The rhubarb meringue cake is a delicious dessert that combines tart rhubarb with sweet meringue. The perfect cake for the rhubarb season!
Today’s rhubarb meringue cake is a delightful dessert that combines contrasting flavors and textures in perfect harmony.
The tartness of the rhubarb is perfectly balanced by the sweetness of the meringue, and the soft, comforting cake is topped with a cloud-like meringue with a crispy exterior and soft, fluffy interior.
Another bonus of this rhubarb meringue cake recipe is that you can use leftover egg whites to make the topping (I always seem to have a few bags of frozen egg whites in the freezer).
Check out another cake using them; this simple and delicious Egg White Cake. Or try another one of our favorite recipes, this Rhubarb Meringue Tart.
Recipe ingredients
Cake ingredients
- Rhubarb adds a tangy and slightly sour taste to the cake. The rhubarb season starts in April and ends sometime in June, so if you want to make this rhubarb meringue cake, now is the time.
- Use fresh rhubarb stalks from the garden or the supermarket (discard the leaves, they are poisonous). Don't peel the stalks; just clean them properly and remove the lower whitish part.
- Granulated sugar is used in different parts of the rhubarb meringue cake. It is used to steep the rhubarb pieces and remove the excess liquid, it sweetens the cake base, and it’s beaten with the egg whites to create the meringue.
- Butter is a key ingredient in the cake batter, making the cake rich, flavorful, moist, and tender.
- Eggs: You will need four eggs for the batter and four egg whites for the topping.
- All-purpose flour is the main dry ingredient in the cake base, providing structure and helping bind the other ingredients together.
- Baking powder is the leavening agent that helps the cake rise.
- Vanilla extract to enhance the flavor.
- Milk will contribute to a moist and tender texture.
Meringue ingredients
- Egg whites are the main meringue component, providing structure and stability when whipped. They must be at room temperature for best results.
- Sugar sweetens and helps the egg whites hold shape.
- Vinegar is used as an acidic ingredient to stabilize the foam.
- A pinch of salt balances the flavors and enhances the taste.
How to make rhubarb meringue cake?
- Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Prepare the rhubarb:
- Discard the leaves, wash and dry the stalks and remove and discard the whitish lower ends.
- Cut the stalks into slices about as thick as your finger (1).
- Mix the pieces with 2 tablespoons of sugar and place them in a colander.
- Drain for about 30 minutes. This step helps remove the excess moisture and prevents the cake base from getting soggy.
Make the cake base:
- Wet ingredients: Beat sugar and soft butter in a large mixing bowl until fluffy (2). Scrape.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and then add vanilla extract and a pinch of salt (3). Scrape.
- Dry ingredients: Mix flour and baking powder in a separate bowl.
- Combine: Incorporate half of the flour mixture and then half of the milk into the egg mixture (4). Add the remaining flour, incorporate, add the remaining milk, and mix again on low speed (5). Scrape.
Bake:
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
- Pat the rhubarb slices dry with paper towels and arrange them on top of the batter (6).
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes (7).
Make the meringue:
- Prepare the topping during the last 10 minutes of the cake’s baking time.
- Place the egg whites in a spotless mixing bowl and use very clean beaters to beat them (See Expert Tips).
- Beat them on high speed until they begin to foam (8). Then, add salt and vinegar and continue beating until soft peaks start to form.
- Start adding the sugar gradually. Continue beating until the meringue is stiff and glossy (9).
Finish baking:
- Spread the meringue evenly over the cake (10), return the rhubarb cake to the oven, and bake it for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the meringue is golden (the exact time depends on your oven) (11).
- Let the cake cool completely before you slice it.
Expert Tips
Most important tip: Always use a digital kitchen scale in baking; it guarantees the best results (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
Beating egg whites: Make sure the bowl and the beaters you are using are perfectly clean and dry; any trace of fat will prevent the egg whites from stiffening.
Discard the rhubarb leaves; they are poisonous!
Avoid overbeating the meringue: Stop beating it once it reaches stiff peaks. Overbeating can cause the meringue to become grainy and lose its smooth texture.
When spreading the meringue over the rhubarb filling, do it gently to avoid deflating it. Start from the edges and work your way toward the center.
Recipe FAQ
A sweet and airy mixture made from whipped egg whites and sugar. It creates a light and fluffy layer on top of the cake, with a crisp exterior and a soft, pillowy interior.
Sure. Mix it with the sugar, let it thaw, and drain in the colander as instructed. Pat it dry before placing it on the batter.
Yes, you can experiment with different fruit or berries. If using anything else, skip the steeping step and adjust the sugar amount in the batter according to the sweetness of the fruit you choose.
