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Rhubarb Custard Kuchen

Rhubarb custard kuchen is a German-style sweet yeast cake topped with tangy rhubarb and a creamy custard layer that bakes up golden and set. This method uses a quick dough rise, then bakes the pan until the custard looks firm at the edges and lightly browned on top.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
1 hour (rising and cooling) 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: German
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For dough
  • 2.25 tsp active dry yeast
  • 0.25 cup warm water
  • 0.25 cup warm milk
  • 0.25 cup sugar
  • 0.25 cup butter, melted
  • 1 egg
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
For custard
  • 3 eggs
  • 1.5 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 cup fresh rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Make the yeast dough
  1. Dissolve the active dry yeast in warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes, until foamy. Mix in the warm milk, sugar, melted butter, egg, and salt to form a wet base.
  2. Gradually add all-purpose flour and knead until smooth. Let the dough rise for 30 minutes, until puffy and slightly expanded (warm room temperature).
Assemble and bake
  1. Press the dough into a greased 9x13-inch pan and arrange the rhubarb pieces on top. Make an even layer so the custard sets across the surface.
  2. Whisk together eggs, heavy cream, sugar, all-purpose flour, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour the custard over the rhubarb so it mostly covers the fruit.
  3. Bake at 350°F for 50-55 minutes, until the custard is set and golden on top. If the center still jiggles, bake 3-5 minutes more and recheck.
Cool and serve
  1. Cool completely before cutting and serving, so the custard fully firms up. Let it rest about 1 hour total for rising and cooling.

Notes

Pro tip: Use evenly cut 1-inch rhubarb so it bakes at the same rate and doesn’t leave raw pockets. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat slices briefly or serve chilled. Freezing: wrap airtight and freeze up to 1 month, thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, substitute half-and-half for some of the heavy cream, keeping the custard texture slightly softer but still set.