Oma's German Rhubarb Cake With Streusel (Rhabarberkuchen mit Streusel)

by: Gerhild Fulson  / Oma Gerhild shares easy, authentic German recipes you can trust, rooted in family tradition and featured in her cookbooks.

Published: July 8, 2017, Updated: June 6, 2025

German streusel rhubarb cake (rhabarberkuchen mit streusel) was a sweet treat Mutti often made. Now I bake it just like she did, buttery and so lecker!

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Oma's Rhubarb Cake with Streusel is so quick & easy to make.

Want a rhubarb cake that tastes just like Mutti’s? This rhabarberkuchen mit streusel is quick, easy, and pure buttery bliss. The best part? Streusel on the bottom and the top. If you love shortbread, you’re going to flip for this.

It’s wunderbar with rhubarb, but don’t stop there. Cherries, plums, peaches, just about any fruit gets even better under that golden crumble.

Top Tips For Best Results

1. Use Deep Red Rhubarb: The sweeter stalks make the cake even better
2. No Need to Peel: Just trim, wash, and slice
3. Try Other Fruits: Swap in cherries, plums, or peaches if you like
4. Gluten-Free Hack: Substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend and use almond flour as directed
5. Vegan Hack: Use plant-based butter suitable for baking

Use Other Fruits? YES!

When using cherries, I like jarred sour cherries. Drain them well and save the juice to mix with sparkling water!

Try sprinkling sliced almonds over the streusel, or add ½ teaspoon cinnamon to the dough for extra flavor.

Using plums? Cut them in half, remove the pits, and place them skin-side down to keep the crust from getting soggy.

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How to Pick the Best Rhubarb

When I shop for rhubarb, I always look for stalks that are crisp, firm, and tender. If they feel slimy or look wilted, I pass them by. No one wants sad rhubarb in a cake!

You’ll usually find the best rhubarb in late spring and early summer, but with a good eye, you can spot it year-round.

If I already have some at home, I snap a piece off. If it’s juicy inside, it’s still good. Smaller leaves mean a younger, fresher stalk too ... the fresher, the better, especially for this cake!

How to Make German Rhubarb Streusel Cake

This really is an easy recipe to make. Basically it's just a big batch of streusel. Press half into a base, cover with rhubarb, and crumble the remaining streusel on top. 

These are the ingredients you'll need. Freshly picked rhubarb is best.

It's just a matter of mixing in that cold butter, that's been cut into cubes.

You can either cut the butter in with a pastry cutter, or just use your hands. I prefer to use latex gloves (easier and quicker to clean up after).

Once the streusel is well mixed and crumbly, put half into a prepared springform pan. Press down until you've made a cake base.

Cover the streusel base with the sliced rhubarb and then sprinkle the remaining streusel over the top.

The following cake is ready for the oven. It'll take about one hour, so that the rhubarb is properly baked.

Once the cake is finished, use a knife to go around the edges to make sure that the cake isn't stuck to the sides. This is easier to do while the cake is still warm. Then let it cool completely.

This German rhabarberkuchen mit streusel is now ready to serve.

Oma Says

A Warning When Making Streusel Cakes:

The streusel tastes so-o-o-o good that it's easy to eat the topping before it's baked or as it's sitting cooling on the rack. Keep your eyes on the hubby and the kids. They like to sneak in too!

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Oma's German Streusel Rhubarb Cake (Rhabarberkuchen mit Streusel)

German Streusel Rhubarb Cake (Rhabarberkuchen mit Streusel) was a sweet treat Mutti often made. Now I bake it just like she did, buttery and so lecker!

Prep Time:

10 minutes

Bake Time:

1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time:

1 hour 20 minutes

Servings:

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (100 g) ground almonds or almond flour
• ⅔ cup (135 g) granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) almond extract
• 1 cup (225 g) cold butter, cubed
• 1 pound (about 450 g) rhubarb, trimmed and cut into ½-inch slices

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Take a teaspoon of the butter and grease a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan.
2. Place all the ingredients, except the rhubarb, into a mixing bowl. Using the mixer on low speed, mix until a crumbly mixture results. Or, mix with your hands until crumbly.
3. Press half the crumbles (streusel) into the bottom of the springform pan to form the crust. Place the rhubarb slices on top. Crumble the remaining streusel over the top.
4. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until the top is nicely golden brown.

Notes/Hints:

• Serve with whipped cream or ice cream on the side.
• If you've extra rhubarb, you can always make some rhubarb pudding, a favorite in northern Germany.

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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

Recipe Updated: June 6, 2025

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Complete your set today - order now!

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Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.