Rhubarb Meringue Cake
Serves 12
30 mins prep
55 mins cook
120 mins Cooling
205 mins total
This cake is so versatile and so delicious for any occasion! With two layers of vanilla cake, a rhubarb and raspberry compote filling, topped with toasted meringue, this is my take on a German Rhubarb Meringue Cake.
Vanilla Cake
Rhubarb Compote
Meringue
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Vanilla Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the center of the oven.
Line a 9" springform pan with a piece of parchment paper or with baking spray that includes flour.
In the bowl of a mixer, add in the eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Use the whisk attachment to whisk on high for 3 minutes until light and fluffy and the lines of the whisk appear in the egg mixture.
With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour in the oil and water until just mixed.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and sift in the flour, baking powder, and corn starch.
Use the whisk attachment by hand to gently mix in the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, the batter should no longer be clumpy.
Pour the batter into the lined pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick, inserted in the center of the cake, comes out clean.
Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
Rhubarb Compote
Rinse the rhubarb stalks and cut off both ends of each stalk.
Cut the stalks into 1/2" chunks. If needed, cut any extra wide stalks in half lengthwise so that they are all approximately the same size.
Add the rhubarb along with the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, raspberries, and water, into a large pan or medium pot.
Place the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir regularly while it cooks.
It will go from just simmering to the fruit broken down and very bubbly, then the mixture will reduce and the bubbles and compote will thicken. Once it has thickened, you can taste and see if it needs more sugar or lemon juice.
Remove the compote from the heat and pour into a heat safe container or jar and allow it to come to room temperature before storing in the fridge.
Meringue
*If you want more meringue on top, use 4 egg whites (120 grams of egg whites) and 200 grams granulated sugar.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add in the egg whites, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine.
In a sauce pot (the top of the pot should be small enough that the mixing bowl sits on top without touching the water), heat 2 inches of water over medium heat until just simmering. Place the mixing bowl on top of the pot and turn the heat down to low.
Whisk constantly until all of the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is white and frothy. To tell when it's done, pinch the mixture between your fingers and see if you can feel the sugar granules. It is done when the sugar has fully dissolved. This should take about 5 minutes.
Once dissolved take the bowl off the pot and turn the heat off. Immediately place the bowl on your mixer and use the whisk attachment to whip on high until tripled in volume and shiny. The lines should be stiff but it will still be stretchy.
Assemble Rhubarb Meringue Cake
Once cooled, cut the vanilla cake in to two even layers (as even as you can).
Lift the top layer off the cake. Spoon as much of the raspberry rhubarb compote onto the bottom layer as you can. Spread it out, in an even layer, all the way to the edges of the cake with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon.
Place the top layer of cake on top of the compote and press down slightly.
Scoop the meringue onto the top layer of cake (don't dust with powdered sugar first, do so after toasting if desired). Spread it out or leave it centered on the cake.
Toast the meringue as desired with a kitchen torch. Serve immediately!