A big hello to a gluten-free rhubarb cake with almonds and polenta: moist, gently dense, and intentionally rustic. This is not a light, fluffy sponge, but a nourishing cake with real texture and warmth.
Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you purchase through those links. You can read my full affiliate disclosure here.
In This Post:
I'll say it like it is: This isn't your typical light and fluffy cake. This is a satisfying, wholesome treat.
Why You'll Love This Gluten-Free Rhubarb Cake
This cute little 20 cm (8-inch) round cake has a lot going on:
- Plenty of nutritious ingredients: almonds, flax seeds, polenta, bananas, yogurt, and of course, rhubarb.
- A lovely combo of textures and flavors: the moist, slightly dense base complements the tartness of the rhubarb
- Nutty notes from almonds and polenta.
- A tiny bit fancy, thanks to a touch of orange zest and vanilla.
- It's wholesome. It's nourishing. And above all, it's yummy.
Note on Ingredients
- Rhubarb: Tangy, juicy, the star of the cake.
- Ground almonds: The secret to keeping it flourless, moist, and a little nutty.
- Polenta: For body and texture.
- Bananas: Ripe and sweet, they're the natural binder, plus they bring in some sweetness.
- Sugar, of course: Just enough to keep things sweet without being over the top.
- Ground flaxseed: The egg replacer.
- Vegan yogurt: Makes the cake extra soft and moist.
- Neutral oil: Keeps it light and tender.
- Almond butter (optional): A little extra richness, but you can skip it if you don't have almond butter.
- Orange zest: Because rhubarb + citrus = a match made in cake heaven.
- Ground vanilla (or vanilla extract): Just a little hint to round out the flavors.
- Baking powder: For a good rise.
🍽 Recipe
Gluten-Free Rhubarb Cake With Polenta (vegan)
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 150 g sugar (I used birch sugar, but caster or brown sugar also works)
- 2 teaspoons ground flaxseed (acts as an egg replacer)
- 200 g ground almonds
- 180 g polenta
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla powder (or 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract)
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large ripe bananas
- 150 ml neutral oil (I used rapeseed oil)
- 50 ml water
- 100 ml plain vegan yogurt
- 3 tablespoons almond butter (optional, adds richness and a slightly lighter texture)
- Zest of 1 large orange or 2 small ones (zest only)
Topping
- 300 g rhubarb
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 160° C (320° F).
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients (sugar, ground flaxseed, ground almonds, polenta, baking powder, and vanilla powder).
- Peel and mash the bananas in a separate bowl until smooth.Add the oil, water, yogurt, almond butter (if using), and orange zest. Mix well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Line the base and sides of your cake tin or springform with parchment paper or grease the sides with oil.Pour the batter into the prepared tin and spread it out evenly.
- Wash the rhubarb and trim the ends (no need to peel it).Cut into 1.2-1.6 inch (3-4 cm) pieces.
- Arrange the rhubarb pieces on top of the batter, pressing them gently halfway into the mixture.
- Place the cake on the middle rack and bake for about 60 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes before carefully removing it, as it might be crumbly when warm.Enjoy a slice while it's still slightly warm, or let it sit for a day or two-just like a bundt cake, the flavors get even better!
Savoring Tips
This cake is lovely when it's fresh out of the oven, warm and soft. It might be a bit crumbly at first, but it firms up as it cools.
Pro tip: Let it sit for a day or two if you can. The flavors get even better when they have time to mingle and chat (just like in a good bundt cake).
If you're in the mood to add something extra, I'd suggest a sprinkle of powdered sugar, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or a dollop of vegan whipped cream.
FAQs
Totally. I often freeze chopped rhubarb when it's in season and use it later when the cravings hit. No need to thaw it first, just scatter the frozen (individual) pieces directly over the batter in step 7 of the recipe. This keeps the cake from becoming too wet.
The two bananas serve several purposes in the batter: binder, natural sweetener, and moisture booster. Keep this in mind when substituting and you'll be good.
A great substitute is applesauce. Use about 200 g (¾ cup) unsweetened applesauce plus 1 tablespoon of sugar in place of the bananas.
Yes, that's exactly how this kind of flourless cake is meant to be. This isn't an airy sponge cake, but a more rustic treat. It's moist, slightly dense, and firms up as it cools.
Other Fruity Cake & Muffin Recipes
If fruity desserts are up your alley, you might also like these recipes:
- Mandarin Orange Cake With Streusel
- Raspberry Muffins With Hazelnuts
- Romanian Pear & Walnut Cake
- Ginger Muffins With Pears & Chocolate
- Apple & Quinces Crumble
Enjoy,
Ramona
PS: If you try it, tell me in the comments how it turned out. I'm always curious.
♥
Anja says
Dear Ramona, I tried your rhubarb cake (to fight the monstrous rhubarb in my garden) and it is really delicious! And no baking desaster as usual, that means, it is really easy to make (even for non-bakers like me...).
As there was no birch sugar in my cupboard, I used normal sugar 1:1 and it worked as well. As there was no almond butter, too, I replaced it with hazelnut butter - also great and really flavorful! And a little bit of cinnamon also hit the bowl... thats my baking and the reason why things always go wrong - but not with this cake! 🙂
Thanks for sharing and now I'm prepared for gluten sensitive visitors the next time.
Ramona says
Dear Anja,
Thanks a lot for taking the time to write a comment, and many thanks also for trying out my recipe. I'm so happy that it was easy to make and that the cake turned out delicious. 🙂
Perfect that you substituted birch sugar 1:1 for regular sugar, as birch sugar has the same sweetening capacity as regular sugar.
Good idea to add some cinnamon, I can imagine that it went well with the orange zest and the rhubarb.