I have been waiting for months for Rhubarb to arrive in stores. Yet every time I go shopping, rhubarb has been no where to be found. Until this last Monday when I drug all of my children out to go grocery shopping, baby wrapped up tight in a carrier(this is the ONLY way to get things done), kids buckled into the ever-cool “car cart’.
I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t grocery shop at all if it weren’t for the existence of car carts.
Anyway, low and behold, it was this grocery shopping trip that led to my discovery of the first rhubarb of the season(which is probably the last of everyone else’s). So I’ve been saving it all week to make something special.
Like this Rhubarb Custard Magic Cake.
It was about high time I tried one of these “magic” cakes. Basically, you make one batter and while baking it separates into three different layer. The top is like a sponge cake, the center a creamy custard, and the bottom a chewy fudge. I topped mine with stewed rhubarb which, to my relief, was held up perfectly by the fluffy cake layer structured mostly by beaten egg whites.
This cake is creamy, fluffy, chewy, tangy, and sweet. The sweet/sour rhubarb the the perfect foil to the creamy, smooth custard base. I definitely should not have waited so long to try out this magic cake! It was loved by all and I am already thinking up more versions to try!
You could eat this cake at room temperature just after baking, but I prefer it chilled so that the custard is a little more set. Dust it with a little powdered sugar for a pretty contrast and a little added sweetness to that tart rhubarb top.
More Cake?
Blueberry Lavender Pound Cake with Mascarpone Lemon Cream
Made from Scratch Strawberries and Cream Cake
- 2 Rhubarb Stalks, sliced into ¼" pieces
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
- ⅓ cup Water
- 4 Large Eggs, separated
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 stick(1/2 cup) Butter, melted
- ¾ cup All-purpose Flour
- 2 cups Whole Milk, lukewarm
- Powdered Sugar, for dusting
- Add the sliced rhubarb, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring gently on occasion, until all the water is evaporated and rhubarb is soft. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8x8 baking pan.
- Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer to stiff peaks. Set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until creamy. Whisk in the lemon juice and vanilla. Whisk in the melted butter.
- Add the flour to the bowl and whisk in until fully combined.
- Add the milk to the batter, ½ cup at a time, whisking in well before adding in the next ½ cup.
- Note that the batter will be extremely runny.
- Fold the egg whites gently in the batter, just until there are no large lumps left.
- Pour batter into the prepared baking pan. Spoon the cooked rhubarb slices evenly over the top of the batter. The egg whites that remain on the top of the batter should be strong enough to support the fruit slices.
- Bake for 40-60 minutes, or until the cake no longer jiggles when tapped. Bake time will vary depending on how hot your oven gets, so check the cake after 40 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Invert cake onto a cooling rack. Cake should fall right out of the pan, but if you are worried about sticking, run a knife around the edge of the cake before inverting.
- Place cake on a serving dish or cake stand and dust with powdered sugar right before serving.
