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    Home » Desserts

    Rhubarb, Orange and Cardamom Cake

    Published: Jun 8, 2021 · Modified: Jun 16, 2021 by Archana · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases · 18 Comments

    473 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Rhubarb Orange and Cardamom Cake - I couldn’t wait to share this brand new recipe on the blog!! A golden almond cake bursting with tart juicy rhubarb, sweet orange, and earthy citrusy cardamom. It’s as vibrant and alluring as a summer sunset.

    rhubarb cake with powdered sugar and candied orange slices

    This recipe uses just a few ingredients and the simple two-bowl mixing method—-wet and dry ingredients. So don’t feel intimidated the next time you see those gorgeous fushia stalks at the farmer’s market. Grab them and make this cake!

    Baking in Season 

    We see rhubarb pop up in baked goods everywhere, especially pies and tarts, when it finally bursts onto the scene in spring. Strawberry-Rhubarb is a common and very delicious combination. But I knew I wanted to explore different flavors…..and I wanted to make a cake!

    rhubarb almond cake with powdered sugar and candied orange slices

    Rhubarb is quite tart and needs to be sweetened when cooking—which produces the uniquely delicious sweet-tart flavor that makes this such a sought after seasonal treat. It also has a crisp firm texture so softening with the sugar first for 30 min releases the juices and works really well in this preparation.

    Texture

    The almond flour, butter, and orange juice produce an incredibly moist stick-to-the-fork crumb. As it cooks the rhubarb softens into a preserve-like texture and dots the cake with crimson bits of sweet-tart bliss!

    Flavors

    I love the way the sweet-tart orange juice and zest compliment the rhubarb. Cardamom has definite citrus notes which plays up the brightness in the cake. But it also has a floral and earthy taste that rounds out the flavors and adds a cozy warm feeling similar to cinnamon. 

    Slice of rhubarb almond cake

    Ingredient Spotlight

    • Rhubarb - Crimson fuchsia fading to spring green stalks. Technically a vegetable but always grouped with fruits. ONLY the stalks are edible, discard leaves, they are not edible. Rhubarb is quite bitter so it works perfectly in sweetened baked goods. In season Spring to Summer. 
    • Almond Flour - GF, nutty flavor, produces moist dense baked goods.
    • Ground Cardamom - complex Indian Spice, earthy, floral, herbal, citrusy. An incredible addition to baked goods and desserts. Try out my quick and easy white chocolate bark with cardamom
    ingredients for rhubarb, orange and cardamom cake

    Tips

    1. Remember to zest the orange before cutting into half. Then squeeze out the juice
    2. Keep the almond flour in the refrigerator for freshness as nut flours have oils that can become rancid. You can also freeze it
    3. It can take more or less time to bake this cake depending on your oven. Insert a wooden skewer in the center and make sure that it comes out clean
    4. If the top starts to brown before the cake is fully cooked, cover it with aluminum foil
    5. Since Rhubarb is available late spring and summer, I often dice and freeze it in zip lock bags so I have them for rest of the year!

    Instructions

    Here is the step by step recipe with photos. Printable recipe card along with the ingredient measurements are at the end of this post:

    • Grease the bottom and sides of a 9" spring form cake pan. You can also cut a parchment paper and place it on the bottom and grease the sides. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
    • Rinse and dry the rhubarb. Cut into small ½-inch cubes. Add rhubarb to a bowl and sprinkle sugar on it. Lightly mix and allow the sugar to dissolve 20 to 30 mins
    photos one through four showing how to prep rhubarb for the cake
    • Zest the orange. Cut into half and then squeeze out the juice.
    • Melt butter in a large bowl by microwaving it for 30 to 40 seconds. Remember not to make it too hot. Add orange zest, orange juice and sugar. Whisk together until well blended. Add eggs.
    photos five through eight - zest and juice orange and mixing wet ingredients for the cake
    • Mix the butter and eggs.
    • In another bowl add all purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, cardamom powder and salt. Mix it well.
    • Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix well.
    photos nine through twelve showing how to make cake batter
    • Add the rhubarb mixture and gently fold it in the batter.
    • Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the sliced almonds and sugar on top. Bake at 350 F for 40 mins to an hour or until a wooden skewer in the center comes out clean. If the top starts to brown before the cake is fully cooked, cover it with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes or so. 
    photos thirteen through sixteen showing rhubarb cake batter ready to be baked
    • Allow it to cool on a cooling rack for 20 minutes before opening the spring form pan. Cool completely and cut into slices.
    photos thirteen and fourteen showing baked rhubarb orange cardamom cake

