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sour cream rhubarb bars

Moist Sour Cream Rhubarb Bars

Delicious Moist Sour Cream Rhubarb Bars recipe with step-by-step instructions.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 2700
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the topping::
  • 0.75 oz butter (I like Kerrygold unsalted butter for this)
  • 0.5 cup sugar
  • 3.5 oz nuts (roughly chopped into 1/4-inch pieces)
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
For the base::
  • 3 oz butter
  • 1.25 cups sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1.75 cups flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate
  • 0.75 tsp salt
  • 1.5 cups sour cream (full-fat gives better texture and moisture)
  • 10.5 oz rhubarb (cut into 1/2-inch slices)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
 

  1. Heat your oven to 180°C (350°F). While it preheats, grease a 9x13 inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper for easy removal. This gives you time to prepare your ingredients while the oven reaches temperature.
  2. In a small bowl, combine the 0.75 oz butter, 0.5 cup sugar, roughly chopped nuts, and cinnamon. Mix until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some texture remaining. Set aside—this topping will stay on top of the batter and bake together, so you want it ready to go when you need it.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. In a separate small bowl or measuring cup, combine the sour cream and vanilla extract and stir until smooth. Cut your rhubarb into 1/2-inch slices if not already done. Having these components ready means you can work quickly once you start combining the wet and dry ingredients.
  4. In a large bowl, beat together the 3 oz butter, 1.25 cups sugar, and egg until the mixture is light and smooth, about 2-3 minutes. This creaming step incorporates air into the batter, which helps create a tender crumb. I like to use full-fat sour cream because it gives these bars a much more moist and luxurious texture than reduced-fat versions.
  5. Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 3 to the creamed butter mixture, then pour in the sour cream mixture and fold everything together until just combined—don't overmix, as this can make the bars tough. Gently fold in the sliced rhubarb, being careful not to break the pieces up too much. The batter will be thick and studded with rhubarb pieces.
  6. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle the cinnamon-nut topping from Step 2 evenly over the surface. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs—you want these bars to stay tender and moist, not dry.
  7. Let the bars cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before cutting—this allows them to set up just enough to cut cleanly while still being warm. You can serve them warm with a dollop of whipped cream or yogurt, or let them cool completely and store in an airtight container.