Rhubarb Cake with Halva Streusel
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: One 6-inch cake
Ingredients
  • FOR THE RHUBARB JAM
  • 1 pound chopped rhubarb
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ¼ cup water
  • *
  • FOR THE HALVA STREUSEL
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup packed brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon cardamom
  • pinch of kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • 2 tablespoons crumbled halva
  • *
  • FOR THE CARDAMOM CAKE
  • 1½ cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • ¾ teaspoon cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons (75 grams) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50 grams) packed brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ⅓ + ¼ cup whole milk
Instructions
  1. Make the rhubarb jam: Toss the rhubarb, sugar, and cornstarch together in a medium saucepan. Add the water and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently. The jam should get thick and syrupy. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and chill in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours, until cooled.
  2. Make the halva streusel: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, cardamom, and salt together. Use your hands or a fork to cut in the butter and halva. The mixture should hold together like wet sand when you pinch it. Set aside in the fridge while you make the cake.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 6 x 3-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper. Leave 2 strips of parchment hanging over the edges to use a sling when removing the cake.
  4. Make the cardamom cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  5. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter for 1 minute. Add the sugars and cream until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the egg until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.
  6. With the mixer on low, add half the dry ingredients. Mix until just barely incorporated, then pour in the milk. Mix on low until the batter comes together. Add the remaining flour and use a rubber spatula to mix it in, just until there are no flour streaks.
  7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing out the top. Next, spread half the rhubarb jam over the cake batter, then crumble the halva streusel in large chunks all over it. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until the streusel is golden brown and gives a little resistance when lightly pressed.
  8. Let the cake cool fully in the pan on a wire rack so that the rhubarb jam layer sets. Once cooled, use the parchment sling to lift the cake out of the pan. Store covered at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for 5 days.
Recipe by Lenses and Lentils at https://lensesandlentils.com/rhubarb-cake-with-halva-streusel/