    How to Serve

    This is a perfect cake to serve at parties, get togethers and special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, mothers day or fathers day! Although the cake tastes delicious as is here are a few ways to fancy it up:

    • Dust the cake with powdered sugar 
    • Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
    • Add some sweetened whipped cream on top
    rhubarb almond cake with powdered sugar and candied orange slices

    Storing

    Rhubarb cake has nice crisp edges and pillowy soft center. Keep it at room temperature for a day. Any leftovers can be refrigerated for up to a week. You can also freeze individual slices.

    Love the texture and taste of almond flour? Here are some more Almond Flour Recipes you may want to try:

    • Almond Flour Banana Bread
    • Healthy Brownies
    • Badam Burfi
    • Carrot Halwa with Almond Flour
    Tried this recipe? We love your feedback.Please click on the stars in the recipe card below
    rhubarb almond cake with powdered sugar and candied orange slices
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    4.54 from 13 votes

    Rhubarb, Orange and Cardamom Cake

    A golden almond cake bursting with tart juicy rhubarb, sweet orange, and earthy citrusy cardamom. It’s as vibrant and alluring as a summer sunset.
    Prep Time30 mins
    Cook Time45 mins
    Total Time1 hr 15 mins
    Course: Brunch, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 323kcal
    Author: Archana Mundhe

    Equipment

    • 9" springform cake pan

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups rhubarb diced into ½ inch pieces
    • 1 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon for topping
    • grated zest of 1 orange, plus ½ cup fresh orange juice
    • 1 cup butter melted room temperature
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 cup all purpose flour 4¼ ounces or 120 grams
    • 1 cup blanched almond flour 95 grams
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
    • 2 tablespoons sliced almonds

    Instructions

    • Grease a 9” spring form cake pan with butter or oil spray. You can also cut a parchment paper and place it on the bottom and grease the sides. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Zest the orange. Cut into half and then squeeze out the juice - you need half cup of juice.
    • Rinse and dry the rhubarb. Cut into small ½ inch cubes. Add rhubarb to a bowl and sprinkle half a cup of sugar on it. Lightly mix and allow the sugar to dissolve 20 to 30 mins
    • Melt butter in a large bowl by microwaving it for 30 to 40 seconds. Remember not to make it too hot. Add orange zest, orange juice and remaining half cup of sugar. Whisk together until well blended. Add eggs.
    • Mix the butter and eggs.
    • In another bowl add all purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, cardamom powder and salt. Mix it well.
    • Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix well. Add the rhubarb mixture and gently fold it in the batter.
    • Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the sliced almonds and one tablespoon of sugar on top. Bake at 350 F for 40 mins to an hour or until a wooden skewer in the center comes out clean. If the top starts to brown before the cake is fully cooked, cover it with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes or so.
    • Allow it to cool on a cooling rack for 20 minutes before opening the spring form pan. Cool completely and cut into slices.

