Gluten Free Apple and Rhubarb Cake

Rhubarb, my favorite seasonal produce item, shines in a gluten free rhubarb cake, of course, but it also yearns to be paired with fruit. We all love a gluten free strawberry rhubarb cake - strawberries and rhubarb just seem meant for one another. Have you made strawberry rhubarb jam yet this year? - but have you ever considered apples and rhubarb?

Yes! This is another natural pairing, with sweet apples offsetting rhubarb's inherent tartness. In this rustic little cake, chunks of apples meld with chopped rhubarb to make a just-sweet-enough gluten-free cake that's perfectly at home on the afternoon tea table as it is served with ice cream for dessert. I love dusting a bit of powdered sugar over the top to make it feel even more special.

Ingredients Needed

Check out everything that goes into this cake below. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!

• Oat flour - Learn how to make oat flour in this post, or buy a package at the store, certified gluten-free if needed. Use brown rice flour or sorghum flour if you don't eat oats.
• Almond flour - I like fine-ground almond flour. If you keep nut-free, substitute oat flour, teff flour, or all-purpose gluten-free baking flour.
• Baking powder
• Salt - Fine sea salt or table salt.
• Ginger - I used ground ginger for a little warmth; ground cinnamon or ground cardamom is also nice.
• Butter - I prefer unsalted butter.
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs - Use large eggs.
• Vanilla - Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
• Yogurt - I like whole-fat plain yogurt here. Other options include low-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt.
• Rhubarb - You can use either fresh or frozen rhubarb, chopped into ½-inch pieces.
• Apple - Any variety you like! I used a Pink Lady because we always have those in the fridge.

Tips & Recipe Notes

• Rest the batter. Make sure to let the batter rest for 15-20 minutes once assembled. This will help to hydrate the oat flour and make the cake super soft.
• Add another fruit. Try adding another seasonal fruit to the mix, such as ½ cup of raspberries or blueberries.
• Use a gluten-free flour. Instead of the oat and almond flour combination, substitute your favorite gluten-free 1:1 flour or use my homemade gluten free flour blend. Use a total of 270 grams of flour.
• Dairy-free: Swap the butter for non-dairy butter and the yogurt for non-dairy yogurt.
• What size pan? I like to use a 9-inch springform pan to bake this cake because it's a bit of a taller cake, but you can also use a 9x13-inch pan for a thinner cake.
• To finish: Powdered sugar is my favorite and easiest way to serve this cake. Just sift a bit over the top after it's cooled. You could also add a lemon glaze. I like slices plain, or served with whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.

Proper Storage

• Counter - Cover the cake with foil or transfer it to an airtight container and store on the counter for up to 2 days.
• Fridge - Place the covered cake in the fridge and store it for up to 5 days.
• Freezer - Wrap the cake or slices of cake in plastic, place in a freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before serving. Note that the texture of the cake may change slightly (to be softer), but it will still taste delicious.