This family favorite was a discovery of my grandmother’s, an irresistible creation that is ridiculously simple to make, and utterly delicious. When it’s rhubarb season, it’s one of the first cake recipes that comes to my mind.
The magic of this cake is how it goes from starting out with the cream and rhubarb on the top as it goes into the oven, to coming out of the oven with the cream and rhubarb at the bottom. It makes a lovely layer of custard – creamy, sweet/tart, full of rhubarb – there’s just something about it. Simply irresistible, in my book!
This is one of the simplest bakes to make, semi-homemade, involving the use of a boxed yellow cake mix as the base cake. You can always spice it up a little if you want to add a little more flavor – add vanilla, or a little ginger or cinnamon, for example.
But the one thing that is nonnegotiable is that you must use a heavy whipping cream – no slimming or diet versions of this will do! And trust me, I’ve tried it, and the rhubarb doesn’t drop through the cake to the bottom, it doesn’t form the luscious custard – just take my word for it and use full-fat. I promise you it’ll be worth the calories.
One would normally make this in a 9×13-inch cake pan, and just cut out slices and top with a little whip cream to serve. For afternoon tea, however, I liked the idea of making it a little more fancy, so I used my 3×1.75-inch Baker’s Pride tin to make smaller round cakes.
I also served it on this kind of small round cardboard serving board; this will help keep the custard from getting messy if you try to serve it at an afternoon tea party. If, as you turn out the mini cakes onto your cooling rack (which puts the custard on top), carefully peel away your parchment so as to disturb the custard as little as possible, then cover it with one of these mini boards to turn it back over and finish decorating before serving – that worked just great for me.
Just look at how amazing it looks when cut open! I crave this cake every spring, and while you can use frozen rhubarb as well, it’s simply wonderful with fresh rhubarb.
So think about this one for your spring tea party table – you can’t go wrong with this classic!
Rhubarb Custard Cake
Ingredients
- 1 package yellow cake mix
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 4 c. chopped rhubarb (fresh is best, but frozen works)
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- 1 c. heavy whipping cream
- For garnishing (optional), whipped cream
- For garnishing (optional), rhubarb puree = 1 1/4 pound rhubarb, ~1/4 c. sugar, 2 Tbsp. water)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350° F. Prepare the cake mix according to the package directions, adding in a teaspoon of vanilla and any other spice (like ginger, cinnamon, etc.) if desired. Pour the batter into your prepared mini cake tin with 3-inch wells (prepped with cooking spray, and parchment circles on the bottom). Fill the wells about 1/2 to 2/3rds full. Alternately, you could use a greased 9×13-inch cake pan to make one large sheet cake.On top of the batter, sprinkle with rhubarb and sugar, then slowly pour the cream over the top. During the baking process, the rhubarb, sugar, and cream will sink to the bottom.
Bake until the cake is golden brown, ~25 minutes if making smaller cakes (check after 20 minutes). Bake 40-45 minutes if making the larger sheet cake.
Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before serving. If making mini cakes, gently push the removable bottoms of each well one at a time and turn over on the cooling rack. Take off the removable bottom and gently peel away the parchment. What is now the top will be a bit custardy. Using a mini disposable cake round, put it on the custardy top and turn over the cake to serve it on the cake round. If making the larger sheet cake, simply cut into squares and serve.
Garnish the individual cakes or slices with whipped cream to serve.
If desired, you could also top with a little rhubarb puree for extra rhubarb flavor (form a little circle in the top of your whipped cream with the back of a measuring spoon and pipe in a little puree).
To make the rhubarb puree, in a large saucepan, bring the rhubarb, sugar and water to a boil. Reduce heat, cook and stir until thickened and rhubarb is broken down and tender. Cool slightly and put in a food processor to process until the puree is smooth. Adjust sugar as needed (you may want to add more). Let cool completely before using.
Very Nearly Teatime 
These look so pretty!
LikeLike