This Rabarber Vlaai - Dutch Rhubarb Cake recipe includes custard powder to soak up the rhubarb juice in this butter, sugar and egg cake that is topped with a meringue that ensures you use every part of the eggs and results in a unique way to serve up rhubarb.
This is the perfect spring cake you can whip up for a fuss free dish that utilizes seasonal rhubarb and lets it shine! What is your favorite way to serve up rhubarb?
Why you'll love this
Custard powder in the cake batter
We know custard and rhubarb are a stellar combo so mixing in a little custard powder into the rhubarb adds a this sweetness that makes this cake a goodie.
Press in base
The base is light and crumbly, but bakes up as a perfect in-between from a crushed biscuit base and pastry and adds complimentary flavors to the rhubarb and meringue.
Meringue topping
The meringue topping is pretty low maintenance thanks to the way it’s baked, which means you can just mix and place on top of the rhubarb and bake until lightly golden.
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 it’s 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.
Equipment needed to make this
Mixing bowl: You’ll need a large mixing bowl to prepare the meringue and two medium bowls to combine the filling and base together.
Stand or hand mixer: A stand mixer or hand mixer, like a Kitchenaid, works best here to prepare your base to really break down the butter and incorporate the eggs for the base and is also best to whip the meringue topping, though this can also be done by hand.
Cake tin: A spring form tin that is 20 cm or 8 inches was used here as this allows the dish to be a nice height without and gives us a great cake to share with others, though a tin 2cm / 1 inch larger or smaller would also be fine here.
More rhubarb recipes you'll love
Hjónabandssaela - Icelandic Happy Marriage Cake
Estonian Rabarbi Kohupiimakook - Estonian Rhubarb Crumble Cheesecake
How to make Dutch Rhubarb Cake:
Preheat your oven to 180C/350F and greaseproof a cake tin.
Toss the rhubarb, sugar and custard powder into a bowl and stir to coat evenly. Set aside.
Place 50 grams / ¼ 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 / ¼ 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!
Dutch Rhubarb Cake
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: Serves 12
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: Dutch
Description
This Rabarber Vlaai - Dutch Rhubarb Cake recipe is the perfect spring cake you can whip up for a fuss free dish that utilizes seasonal rhubarb and lets it shine!
Ingredients
Rhubarb
500 grams / 4 stalks rhubarb, ends removed and sliced into ½ inch pieces
20 grams / 2 tablespoons custard powder
50 grams / ¼ cup superfine/caster sugar
Cake
100 grams / ½ cup superfine/caster sugar
150 grams / 1 cup - 1 tablespoon plain flour
75 grams / 2.65 ounces butter
2 eggs, room temperature and separated
20 grams / 2 tablespoons fine semolina
Instructions
Rhubarb
- Preheat your oven to 180C/350F and greaseproof a cake tin.
- Toss the rhubarb, sugar and custard powder into a bowl and stir to coat evenly. Set aside.
Cake
- Place 50 grams / ¼ 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 / ¼ 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!
Notes
Adapted from mijnreceptenboek
Nutrition
- Calories: 169 calories per serve
Keywords: dutch cake, rhubarb, spring cake,
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