Sourdough Discard Rhubarb Cupcakes

Here’s a tasty cupcake recipe: Sourdough Rhubarb Cupcakes! The combination of tangy and sweet flavors is perfectly balanced in this deliciously moist and fluffy seasonal treat.

Today, I’m sharing a gluten-free, dairy-free recipe for rhubarb cupcakes. These treats have a rhubarb cake texture and are moist, tangy, and sweet, topped with a delightful streusel.

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If you don’t have dietary restrictions, you can easily make this rhubarb muffin recipe using regular flour.

Tips for using rhubarb in cupcakes:

We love eating rhubarb all year round. It is an absolute must though as a seasonal treat!

Rhubarb can be challenging to incorporate into recipes. Here are some tips for preparing the rhubarb for this sweet treat:

• If using fresh rhubarb -wash and dry stalks before using.
• Cut fresh rhubarb into 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch pieces to allow even distribution in the cupcake batter.
• If using frozen rhubarb you can avoid a soggy texture to your cupcakes by thawing the rhubarb in a colander and draining it well before adding it to the batter.
• I’ve used red and green rhubarb as the tartness is balanced with the sugar in this recipe then complemented with a hint of cinnamon.
• Cutting the rhubarb stalks into uniform 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch pieces will minimize the fibrous texture that can otherwise be noticeable in the cupcakes.

Sourdough rhubarb cupcakes:

Makes 18 cupcakes.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plant-based margarine
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup gluten-free sourdough starter (or dairy-free yogurt)
• 315 g (2 cups) Robin Hood Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Blend
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Streusel Topping:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans)
• 2 tsp cinnamon

Before you begin:

• Gather ingredients.
• Let the eggs and margarine warm to room temperature.
• Wash and cut rhubarb into pieces or thaw and drain frozen rhubarb.
• Measure and sift together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt.

Rhubarb Cupcake Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F and grease muffin pans.
2. Prepare streusel topping by mixing cinnamon, sugar, and nuts in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. In another bowl, cream margarine and sugar together until well blended and pale yellow.

4. Add eggs and vanilla and continue beating until light and fluffy.

5. Mix in sourdough starter (or yogurt) and blend then add the sifted flour mixture and stir until uniformly combined.

6. Add rhubarb and mix.

7. Scoop into prepared muffin tins.

8. Add 2 tsp of streusel topping to the top of each cupcake.

9. Place in preheated 400 F oven for 10 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350 F and cook for an additional 10 minutes.

10. The cupcakes are ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
11. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan.

Cupcake variations:

• Not gluten-free? Use regular flour instead of gluten-free flour.
• Don’t have a sourdough starter? Try using yogurt. Using sourdough starter affects the flavor and texture of the rhubarb cupcakes so using yogurt will give you the same tanginess to enhance the sweetness of the rhubarb.
• No dairy restrictions? Use regular margarine or butter in place of the plant-based margarine.
• Freeze for later. Make these sweet and tangy rhubarb cupcakes ahead of time and freeze. Allow to thaw at room temperature prior to serving.
• Topping options: this recipe uses a streusel topping but a cream cheese frosting or a lemon glaze would work too!

Tips and tricks:

• Properly prepare rhubarb. If the rhubarb is too wet, your cupcakes will be soggy. See tips for using rhubarb in cupcakes above.
• Use a cookie scoop to add batter to muffin pans. I use a medium Pampered Chef cookie scoop for consistency in size.
• Add the streusel topping. You may be tempted to skip the streusel topping but the sugar-cinnamon-nut combination perfectly balances the tartness of the rhubarb. Press it down slightly with a spoon to get the topping to stay on top of the cupcake batter.
• The right sourdough starter texture. I feed my gluten-free sourdough starter right before I bake. I usually use sorghum flour and add enough to give it a yogurt-like consistency.
• Make ahead and freeze. These cupcake delights can be made ahead and frozen then thawed at room temperature prior to serving.

If you’re looking for a fun cupcake idea I created for my grandson, check out the post on how to make an alligator cupcake cake. I used a gluten-free chocolate almond flour cupcake recipe, green buttercream icing, gluten-free Oreo chocolate sandwich cookies, marshmallows, jujubes, and jelly beans!

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