Japanese Knotweed Cake with Streusel Topping

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Adam Berkelmans

Managing Editor at Harvesting Nature

Adam Berkelmans, also known as The Intrepid Eater, is a passionate ambassador for real food and a proponent of nose to tail eating. He spends his time between Ottawa and a cozy lake house north of Kingston, Ontario. When not cooking, he can be found hunting, fishing, foraging, gardening, reading, traveling, and discovering new ways to find and eat food.

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Latest posts by Adam Berkelmans (see all)

• Summertime Chanterelle and Vegetable Medley - July 20, 2026
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Japanese knotweed has a unique flavor, somewhat reminiscent of rhubarb, that sits firmly between sweet and savory.

This got me thinking about using it in a dessert application, as I’m never a fan of desserts that are very sweet. If there’s a salted caramel option, or cookies with flaky salt sprinkled on top, I’m all over it; otherwise I tend to leave desserts alone.

Since Japanese knotweed shoots aren’t very sweet, I figured they’d go great in a dessert that also straddles that area between sweet and savory. I even used some flaky salt in the streusel topping (totally optional) to confuse the distinction even more. The result was a delicious, moist cake with just the right amount of sweetness that disappeared VERY quickly when placed on the table after dinner.

If you can’t obtain Japanese knotweed (an invasive plant with edible shoots), you can replace it with rhubarb, which will create a product that’s more sour, but equally delicious.

Serve this knotweed cake on its own, or slathered in butter for a decadent treat.

Serves: 6-8
Time to make: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Also make with: rhubarb

Looking for more wild dessert ideas? Try out Paul Keeven’s Pawpaw Pie with Duck Fat Crust recipe!

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Japanese Knotweed Cake with Streusel Topping

Recipe by Adam Berkelmans

4.7 from 3 votes

Course: Wild Recipes

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• For the Cake

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 eggs

• 6 tablespoons softened butter

• 2/3 cup buttermilk

• 1 1/2 cups sliced knotweed shoots

• For the Streusel Topping

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes

• 1 pinch flaky salt (optional)

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, and butter. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and mix gently until just combined. Fold in the knotweed.
• Pour the batter into a greased cake or loaf pan.
• Add the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon to a bowl and mix. Add the cold butter and use a fork to combine until a crumbly mixture emerges. Sprinkle this on top of the cake.
• Put in the oven and bake for 1 hour (check after 45 minutes for overcooking), turning the pan 180 degrees at the 30-minute mark for more even cooking.
• Let cool completely before removing the cake from the pan. Serve with melted butter. Enjoy!

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