You can make it one day in advance. Let it cool completely in the pan, then cover it with a large, clean kitchen towel. Leave it at room temperature (not too warm) until the next day.
If the weather is hot, do refrigerate the cake.
Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.
To keep it longer, refrigerate it in an airtight container; this way, it will last 3-4 days. Let it come to room temperature before serving it again.
Meringue doesn’t freeze well.
More meringue cakes
More rhubarb cakes
Rhubarb Meringue Cake – Romanian Desserts
Equipment
- Deeper baking dish about 32x32 cm/ 12.5x12.5 inch
- Electric mixer or stand mixer
- Colander
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
Rhubarb cake (Note 1):
- 500 g rhubarb 1 lb
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 250 g granulated sugar 1 ¼ cups/ 9 oz
- 200 g unsalted butter 7 oz/ 1 ¾ sticks soft
- 4 eggs large Note 2
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
- 400 g all-purpose flour 14 oz/ 3 cups Note 3
- 2 teaspoons baking powder 10 g
- 230 ml whole milk 1 cup
Meringue topping:
- 4 egg whites total weight 125 g/ 4 ½ oz
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 150 g granulated sugar ¾ cup/5 ½ oz
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F and line the baking dish with parchment paper.
Prepare the rhubarb:
- Chop rhubarb: Discard the leaves, wash and dry the stalks, and remove and discard the whitish lower ends. Cut the rhubarb into slices as thick as your finger500 g/ 1 lb
- Mix the rhubarb with sugar and place it in a colander. 2 tablespoon sugar
- Drain for about 30 minutes, then pat the pieces dry with paper towels.
Make the cake base:
- Wet ingredients: Beat sugar and soft butter in a large mixing bowl until fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time beating for about 30 seconds after each addition. Add vanilla extract and a pinch of salt as well. Scrape the bowl with the rubber spatula a few times in between.250 g/ 1 ¼ cups sugar + 200 g/ 1 ¾ sticks butter + 4 eggs + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract + pinch of salt
- Dry ingredients: Mix flour and baking powder in a separate bowl.400 g7 14 oz/ 3 cups flour + 2 teaspoon baking powder
- Combine: Add half of the flour mixture and mix it in shortly and at low speed. Next, add half of the milk and incorporate. Add the remaining flour, combine, add the remaining milk, and mix again on low speed.
Bake:
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
- Pat the rhubarb slices dry with paper towels and arrange them on top of the batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes.
Make the meringue:
- Make the meringue during the last 10 minutes of the cake’s baking time.
- Place the egg whites in a spotless mixing bowl and use very clean beaters to beat them (Note 4). Beat them on high speed until they begin to foam. Then, add salt and vinegar and continue beating until soft peaks start to form.4 egg whites + pinch of salt + 1 teaspoon viengar
- Start adding the sugar gradually. Continue beating until the meringue is stiff and glossy (don’t overbeat it).150 g/ ¾ cup sugar
Finish baking:
- Spread the meringue evenly over the cake, and return the cake to the oven.
- Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the meringue is golden (the exact time depends on your oven).
- Let the cake cool completely before you slice it.
Notes
- Scale: Always use a digital kitchen scale in baking; it guarantees the best results(the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab).
- Egg size: If you live in Germany (where this kind of cake is very popular), please use medium eggs.
- Again, I strongly recommend using a scale to measure the flour and the butter. I measured the 400 g in cups and had 3 cups of flour, but that result can easily differ from one person to another. If you google it, google will tell you that 400 g is 3.2 cups of flour.
- Egg whites: Use a very clean bowl and beaters for making the meringue; any trace of fat will prevent the egg whites from stiffening.
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
I haven't had any rhubarb cake this cake...now I really crave one piece. This looks so beautiful with that thick meringue layer.
Anca says
It looks delicious. I like rhubarb and meringue, so I'm sure I would love the dessert too.
Alina says
Yummy! I want to make this cake again, but I don't know if I can find rhubarb so easily during this time of year. I was amazed to even find it this spring. I wonder what it would taste like with apricots. 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
This looks fantastic! I love the combination, so wishing rhubarb was in season here. Pinning for another day (season)!
grace says
i've never really liked meringue but this cake looks so appealing! you must be working magic. 🙂
Kim says
What a great sounding cake! My parents used to grow a patch of rhubarb every year and my father would make strawberry rhubarb pie. I'm sure it was more of a joint effort between mom and dad because I can't see my dad rolling a pie crust! I laugh to think of it. But, I love the tartness rhubarb and can only imagine how well it plays with the sweet meringue. Stunning photos as always.