!
It’s an old family recipe that’s just too good to pass up when it’s this good, gluten free! You can make this delicious treat with either my gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour or my gfJules Gluten Free Multigrain Biscuit & Breakfast Baking Flour (Corn-Free).
Oh and by the way, who said coffee cake had to wait for breakfast, or for the weekend? I say, when a recipe is this good, make it and serve it any time!
Gluten Free Rhubarb Coffee Cake
This Gluten Free Rhubarb Coffee Cake is pretty, that’s for sure, but made with my gfJules Flour, it’s also got the perfect gluten free coffee cake crumb, and rhubarb's unexpected pop of tartness balanced by the sweetness of the streusel from the topping.
Ingredients
Coffee Cake
- 1/2 cup butter (I used Earth Balance® vegan butter alternative)
- 1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg (Jules note: or substitute of choice)
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups (270 grams) gfJules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour OR (280 grams) gfJules Gluten Free Multigrain Biscuit & Breakfast Baking Flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup sour milk (1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, then add enough milk to make 1 cup total; let sit 10 minutes) (Jules note: may use dairy or non-dairy milk here)
- 1 1/2 cup rhubarb, raw & cut into 1-2 inch pieces (Jules note: I used 1 1/4 cup rhubarb, as that's all I had on hand!) OR diced apple or pear OR raspberries, cranberries, etc.
Topping
- ½ cup sugar (Jules note: may use as little as 1/8 cup sugar, if desired)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts (Jules note: optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Prepare measured sour milk and set aside.
Using an electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light. Add egg (or substitute) and vanilla and beat once more.
In a separate bowl, whisk together gfJules Flour, salt and baking soda. Slowly stir flour mixture and sour milk mix alternately into butter/sugar mixture until well blended. Fold in cut rhubarb.
Line with parchment paper or oil one 8x11 or 9x13 inch pan. Pour cake batter into pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
Combine topping ingredients in small bowl and sprinkle on top of cake batter.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife comes out of the cake clean and the center is no longer jiggly when moved. (Jules note: I baked in one 8x11 pan and the cake wasn't done until it had baked for 45 minutes, so keep checking every 5 minutes after 30 minutes. Insert a butter knife into the center of the cake and when it comes out clean, it's done. If the walnuts are browning too much, cover the top of the cake loosely with aluminum foil.)
Remove to cool on a wire rack before serving.
Serves 6.
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I need to make a quick dessert, rhubarb being a favourite. The only GF flour I have on hand is Bob’s Red Mill 1:1. Has anyone tried it? I do have individual flours (almond, coconut, tapioca and rice flours) but wouldn’t know how to combine.
Hi Sara, I haven’t tried this recipe with another flour blend, and of course they’re all different. Check out this article on gluten free flours to see if you think it might work out using another blend — I wouldn’t want to steer you wrong!
~jules
I love your products
Aww thanks, Beth. I’m so glad to hear it!!
~jules
Any suggestions for an apple cider vinegar substitute?
Sure Maggie, you can use lemon juice here. It’s just to help activate the yeast, so you could totally skip the vinegar or lemon juice if you really needed to, and just allow the rolls to rise a bit longer, if necessary.
~jules
I used frozen rhubarb as Jules mentioned it was fine to do, although it did add more moisture and I baked it a few min more. I added a tablespoon of butter to the topping ingredients to combat the dry sugar comments others made. This made for a nice coffee cake crumble. Really lovely cake. Making my second one in a week!
Fantastic to hear, Heather-Marie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe enough to want to make another!! Loving rhubarb season over here! <3
~jules
Hello!
I have frozen rhubarb. Could I use that in this recipe and would it create too much moisture?
Hi Heather-Marie, no worries! I have used frozen rhubarb here and it works out just fine! ENJOY!
~jules
I made the rhubarb coffee cake using fejois instead of rhubarb turned out very nice.
Looks like it turned out great, Linda! And I love that you didn’t let a little thing like not having rhubarb stop you from making this recipe!!! Ingenious!!!
~jules