Is there anything prettier than rhubarb? Its vibrant blush-pink hue feels like a true celebration of spring, bringing colour and brightness to the kitchen after the long winter months.

This rhubarb and meringue sheet cake is the perfect showcase for those tender, poached stalks, their tartness balanced beautifully by swirls of lightly toasted meringue. A touch of rose water adds a delicate floral note, enhancing the natural flavour of the rhubarb and giving the cake an elegant twist.

Serve in generous slices, perhaps with a little cream on the side, for a dessert that feels both comforting and effortlessly special.

Served on the Cole and Mason Barkway Acacia Board. 

Kitchen tools needed

1 rectangular sided baking pan (20 x 30 cm)
Digital or sugar thermometer
Chef’s blow torch to toast the meringue (or a hot grill)
Baking paper 

Makes enough to serve 6-8

Prep and baking – 1 hour plus cooling time. 

Difficulty – moderate (Italian meringue can be a little tricky)

Ingredients

Semi poached rhubarb:

-    600g fresh rhubarb stalks, trimmed and cut into 5cm lengths
-    50g caster sugar
-    2 teaspoons rosewater
-    Splash of water (1-2 tablespoons)

Butter cake base:

-    150g unsalted butter at room temperature
-    150g caster sugar
-    Pinch of salt
-    1 teaspoon vanilla essence
-    3 eggs at room temperature
-    225g plain flour
-    25g potato flour
-    2 teaspoons baking powder
-    50ml buttermilk

Italian Meringue:

-    4 egg whites
-    200g caster sugar
-    ¼ cup of water 
-    ¼ tsp cream of tartar
-    1 teaspoon vanilla essence
-    Pinch of salt

Method

To prepare the rhubarb:     
1.    Place the rhubarb sugar, rosewater and water in saucepan and simmer over low to medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the fruit is just glazed. The fruit needs to be very slightly cooked but still intact. 
2.    Set aside and allow to cool. 

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees Celsius – fan forced
Grease the baking pan and line with baking paper. 

To make the butter cake:

1.    Sift together the flour, potato flour and baking powder.
2.    Beat the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla using the paddle of a stand mixer until light and fluffy. 
3.    Slowly add the eggs one at a time until incorporated.
4.    Mix in the sifted flour alternating with the buttermilk at low speed until combined and no streaks of flour remain. 
5.    Spread the cake mixture evenly in the prepared baking pan. 
6.    Top with the rhubarb pieces and drizzle over the pink syrup.
7.    Bake for 25-30 minutes.

For the Italian meringue:

1.    Heat the water and sugar in a saucepan without stirring over medium heat until it reaches 115 degrees Celsius on a sugar thermometer. 
2.    Place the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a clean metal mixing bowl, and start to beat using the whisk attachment when the sugar syrup is a few degrees below 115 C. You want the whites to reach the soft peak stage without overbeating them. 
3.    Whilst still beating, drizzle in the hot sugar syrup and continue to whisk to form stiff peaks. 
4.    Whisk in the vanilla and salt.
5.    Spread or pipe the meringue onto the cooked rhubarb cake
6.    Toast the meringue using a cooks’ blow torch, or under a hot grill, being cautious not to burn the meringue. 

Tips:

Take care with the hot things in this recipe, including the hot sugar syrup and using a blow torch- this is a job for grown-ups. 

The rhubarb will go to mush very quickly if cooked for too long, to remember to only just heat the fruit and sugar together then take it off heat and pour it into a bowl to cool. 

I piped my meringue with a star nozzle tip and a piping bag, but free styling swirls and peaks with a spoon is just as pretty.