This Rabarber Vlaai - Dutch Rhubarb Cake recipe includes custard powder to soak up the rhubarb juice in this cake topped with a meringue that ensures you use every part of the eggs and results in a unique way to serve up rhubarb.
Table of Contents
Ingredients and substitutions for Dutch Rhubarb Cake
- Rhubarb: Fresh rhubarb was used here and either forced rhubarb (specific to the UK) or regular works beautifully here.
- Custard powder: The light flavors in custard powder helps give filling a light custard undertone alongside the rhubarb, helping bring out itโs sweetness.
- Sugar: Superfine or caster sugar is perfect for both our base and our meringue thanks to the fact it easily dissolves, adding sweetness without additional flavor. You could replace with white sugar.
- Flour: Plain or all purpose flour is best to create a nice light crumb to our base.
- Butter: Unsalted butter was used, though salted would work well here, this butter helps create a light dough.
- Eggs: The eggs bind and adds structure to our base resulting in that soft interior that compliments the sugar and butter.
- Semolina: The semolina helps soak up some of the juice from the rhubarb as they bake. You could substitute with plain flour, if you prefer.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make Dutch Rhubarb Cake:
Step 1: Rhubarb filling: Stir the rhubarb, sugar and custard powder in a bowl to coat evenly.
Step 2: Base mixture: Beat a portion of the sugar, flour, butter and egg yolks on low until a dough has formed.
Step 3: Press: Into the base of your cake tin evenly around the base and sides and sprinkle the semolina over the base.
Step 4: Fill: Spoon the rhubarb mixture into the pastry.
Step 5: Bake: Until golden, approximately 30 minutes.
Step 6: Whip: The egg whites with the remaining sugar and whip until stiff.
Step 7: Spread: The whipped egg whites on top and return to the oven to bake until golden.
Step 8: Slice and serve: Dig in!
FAQ's for the best Dutch Rhubarb Cake
The best result in a stable but volumized meringue is to whip it at a low, but medium speed of around 3 (depending on your beaters), this will result in introducing enough air to expand the egg whites without over whipping.
The length of time depends on if youโre introducing the sugar when you begin beating the egg whites or if you beat the egg whites to soft peaks and then begin adding the sugar in stages, allow at least 20-30 seconds for the sugar to dissolve before adding more. You donโt want to beat the meringue for longer than 15 minutes as the meringue will begin to be over whipped.
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Dutch Rhubarb Cake (Rabarber Vlaai)
Ingredients
Rhubarb
- 500 grams / 4 stalks rhubarb ends removed and sliced into ยฝ inch pieces
- 20 grams / 2 tablespoons custard powder
- 50 grams / ยผ cup superfine/caster sugar
Cake
- 100 grams / ยฝ cup superfine/caster sugar
- 150 grams / 1 cup - 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 75 grams / 2.65 ounces butter
- 90 grams / 2 medium eggs room temperature and separated
- 20 grams / 2 tablespoons fine semolina
Instructions
Rhubarb
- Preheat your oven to 180C/350F and line a 20 cm or 8 inch round cake tin with parchment paper.
- Toss the rhubarb, sugar and custard powder into a bowl and stir to coat evenly. Set aside.
Cake
- Place 50 grams / ยผ cup sugar, flour, butter and egg yolks into a bowl and beat on low until a dough has formed.
- Press into the base of your cake tin evenly around the base and sides.
- Sprinkle the semolina over the dough evenly.
- Spoon the rhubarb mixture on top, nice and evenly.
- Place in the oven to bake for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place the egg whites in a clean and dry bowl with the remaining 50 grams / ยผ cup sugar and whip until stiff.
- Remove the cake from the oven and spread the whipped egg whites on top.
- Return to the oven until lightly golden, approximately 5 minutes.
- Remove and allow to cool fully.
- Slice up and serve.
- Dig in!
Video
Notes
- Rhubarb: Fresh rhubarb was used here and either forced rhubarb (specific to the UK) or regular works beautifully here.
- Custard powder: The light flavors in custard powder helps give filling a light custard undertone alongside the rhubarb, helping bring out itโs sweetness.
- Sugar: Superfine or caster sugar is perfect for both our base and our meringue thanks to the fact it easily dissolves, adding sweetness without additional flavor. You could replace with white sugar.
- Semolina: The semolina helps soak up some of the juice from the rhubarb as they bake. You could substitute with plain flour, if you prefer.
- The best speed for beating your meringue: The best result in a stable but volumized meringue is to whip it at a low, but medium speed of around 3 (depending on your beaters), this will result in introducing enough air to expand the egg whites without over whipping.
- Cake tin: A round spring form cake tin was used as this allows the cake to be a nice height, though a tin 2 cm or 1 inch larger or smaller would also be fine.
Nutrition
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