Last Updated on 04/08/2024 by Adina
This beautiful rhubarb and blackberry loaf cake recipe is moist and delicious. It's easy to make and perfect for the season.
Make this amazingly soft and tender rhubarb and blackberry recipe for loaf cake. It's sweet and comforting and has tangy bits inside - a real delight!
Although the weather is really bad and cold, considering that it is almost the end of May, the rhubarb in my neighbor's garden is thriving. She has two huge rhubarb bushes, and that is probably the reason I don't have my own rhubarb bush in the garden; my friend has enough for the whole neighborhood...
If you also have a large bush in your garden, try these recipes that use lots of rhubarb: Homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Jam, Rhubarb Butter, Rhubarb Crisp with Apples. If you have more blackberries, make this popular Blackberry Crumble Pie.
Or make something savory; Rhubarb Chicken, Rhubarb Soup, and Blackberry Chicken are incredibly delicious!
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Recipe ingredients
- Rhubarb: Fresh, chopped stalks or frozen. No need to thaw them.
- Blackberries: Fresh or frozen. Again, there is no need to thaw them.
- Brown sugar for the batter and granulated sugar for the topping.
- Neutral-tasting vegetable oil is perfect for making extra moist cakes that keep moist for several days. I usually use canola oil.
- Dairy: Buttermilk and Greek yogurt.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make rhubarb and blackberry cake?
Discard the rhubarb leaves; they are poisonous!
- Step #1: Chop the rhubarb and halve the blackberries if they are very large.
- Step #2: In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar, oil, and egg until nicely blended. Add the buttermilk, yogurt, and vanilla extract and mix again.
- Step #3: In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients and gradually add them to the wet ingredients.
- Step #4: Fold in rhubarb and blackberries.
- Step #5: Divide the batter between the two prepared loaf pans.
- Step #6: Stir the cinnamon and granulated sugar into the melted butter to form sugar lumps. Dollop the lumps evenly over the batter in the pans and bake for 50 minutes (toothpick test).
- Step #7: Let the blackberry and rhubarb cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes; remove it and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Good to know!
The rhubarb season begins in April (depending on where you live) and ends in June. During this time, rhubarb is readily available at the market or in most supermarkets. If you really like it and happen to have a garden, I recommend planting some yourself; if you live in the right climate, the plant will thrive.
Room temperature: Butter and eggs should be at room temperature when baking because they blend better with other ingredients. This results in a smoother batter, helping your baked goods rise properly and have a better texture.
Recipe FAQ
It can be green or pink; it doesn't matter; it will taste the same. The rhubarb growing in gardens is usually green, while the kind sold in supermarkets often has a prettier pink color.
At room temperature, in a clean kitchen towel or airtight container for 2-3 days. If the weather is very warm, place the loaf cake in the fridge after one day already.
Refrigerate it in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
Freeze the whole loaf or individual slices for up to 3 months.
Rhubarb and Blackberry Loaf Cake
Equipment
- Electric mixer or stand mixer
- 2 Loaf pans about 9x5 inches/ 23x12 cm
Ingredients
Cake batter:
- 1 cup rhubarb chopped, 100 g
- 1⅔ cup blackberries 170 g
- 1½ cups brown sugar 270 g, Note 1
- ¼ cup vegetable oil 60 ml, Note 2
- 1 egg large, at room temperature
- ½ cup buttermilk 120 ml, at room temperature
- ⅔ cup creamy yogurt 170 g, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour 300 g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Topping:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ cup granulated sugar 100 g
Instructions
Rhubarb loaf cake:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ 350°F/ 180°C. Butter the loaf pans.
- Prepare rhubarb: Wash the rhubarb; you don't have to peel it. Discard the leaves as they are poisonous. If the rhubarb stalk is very thick, cut it lengthwise before thinly slicing it crosswise. If the blackberries are very large, halve them. Set both aside.1 cup rhubarb/ 100 g + 1⅔ cup blackberries/ 170 g
- Mix ingredients: Place the brown sugar, the oil, and the egg in a large bowl and beat until blended. Add the buttermilk, yogurt, and vanilla extract and blend again.1½ cups brown sugar/ 270 g + ¼ cup vegetable oil/ 60 ml + 1 egg + ½ cup buttermilk/ 120 ml + ⅔ cup creamy yogurt/ 170 g + 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add dry ingredients: In another bowl, the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet mixture.2½ cups all-purpose flour/ 300 g + 1 teaspoon baking soda + ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Divide the mixture between the two loaf pans.
Topping:
- Melt the butter in a small pan. Stir the cinnamon and granulated sugar into the melted butter to form sugar lumps. Dollop the lumps evenly over the batter in the pans.2 tablespoons unsalted butter + 2 teaspoons cinnamon + ½ cup granulated sugar
- Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf cake comes out with only a few crumbs hanging to it.
- Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
- Measurements: A digital kitchen scale (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab) will give you the most precise measures.
- Neutral-tasting vegetable oil is perfect for making extra moist cakes that keep moist for several days. I usually use canola oil.
Kelly | Foodtasia says
Adina, such a lovely cake! The rhubarb and blackberries must be so delicious! I love the cinnamon sugar topping and the crackly crust it gives!
Leslyn says
I'll have a slice please! This loaf looks moist, fruity and absolutely delicious. I can't wait to give it a try 🙂
Priya says
Adina:-loaf looks just perfect...super moist..I always love to see moist loaf recipes.. Lovely share
Beth says
This looks amazing! I love quick bread or muffins that are chock full of fruit.
Kirstin says
Yum! This sounds good....can't wait for blackberry season
Balvinder says
It does seem like a perfect breakfast loaf. Love the combo of blackberries and rhubarb! 🙂