Nevada Berg's Simple Rhubarb Cake (Rabarbrakake)
Serves 8-12
I have wanted to test this recipe since Norwegian Baking Through the Seasons was release in April 2023. Finally, my husband’s co-worker shared some of his homegrown rhubarb in June (I only just planted rhubarb this year, so I had none of my own to harvest), so I was able to test this one. I enjoyed Nevada Berg’s first cookbook North Wild Kitchen. Her recipes are reliable and have always turned out well for me—I also enjoy her aesthetic, which is quite simple and nature based.
For this test, I made two cakes. For the first, I followed the recipe exactly. For the second, I subbed in half spelt flour. I was delighted to find the tartness of the rhubarb held up well against the earthiness of the spelt flour, which was complimented nicely by the almonds. Both versions of the cake turned out beautifully with a light, flavorful yellow cake bottom and a tart, crunchy topping. This would make a beautiful dessert, snack, or even coffeecake; however, it is best served the same day as it is baked. While the cake can be stored in the fridge for up to four days, both versions were dryer the next day after being wrapped and refrigerated overnight; the spelt variety was considerably dryer the next day.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar2/3 cup (150 grams) butter, softened1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I use unsalted butter, so I have to remember to add the salt into the recipe. Nevada uses lightly salted butter in most of her recipes.)1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder2 large eggs, at room temperature1/2 cup whole milk1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (Or use 3/4 cup spelt flour and 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose.)1/2 pound rhubarb cut into 1/2-inch slices (If you don’t have a food scale, I used about a cup of rhubarb cut into 1/2 inch slices.)1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar2 tablespoons sliced almonds
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.2. Line an 8-inch, round springform pan with parchment paper. Grease the bottom and sides of the pan with butter. (The butter wrapper works great for this.)3. Cream butter, sugar, and salt in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Scrape the bowl often to fully incorporate. (This is a critical stage in the process as it fully melds the butter and sugar and adds air to the batter, which creates a lighter, fluffier cake.) 4. Once the mixture is light in color, add baking powder. Mix. Scrape the bowl to ensure all the baking powder is absorbed. (I add the baking powder at this stage so that it fully incorporates into the batter.) 5. Add eggs, one at a time. Fully incorporate the first egg before adding the second. Scrape the bowl after mixing in each egg to ensure no unincorporated sugar/butter mixture is at the bottom of the bowl. (See photos below for reference on the stages of incorporating the eggs. The mixture will look scrambled at first, but with enough mixing, the batter comes back together beautifully.)6. Add milk and flour and mix on the lowest speed until the batter comes together. (This doesn’t take long. To avoid over mixing, stop the mixer when you still see some unincorporated flour. Do the last bit of mixing with the spatula.)7. Add batter to the greased pan and smooth out—working the batter to the edges of the pan with a spatula. 8. Place rhubarb on top of the batter in concentric circles, pushing each slices about halfway into the batter—you still want to see the rhubarb on the top of the cake. 9. Sprinkle 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar on top of the cake. 10. Add the sliced almonds, evenly distributing them on the top of the cake. 11. Nevada suggests baking for 35-40 minutes. The cake took 50 minutes in my oven, but I started checking at 35 minutes to make sure I did not over bake. It is done when the top is lightly golden and a toothpick entered in the center comes out clean. 12. Cool slightly in the pan. (I let it cool for about 15 minutes). 13. Serve on its own or with whipped cream or ice cream. (Tim and I had this while warm on its own and it was delightful!)
For this test, I made two cakes. For the first, I followed the recipe exactly. For the second, I subbed in half spelt flour. I was delighted to find the tartness of the rhubarb held up well against the earthiness of the spelt flour, which was complimented nicely by the almonds. Both versions of the cake turned out beautifully with a light, flavorful yellow cake bottom and a tart, crunchy topping. This would make a beautiful dessert, snack, or even coffeecake; however, it is best served the same day as it is baked. While the cake can be stored in the fridge for up to four days, both versions were dryer the next day after being wrapped and refrigerated overnight; the spelt variety was considerably dryer the next day.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar2/3 cup (150 grams) butter, softened1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I use unsalted butter, so I have to remember to add the salt into the recipe. Nevada uses lightly salted butter in most of her recipes.)1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder2 large eggs, at room temperature1/2 cup whole milk1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (Or use 3/4 cup spelt flour and 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose.)1/2 pound rhubarb cut into 1/2-inch slices (If you don’t have a food scale, I used about a cup of rhubarb cut into 1/2 inch slices.)1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar2 tablespoons sliced almonds
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.2. Line an 8-inch, round springform pan with parchment paper. Grease the bottom and sides of the pan with butter. (The butter wrapper works great for this.)3. Cream butter, sugar, and salt in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Scrape the bowl often to fully incorporate. (This is a critical stage in the process as it fully melds the butter and sugar and adds air to the batter, which creates a lighter, fluffier cake.) 4. Once the mixture is light in color, add baking powder. Mix. Scrape the bowl to ensure all the baking powder is absorbed. (I add the baking powder at this stage so that it fully incorporates into the batter.) 5. Add eggs, one at a time. Fully incorporate the first egg before adding the second. Scrape the bowl after mixing in each egg to ensure no unincorporated sugar/butter mixture is at the bottom of the bowl. (See photos below for reference on the stages of incorporating the eggs. The mixture will look scrambled at first, but with enough mixing, the batter comes back together beautifully.)6. Add milk and flour and mix on the lowest speed until the batter comes together. (This doesn’t take long. To avoid over mixing, stop the mixer when you still see some unincorporated flour. Do the last bit of mixing with the spatula.)7. Add batter to the greased pan and smooth out—working the batter to the edges of the pan with a spatula. 8. Place rhubarb on top of the batter in concentric circles, pushing each slices about halfway into the batter—you still want to see the rhubarb on the top of the cake. 9. Sprinkle 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar on top of the cake. 10. Add the sliced almonds, evenly distributing them on the top of the cake. 11. Nevada suggests baking for 35-40 minutes. The cake took 50 minutes in my oven, but I started checking at 35 minutes to make sure I did not over bake. It is done when the top is lightly golden and a toothpick entered in the center comes out clean. 12. Cool slightly in the pan. (I let it cool for about 15 minutes). 13. Serve on its own or with whipped cream or ice cream. (Tim and I had this while warm on its own and it was delightful!)
Stages of creaming butter from left to right: 1) light and fluffy creamed butter and sugar; 2) after adding an egg that is not incorporated; 3) light an fluffy again after fully mixing in the egg.