    Video

    Notes

    How to Serve 
    This is a perfect cake to serve at parties, get togethers and special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries, mothers day or fathers day! Although the cake tastes delicious as is here are a few ways to fancy it up:
    • Dust the cake with powdered sugar 
    • Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream
    • Add some sweetened whipped cream on top
    Storing
    This cake has nice crisp edges and pillowy soft center. Keep it at room temperature for a day. Any leftovers can be refrigerated for up to a week. You can also freeze individual slices.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 323kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 250mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 563IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @ministry_of_curry or tag #ministryofcurry

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    Author: Archana

    Hey there! I am a techie turned recipe developer, cooking instructor, and food blogger. I love food and enjoy developing easy and healthy recipes for busy lifestyles. I live in New Jersey with my husband and two sons.
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    1. danita says

      June 11, 2021 at 6:41 pm

      How much of the sugar listed is for the rhubarb, cake topping? The instructions don't indicate.

      Reply
      • Archana says

        June 14, 2021 at 9:27 am

        Hey! So the full one cup goes with rhubarb and the 1 tablespoon is for the topping along with the almonds.

        Reply
    2. Shital Lakhani says

      June 12, 2021 at 10:10 am

      Omg this looks so yummy. Can’t wait to try!

      Reply
      • Archana says

        June 14, 2021 at 9:27 am

        You will love it!

        Reply
    3. Caroline kella says

      June 16, 2021 at 8:35 pm

      Tried this today, minus the almonds on top.
      So so good ! And suprisingly rich , although i think its a tad too sweet but over all we enjoyed it!4 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        June 18, 2021 at 9:15 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    4. Meenakshi says

      June 27, 2021 at 11:13 am

      Can you make this without eggs?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        June 27, 2021 at 11:19 am

        Hi Meenakshi, I have not tried this recipe without eggs

        Reply
    5. Karina B says

      June 28, 2021 at 1:06 am

      This was very tasty and easy to use make!

      It turned out very light and paired well with whipped cream!5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        June 30, 2021 at 1:52 pm

        Thank you for the feedback

        Reply
    6. Sravanthi says

      July 01, 2021 at 5:48 pm

      Hi Archana! Love this recipe - so fresh and exciting!
      Any substitutions for all purpose flour you would recommend?

      Reply
      • Archana says

        July 03, 2021 at 5:21 pm

        I am so glad you like the recipe. You can try gluten free all purpose flour.

        Reply
    7. Katy says

      June 07, 2022 at 9:20 am

      So I decided that this looked delicious enough that I straight away made a double recipe. It is currently in the oven, so I can't (yet) say how it tastes, but I did have a question/concern: I left my rhubarb+sugar mixture for about 45 minutes as I was making lunch, and ended up with almost a cup of liquid in the bottom. I added it to the batter, which ended up looking far more liquid than yours - should I not have added the liquid? How much did you end up with when making this cake (the pictures don't show)?

      And for others to know - a double recipe with that possibly-extra liquid filled my 9x13 pan almost all the way up (maybe 1/2 inch of space) so I decided to be safe and instead put it into a much deeper 9x13 roasting pan. I took it out at 1 hour, and the knife was clean, so fingers crossed it turns out well!

      Reply
      • Katy says

        June 07, 2022 at 1:14 pm

        Just an update - the cake turned out really well. Not very sweet, and the texture is almost custard-like.4 stars

        Reply
        • Archana says

          June 07, 2022 at 9:54 pm

          Thank you for the update!

          Reply
      • Archana says

        June 07, 2022 at 9:54 pm

        Great idea to use a bigger pan. Also, I add the rhubarb mix right away before it gets too watery

        Reply
    8. Ann says

      September 05, 2022 at 10:52 pm

      This is absolutely delicious. Have made it 3-4 times now with great results, so many thanks! I serve it with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt on each portion.
      Our green figs are just now ripening in the garden (early Sept. in North America), and I thought about using them in this recipe in place of the rhubarb. What do you think??5 stars

      Reply
      • Archana says

        September 06, 2022 at 5:59 pm

        Thank you!! I think figs will be SO yummy!

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Archana: a former software engineer, now a full-time blogger. I am a mother of two boys who share my love for food and cooking. Words I love to hear are, “Mom, what’s for dinner?” The same words I say to my mom every time we speak. I live in the greater New York City Area with my husband and sons.

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