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A slice of jammy rhubarb cake with whipped cream and a cup of tea.

Rhubarb Cake Recipe with Whipped Cream

A soft and buttery rhubarb cake recipe with tender cake layers that sandwich tangy-sweet rhubarb compote and fluffy whipped cream.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 307
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • ½ cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 ½ cups flour (210 grams)
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 1 ½ cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup rhubarb compote , or rhubarb jam

Method
 

Make cake
  1. Place a piece of parchment in an 8-inch cake round. Grease the parchment and sides of the cake pan with butter.
  2. In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, cream the ½ cup unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the 2 eggs one at a time, beating until combined after each and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 ½ cups flour, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon fine sea salt.
  4. With the mixer on low, stir half of the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined. Stir in the ½ cup whole milk until just combined, then add the rest of the flour, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
  5. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350º F. Spread the batter evenly in the pan.
  6. Place the cake in the oven and bake until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, the top is set, and the edges are slightly coming away from the pan, 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cake cool completely in the pan on a rack, then invert onto a serving platter and peel away the parchment.
  7. Using a serrated knife, split cake in half horizontally; place bottom half, cut side up, on a serving plate.
Assembly
  1. In a large bowl, whip the 1 ½ cups heavy cream until soft peaks form.
  2. Spread the bottom cake layer with the 1 cup rhubarb compote. Spread half the whipped cream over and top with the other cake layer. Use the remaining whipping cream to frost the top and sides of the cake.
  3. Cake may be kept, well covered in the fridge, for 3 days.

Notes

 
    • Use room temperature ingredients. Bringing the ingredients to room temperature first helps everything blend smoothly and creates a tender, even crumb for the cake. Cold eggs or butter can cause curdling or uneven texture.
    • Don't over-sweeten the jam. Use my failsafe rhubarb jam recipe, or use your own. Make sure not to make it overly sweet, however. Rhubarb jam should keep its tart edge to contrast with the richness of the cake and cream. If you’re making it yourself, go easy on the sugar and add a splash of lemon juice to brighten it (my recipe calls for lemon juice).
    • Cool the jam completely before assembling. If you've planned ahead, you'll have a jar of jam or compote ready to go. If you're making it the day you bake the cake, cool the jam thoroughly before assembling the cake. Warm jam will melt the whipped cream and could cause sliding between layers.
    • Whip the cream to soft peaks. The cream should be nice and soft, yet still hold gentle peaks. This makes it more spoonable and delicious!
    • Assemble just before serving. This is key. The whipped cream is delicate and will soften the cake if it sits too long. If you need to prep ahead, keep the components separate and layer just before serving.
    • Chill the assembled cake for 20–30 minutes for cleaner slices. A short rest in the fridge helps the jam set slightly and gives the cream a bit of structure, making the cake easier to slice neatly.