Rhubarb and White Chocolate Layer Cake
Elegant, seasonal, and perfectly balanced, this Rhubarb and White Chocolate Layer Cake is a celebration of spring flavors. The star of the show is the homemade rhubarb compote, tucked between layers of moist vanilla sponge and a luxurious whipped white chocolate ganache. If you’ve been looking for a way to use fresh rhubarb that feels elevated and modern, this white chocolate pairing offers a velvety sweetness that perfectly complements the rhubarb's signature tang.
Ingredients
WHIPPED WHITE CHOCOLATE CREAM (Make the day before)
- 135 g white chocolate
- 265 g heavy cream
RHUBARB COMPOT (Can also be made the day before)
- 250 g rhubarb
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon water
SPONGES
- 4 large egg room temperature, separated
- ⅛ teaspoon white vinegar
- 130 g granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 120 g all-purpose flour
- 20 g potato starch
- Pinch of salt
- 65 g heavy cream
The US customary cup measurement serves as a rough estimate, as it can have uncertainties, so for precise results, it's recommended to weigh your ingredients using a digital scale in grams. Baking is both an art and a science, which most often requires precision and accuracy.
Instructions
WHIPPED WHITE CHOCOLATE CREAM (Make the day before)
- Start by melting the white chocolate. In a small saucepan, heat up the heavy cream until it starts to steam. Then pour it over the white chocolate and stir it together with a rubber spatula. Cover it with some cling film, so it touches the surface of the cream, and place it in the fridge for 3-4 hours until completely cold or overnight.135 g white chocolate, 265 g heavy cream
RHUBARN COMPOT (Can also be made the day before)
- Start by cutting the cleaned rhubarb into smaller pieces. (IMPORTANT! Do NOT add any of the leaves as they are toxic and unsafe to eat). Add the rhubarb, granulated sugar and lemon juice to a saucepan and heat it up until the rhubarb starts to break down, and the liquid has come to a bubble. Once bubbling, turn it down to a simmer. Stir occasionally and with a rubber spatula mash down rhubarb.250 g rhubarb, 50 g granulated sugar, 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- Let it simmer for 8 minutes or until the rhubarb compote has thickened. Then in a cup mix together cornstarch and water and pour it into the compote. Continuously stir it around for 1 minute while it thickens.1 teaspoon cornstarch, 2 teaspoon water
- Pour the compote into a shallow bowl, covered with plastic wrap, and place it in the fridge. Let it cool down until room temperature or colder. It takes about 1 hour.
SPONGE
- Preheat the oven to 175ºC /350ºF conventional oven. Prepare a 20 cm (8 inch) pan with parchment paper. Do NOT grease the pan as the batter needs to cling to the sides as it rises, which helps the sponge achieve maximum height and a light texture.
- Separate the egg whites and egg yolks into two clean bowls. Add the egg whites and white vinegar to the bowl of a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, or a hand mixer, and beat the egg whites until foamy, on medium speed, then in a slow steady stream pour in the granulated sugar while the egg whites continue to whisk. Continue whisking at high speed until stiff peaks.4 large egg, ⅛ teaspoon white vinegar, 130 g granulated sugar
- Stir the egg yolks together and add them to the meringue together with the vanilla bean paste. Mix it together at the lowest speed until just combined.½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Sift the all-purpose flour, potato starch and salt and add it to the meringue. Mix it together at the lowest speed until just combined, it’s important not to over mix the batter.120 g all-purpose flour, 20 g potato starch, Pinch of salt
- Then finally heat up the heavy cream until it starts to steam and pour it into the batter and again mix until just combined.65 g heavy cream
- Give the batter a final gentle fold with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the pan and bake it for 30 minutes.
- Once baked, immediately trace a thin knife along the edge of the pan and flip it upside down, onto a cooling rack. Remove the parchment paper and flip it back around so it faces the right way up.
ASSEMBLING
- Whip the white chocolate ganache until medium stiff peaks and add the cream to a piping bag fitted with a round piping tip, e.g. Wilton 2A.
- Using a serrated knife, cut the sponge into two layers. Add the first sponge layer onto your serving plate and pipe the whipped white chocolate ganache around the edge of the cake. Fill in the center of the cake, piping a swirl of the cream. Add half of the rhubarb compote to the center and even it out. Add the second layer and pipe the ganache on top and finish with dollops of the remaining rhubarb compote. Optionally, decorate with edible flowers.
Video
Nutrition
Calories: 281kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 5gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 41mgPotassium: 167mgFiber: 1gSugar: 23gVitamin A: 508IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 69mgIron: 1mg
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