Rhubarb Sour Cream Muffins ~ One advantage to living in a northern climate (there aren’t too many…lol) is rhubarb! If you are not familiar with rhubarb, it’s a cool season perennial vegetable, that’s right…it’s a vegetable! Even though we most often treat it as a fruit in such confections as pies, crisps, squares, ice-cream, compotes and jams, crumbles, coffee cakes, sweet breads and muffins, it is actually a vegetable.
Rhubarb is a cool season, perennial crop. It requires temperatures below 40 °F / 5 °C to break dormancy and to stimulate spring growth and summer temperatures averaging less than 75 °F / 24 °C for vigorous vegetative growth. The Northern U.S. and Canada are well suited for rhubarb production. Once planted, rhubarb plantings remain productive for 8 to 15 years.
Music Man and I were recently talking about the “old days” and how every single farm seemed to have a massive rhubarb patch. And, the thing was, it never seemed to be in the regular garden, it was always in some obscure patch, but always close to the farmhouse.
As many of you already know, I LOVE muffins! If I had to pick just one food group to live on, it would probably be muffins…lol!
This recipe for Rhubarb Sour Cream Muffins is a variation on my recipe for Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins. If you have access to rhubarb, I strongly urge you to give this delicious spring/early summer treat a try!
I try to make it a habit to gather everything I will need for a recipe before I begin. This way, if I am missing an ingredient, I can run to the store now (much more convenient), instead of mid-way through the recipe. (Not at all convenient!)
In large bowl whisk eggs and gradually add sugar, continue whisking until pale yellow in colour. (I love that pale yellow colour. I would like to paint my kitchen that exact shade!)
Once you start adding the flour mixture, be gentle with the batter. Over-mixing will result in a tough muffin. Stirring by hand is often the best way to do this step, that way you are less inclined to over mix.
Gently stir in the rhubarb. (If there is any liquid in the bowl, drain it before adding the rhubarb to the batter.) If you haven’t already switched to a spatula, do it now. Mixing with the paddle attachment will shred the rhubarb.
I LOVE the contrast between the jewel coloured rhubarb and the creamy batter.
For crunch and sparkle, once you have scooped the batter into the muffin tins, sprinkle each muffin with a little sparkling sugar. ( I buy mine at the bulk food store) This adds a bit of sparkle and a nice crunch to the top of the muffin.
Hot from the oven and the kitchen smells so good. I may have to pry one of these babies out of the tin and eat it before they even cool!
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ tsp. vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1½ cups rhubarb cut into pea sized pieces and tossed in 3 Tbsp white sugar
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and spray 12 large muffin cups or line with cupcake papers.
- In a separate bowl stir together flour, salt and baking soda.
- In large bowl whisk eggs and gradually add sugar, continue whisking until pale yellow in colour.
- Continue whisking while slowly pouring in oil and then vanilla.
- Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture, alternating with the sour cream.
- Gently fold in the rhubarb mixture.
- Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups.
- Bake in preheated oven for ~ 20 minutes.
- (I whisked and combined the ingredients by hand as I find this method produces a much more delicate muffin.)
As always, if you have any questions at all, please feel free to ask and I will do my very best to answer.
Have you ever eaten anything made with rhubarb? Do you like the taste of rhubarb?
Have you ever baked/cooked with rhubarb?
What is your favourite rhubarb recipe?
Soozle says
Oooh I love a rhubarb dish! :) I am soooo sold on these!
Monica says
Isn’t rhubarb a tasty treat Soozle!
Monica Parlee says
These are great Pat, so moist and tender. Plus, the rhubarb is a little different from many muffins
Angela Maciel says
Hey! I tried this out and was so delicious and yummy…
Thanks for sharing
Monica Parlee says
I’m so happy you liked these, Angela, we love them too!
Eileen says
Just made. They are tender, sweet and tart. An easy recipe with on hand ingredients required. This one is definitely a keeper!
Monica Parlee says
Thank you so much, Eileen, so happy you like them too!
Anne says
Can you make muffins with frozen rhubarb?
Anne says
Can these muffins be made with frozen rhubarb?
Monica Parlee says
Hi Anne, I have never used frozen rhubarb, so I’m not sure. My concern would be it could make the mixture too wet. If you decide to try using frozen rhubarb, please drop me a message and let me know how they turn out.
Jayne says
Worked just fine with frozen rhubarb, NOT defrosted!
Monica Parlee says
That’s great to know, thanks so much, Jayne!
Monica Parlee says
Yes Mary , because of the altitude, try making them with 1tsp. and please let me know how they turn out!
pauline fisher says
i would like to know id frozen rhubarb could be used. i have a lot.
Monica Parlee says
Hi Pauline, my only concern would be the moisture in the frozen rhubarb. If you decide to try it with the frozen, would you mind letting me know how it turns out? Thanks so much.
Norma Screpnek says
I have recently been given a recipe for orange and rhubarb jam and it is fantastic ( well in our minds as well as anyone we have shared with)
10 cups of rhubarb wash and drain, do not peel ( I used frozen )
Add 5 cups sugar , mix lightly, Let stand overnight
In morning drain juice off rhubarb into preserving kettle and simmer till reduces a bit
While juice is simmering add 4 cups of oranges. ( preferably clementines or small mandarin)
Which have been blended in blender, not too fine , skin and all ( wash the oranges and remove stems )
Add the rhubarb last and a package and a half of pectin and boil until rhubarb is soft but not mushy ( with frozen takes no time at all)
Seal in sterilized jars ( I did mine in a water bath for 10 minutes)
Enjoy!!