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.

Side view of rhubarb meringue cake with slices cut out on a cake stand.

This cake was inspired by a traditional German Rhubarb Meringue cake which is made with a meringue layer that is baked on top. This gives it more of an airy + crispy texture, but I prefer Swiss meringue which is a bit more marshmallowy.

Do I have to add the Swiss meringue?

No! If you don’t like meringue, top the cake with a sweetened whip cream, a dusting of powdered sugar, or a vanilla yogurt!

Do you need to peel rhubarb?

No, when cooking down rhubarb in liquid, the fibers of rhubarb will break down so the rhubarb doesn’t need to be peeled before making compote.

Can I leave out the raspberries?

Yes! I personally love the addition of raspberries but if you don’t have them or can’t find frozen raspberries, you can leave them out. You may want to add more rhubarb to replace the raspberries and more sugar to taste as rhubarb is quite tart.

Can this cake be made in advance?

Yes; however, I recommend doing all the parts except the meringue in advance. You could make the cake and rhubarb compote up to 2 months in advance and freeze them both separately. Once the cake and rhubarb compote are assembled I recommend storing it in the fridge, in an airtight container – it can be stored like this for up to 3 or 4 days. Then the meringue is best fresh so I recommend cooking it and adding it just before serving.

Additional Recipes to try!

Tips for making Rhubarb Meringue Cake

Err on the side of baking the cake for 35 minutes rather than 30 as it can have a tendency to sink slightly but the oil will keep it from drying out.
Allow the cake to cool fully before slicing and assembling.
Many people like to peel rhubarb but it is not necessary! Simply be sure to rinse it off, cut of any green leaf sections and the ends where they were removed from the plant.
This compote doesn’t need to be stirred constantly but don’t forget about it as it will burn if you do. It can be cooked in either a large pan or medium pot, it will cook quicker in a pan but will also require more frequent stirring.
If the compote is ever too tart, you can always add more sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until it is as sweet as you want. Be sure to think about what you will be serving it with, if it is with meringue you may want to keep it more tart to balance out the sweetness.
When making the meringue, it won’t take long, so don’t walk away. We don’t want the egg whites to turn into scrambled eggs. If you want MORE meringue on the cake, simply do 4 egg whites (120 grams) and 200 grams of granulated sugar.
It’s not necessary to torch the meringue as the egg whites have been fully cooked, but it is fun and adds a nice texture. If you are using a kitchen torch (DON’T USE A BLOWTORCH), please be careful!

Ingredients

Vanilla Cake Layer

Eggs: I use standard large eggs from the store. There are three whole eggs in the cake.
Sugar: White granulated sugar gives this cake its slight sweetness.
Vanilla Extract: Vanilla adds a little flavor and enhances the sweetness of the cake.
Salt: Salt balances out the sweetness and enhances the vanilla flavor of the cake.
Oil: Any neutral oil such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil will work in this cake.
Water: This cake is often made with sparkling water which makes it a little extra fluffy but it will also work the regular water.
All Purpose Flour: Any all purpose flour will work for this vanilla cake! I have not yet tried any other flours with this recipe.
Corn Starch: Mixing cornstarch with flour gives the cake a lighter and more tender texture similar to what you get when using cake flour instead.
Baking Powder: In addition to the air whisked into the eggs, baking powder helps the cake rise so be sure it hasn’t expired.

Rhubarb Raspberry Compote

Rhubarb: Rhubarb isn’t in season for long but when it is I can usually find it at the farmers market or Whole Foods. The stalks should be stiff not limp.
Granulated Sugar: I used granulated sugar in this recipe but you could also use any sweetener of your choice, the amount may vary slightly depending on what you use.
Lemon juice & Lemon zest: Always zest the lemon before juicing it as it is more difficult to zest once cut. I used one large-ish lemon, if yours are small, you can use one and a half or two.
Raspberries: Frozen raspberries were used in this recipe but fresh raspberries will work as well. There is no need to defrost the raspberries first.
Water: Water will keep the fruit and sugar from burning when it first starts to cook down in the pan. However, most of the liquid will reduce out therefore not diluting the flavor at all.

Meringue Topping

Egg Whites: the egg whites are from standard large eggs but you can use other sizes as long as it is a total of 90 grams of egg whites.
Granulated Sugar: Sugar is cooked into the egg whites and creates the light and fluffy marshmallow – like texture.
Salt: a touch of salt is used to balance the meringue.

How to make Rhubarb Meringue Cake

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.

Process images of making, pouring, and baking a vanilla sponge cake.

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 or using in the cake.

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!

Process images of how to layer and assemble a Rhubarb Meringue Cake.

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