Gluten free Strawberry Rhubarb Spoon Cake
Why You’ll Love This Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Cake
This Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Spoon Cake is a soft and tender gluten free strawberry rhubarb cake swirled with homemade strawberry rhubarb compote. Made with almond flour, tapioca flour and coconut flour, this grain-free dessert is packed with sweet strawberries, tart rhubarb, and vanilla flavour in every bite. If you’re looking for an easy gluten free rhubarb cake to make during rhubarb season, this recipe is one of my favourite ways to showcase both fresh rhubarb and strawberries.
I’ve been baking gluten-free desserts for years, and one of my favourite ways to use seasonal rhubarb is by turning it into a simple compote. For this recipe, the compote is ribboned throughout the cake batter before baking, creating beautiful swirls of summer-like strawberry rhubarb flavour and ensuring every spoonful is soft, moist and fruity.
What is a Spoon Cake?
So, what exactly is a spoon cake? Unlike a traditional cake that’s sliced and served, a spoon cake is meant to be scooped directly from the pan. The texture is softer and more rustic than a typical layer cake, making it ideal for casual gatherings, summer barbecues, and family dinners. Serve it warm with a dollop of whipped cream and you’ll have an easy strawberry rhubarb dessert that’s always a winner and major crowd-pleaser!
Recipe Notes & Ingredients Tips
A few things to keep in mind:
- Almond flour – First of all, almond flour is always my go-to flour for baking because it is naturally gluten-free, grain-free and lower in carbs! Make sure you are using almond flour and not almond meal.
- Tapioca flour – Secondly, tapioca flour lightens up the entire flour mixture making it more ideal for a cake. It has a very fine texture, like cornstarch. You can find this at your local health food store or order online.
- Coconut flour – Alternatively, coconut flour helps give the right texture to the cake. It keeps it fluffy and prevents it from being gummy. You should also be able to find this at a local health food store.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar works best for this cake. If you want to lighten up the sugar, you can do half regular sugar and half xylitol! Xylitol taste just like sugar and measures the same.
- Greek yogurt – You will need either full-fat, plain greek yogurt or full-fat sour cream for this cake. This helps to keep it super moist.
- Rhubarb – You will need fresh rhubarb to make the preserve. You can use both the red and green parts of the rhubarb. I recommend chopping into small pieces as you would celery.
- Strawberries – You will also need fresh strawberries for the preserve. Try to find organic if you can. Strawberries are always on the dirty dozen list!
How to Make Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Spoon Cake
Step 1: Make the strawberry rhubarb compote.
In a small saucepan, add the sliced strawberries and rhubarb along with the lemon juice, lemon zest and sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook on low-medium heat for 15 minutes until reduced and slightly thickened. Set aside and remove from the heat while you make the cake.
Step 2: Start preparing the gluten free cake batter.
Preheat the oven to 400F and grease a 10″-11″ round skillet, cast iron pan or cake pan with butter and set aside. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, sugar and vanilla extract with a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth and combined.
Step 3: Add the wet ingredients.
To the same mixing bowl, add the egg and beat until it’s fully incorporated. Then add the yogurt and milk and mix again until smooth.
Step 4: Transfer the strawberry rhubarb compote to the pan.
Add half of the strawberry rhubarb compote to the bottom of the prepared, buttered pan in dollops. Lightly spread the dollops around without fully covering the bottom of the pan.
Step 5: Layer the cake batter and remaining compote.
On top of the strawberry rhubarb compote in the pan, add all of the cake batter on top, spreading it to fully cover the compote in an even layer. Then, add the final amount of compote again in dollops on top of the cake batter. Swirl the compote around with a spoon to ribbon it throughout the batter, making it look pretty.
Step 6: Bake the gluten free spoon cake!
Bake the spoon cake in the preheated oven for 25-26 minutes or until just lightly browning on the top. Remove from the oven and let rest and cool for 15 minutes before serving. Serve spooned right from the pan with whipped cream and enjoy warm!
How to Store Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Cake
If you have any leftovers, I recommend storing this cake in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. This cake, like most cakes, is certainly best fresh. However, if there are any leftovers, they can be reheated for about 15 seconds in the microwave and be equally as delicious. Has whipped cream been stored on top of the leftover cake? No problem, either remove the whipped cream before reheating or reheat with the whipped cream left on top. It will melt into the cake making it even more tender and moist.
FAQ:
I don’t recommend substituting almond flour, tapioca flour and coconut flour with all purpose gluten-free flour blends unless you know the exact conversion. When it comes to gluten-free flours, they are all unique in their texture so typically they don’t measure 1:1.
Yes, you can use frozen fruit. You just may need to simmer it on the stove top for a couple minutes longer to release any excess liquid.
I recommend storing any leftovers in an air-tight container in the fridge. They will keep fresh for about 4-5 days in the fridge. They can be reheated in the microwave and topped again with whipped cream to enjoy.
Any oven-safe skillet or baking dish works for this recipe, ideally round-shaped. If you are using a rectangular baking dish, I would recommend an 8″ x 10″ as opposed to 9″ x 13″ as the bigger the baking dish, the more it will alter the bake time and final result.
Unlike most cake recipes, the toothpick method will not work for this cake due to it’s highly moist interior. You will know it is done baking when the top of the cake is just lightly browned as shown in the photo above. It should be done around 25-26 minutes.
Yes! Both green and red parts of fresh rhubarb can be used. Just be sure to wash it well first. You can chop it as you would celery, into small pieces and trim off the rough ends and discard them.
Gluten Free Strawberry Rhubarb Spoon Cake
Equipment
- 1 10"- 11" Round Cast Iron Pan
- 1 Hand Blender
Ingredients
For the strawberry rhubarb compote:
- 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh rhubarb heaping
- 1 cup fresh sliced strawberries heaping
- 1/3 cup organic granulated sugar
- 1/2 lemon zested
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the cake:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp organic granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 1/4 cup full-fat plain greek yogurt or sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk at room temperature
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
Make the strawberry rhubarb compote:
- Add the chopped rhubarb, sliced strawberries, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice to a small saucepan and heat on high until boiling.
- Reduce to a simmer and cook over low-medium heat for 15 minutes until reduced, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and let cool on the stovetop while you make the cake.
Make the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 400F and grease a 10" – 11" round cast iron pan with butter. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add the egg and mix to fully combine. Then, add the greek yogurt and milk and mix to combine again.
- To the same bowl, add the almond flour, tapioca flour, coconut flour, baking powder and salt and fold in with a wooden spoon or spatula until full combined.
- Spoon half of the strawberry rhubarb compote into the bottom of the prepared pan in dollops not covering the entire bottom. Spread around slightly.
- Next, add the cake batter on top. Then, the remaining strawberry rhubarb compote in dollops on top of the cake batter, swirling again into the batter to make it look pretty!
- Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool 15 minutes before serving.
- Sprinkle the top with a little extra granulated sugar if desired and serve warm with whipped cream. Enjoy!
