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1 Comment Tart rhubarb, crunchy pistachio and sweet oranges; this easy rhubarb cake with orange and pistachio has it all. It’s absolutely perfect for this time of year and the combination of flavors is just the best.
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It’s the Combination of Ingredients that Make the Magic
If you have a thing for rhubarb (I sure do!) than this super moist and delicious rhubarb cake is a must try. It’s slightly different from another favorite of mine which is the rhubarb cake with almond flour. It’s pretty similar but the addition of the oranges and pistachio this one is a winner for me.
Recipe Ingredients
The ingredients in this delicious rhubarb cake with orange are easy to find and you might have most already in your pantry. Make sure to double-check the exact ingredients and quantities in the recipe card below
- butter – I always prefer to use unsalted butter so I have a better handle on how much salt goes into the rhubarb cake.
- eggs – due to the almond flour the cake is somewhat heavier and the eggs help to give it the necessary air and lift
- all-purpose flour – you can use more of this flour if you want to leave out the almond flour
- almond flour – the almond flour in the cake gives it a lovely nutty taste and makes the cake nice and moist too.
- rhubarb – the pink rhubarb stalks are the sweetest so if you can get your hands on those that would be preferred. You don’t need to precook them as they will soften in the oven while the cake is baking.
- orange – you will need to use both the zest and the juice of one orange.
- pistachio – I use pistachio with shells removed, unsalted
How To Make Rhubarb Cake with Oranges
Making this delicious cake is pretty straightforward. You need a large bowl and a mixer. I like to use my stand mixer for this but you can use a hand mixer or something similar as well.
First make sure to preheat the oven to 165˚C/320˚F. This is a relatively low temperature as the cake does need about 90 minutes in the oven. So give it time.
Place butter and sugar in the bowl of the mixer and whisk until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, making sure that each egg is incorporated before adding the next one. Add the vanilla and orange juice.
Mix the flours with the baking powder, salt and ground ginger. If it has a lot of lumps you can use a sieve but I tend to just add it. Add the flours to the egg mixture and whisk until it is just combined. Don’t overmix!
Slice the rhubarb in small pieces and chop the pistachio. Add this with the orange zest to the batter and spoon it through.
Baking the rhubarb cake
Now cover a baking tin (I used a 22 cm/8.5 inch tin) with baking paper and brush the sides with butter or oil. Add the batter to the tin and smooth the top.
Sprinkle with the almond slivers and bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour and 25 minutes. Make sure to check half way through if it is not going to fast. If it becomes too dark cover with aluminum foil and bake for a bit longer.
Make sure to check if the cake is fully cooked by inserting a wooden skewer in the center of the cake. It any batter still sticks to the wood, it needs a bit longer. Let it cool down completely before cutting.
Variations Rhubarb Pistachio Cake
You can vary endlessly with this rhubarb cake with oranges. You can – for instance – replace the pistachio for different nuts. Think about almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts. I love the orange in this cake, but you could potentially leave it out if you want. I added almond flour to the rhubarb cake. I love almond flour in almost all cakes, but if you’re not a fan you can replace it for chufa, cassave flour or simply for more regular all-purpose flour.
No flour in the house? You can also replace this with self-rising flour. In that case you leave out the baking powder. The ginger can be replaced for cinnamon or a gingerbread spice mix. I love gingerbread spices, so always a good idea.
FAQ Rhubarb Cake
Yes, you can. If you want you can replace it with chufa or another kind of nut flour. Or replace with regular flour.
You can store the rhubarb cake outside of the fridge for 4-5 days. Make sure to cover with foil or keep in an airtight container. Storing it in the fridge will dry out the cake
Absolutely. The cake freezes really well too. You can wrap it in cling film and freeze individual slices for easy use or freeze the whole cake. You can store it for up to three months in the freezer.
That usually means that the cake wasn’t properly cooked yet. Make sure to always check with a wooden skewer if it is fully cooked. Check in the center of the cake as that is the part that takes the longest to cook.
Yes, sure. You can use a regular loaf pan for instance. The total baking time will probably vary so keep an eye at the cake.
Rhubarb Cake with Orange and Pistachio
Ingredients
- 250 gr butter at room temperature
- 250 gr sugar
- 5 eggs
- 125 gr flour
- 125 gr almond flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanille essence
- 1 tsp ginger grated or ground
- 1 orange juice or zest
- 250 gr rhubarb in slices
- 80 gr pistachio chopped
- 2 tbsp almond slivers
Equipment
- 1 baking tin of 22 cm diameter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 165˚C (bottom and top heat)
- Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer and whisk until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one. Let it whisk through. Add the vanilla essence and the orange juice.250 gr butter, 250 gr sugar, 5 eggs, 1 tsp vanille essence, 1 orange
- Mix the flours with the baking powder, salt and ginger powder.125 gr flour, 125 gr almond flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp ginger
- Add the flour mix to the egg mixture and whisk until just combined.
- Cut the rhubarb in small slices and add this to the batter together with the chopped pistachio. Add the orange zest and spoon everything through.250 gr rhubarb, 80 gr pistachio
- Cover a baking tin with baking paper and grease the sides. Pour the batter into the baking tin. Sprinkle the almond slivers over the top.2 tbsp almond slivers
- Bake the cake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour and 25 minutes but check half way if it is not going to fast. When the cake becomes too dark cover with aluminium foil and leave to cook for a bit longer.
- Remove from the oven and check with a wooden skewer if the cake is cooked in the middle. Leave to cool completely before cutting.
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
I love rhubarb! And its terrific in sweet things. Neat looking recipe — so much flavor. Thanks!