If you love rhubarb, you'll love this Rhubarb Meringue Torte, with a delicious shortbread crust, a creamy rhubarb custard filling, and a light and fluffy meringue topping, it's a great way to celebrate rhubarb this spring! You can use either fresh or frozen rhubarb for this recipe.
This recipe is popular in the spring during rhubarb season. I got this recipe from my Auntie Sue, who is also a big fan of rhubarb and one of my childhood baking inspirations, along with both my grandmothers. This recipe pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee!
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If you're a little rhubarb crazy like me, you'll definitely want to check out my other rhubarb recipes: Rhubarb Cake, Rhubarb Cookies, Rhubarb Squares (shown), Sticky Rhubarb Pudding, Rhubarb Dessert (No Bake) and my 2 Ingredient Rhubarb Lemonade, among several others!
🥘Ingredients
You'll need the following ingredients for this rhubarb torte:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cup sugar + 5 tablespoon sugar
- 3 eggs *separated
- ⅓ cup milk * I use 1 %
- 1 ½ tbsp tapioca starch * I use minute tapioca
- 2 ½ cups rhubarb *you can use fresh rhubarb or frozen rhubarb
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
🔪Instructions
Heat oven to 325 degrees F (162 degrees C)
Spray the bottom of an 8x8 pan (glass preferably) with non-stick cooking spray.
Blend 1 cup flour, ½ cup butter, and 2 tablespoon sugar in a food processor. If you don't have a food processor, you could cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or cheese grater.
Press into the bottom of an 8-inch square pan. *I use glass to avoid the metallic taste of rhubarb baked in aluminum
Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees F (162 C) for 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Set on trivet or wire rack.
Filling
Meanwhile (while the base is cooking), make the filling:
Separate each whole egg into a small bowl for egg whites and another for yolks
In a medium bowl, whisk 1 ½ cups sugar and 3 egg yolks, 2 tablespoon flour together (you can use a whisk or the whisk attachment on your hand mixer).
Stir in milk, rhubarb, and tapioca
Turn up oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C)
Pour filling over hot crust.
Return to oven and bake 350 degrees F (176 degrees C) for 40-60 minutes or until the filling is set.
* Cooking time will depend on what type of milk you use, if your rhubarb is fresh or frozen whether your rhubarb is early spring (which generally contains a higher water content). You'll just want to make sure it's set and looks like the above photo - it will still be a moist custard-like filling, but it shouldn't be runny
Topping
In a large bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks with an electric hand mixer on medium speed, then add sugar and cream of tartar
Continue beating to stiff peaks
Spread meringue topping on the cake
Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Garnish: with finely chopped raw rhubarb pieces and cinnamon sprinkles, and transfer to a serving plate, if desired.
Hint: use a butter knife or small spatula to make little swirls in the meringue. Alternatively, you could use a pastry bag to pipe on the meringue.
📖Variations & Substitutions
- Butter - you can use salted butter, but it will cut the sweetness a little. You could compensate by adding an additional tablespoon of sugar.
- Rhubarb - you can use fresh or frozen rhubarb
- Milk- You could use 2% or whole milk, instead of 1 %. If you use whole milk, cut the tapioca by ½ tbsp
- Cream of tartar- You can find simple substitutions for Cream of Tartar HERE.
- Rhubarb Meringue Pie - alternatively, you could make this in an 8 or 9 inch glass pie dish and serve it as a pie
🥗 Meals to serve with Rhubarb Torte
This Rhubarb Meringue Torte pairs well with so many meals!
- BBQ Beer Can Chicken Recipe
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork on a Bun
- Cajun Chicken Avocado Mango Salad (shown)
🍽Equipment
You will need mixing bowls, spoons, and an electric mixer for this Rhubarb Torte with Meringue Topping recipe. You will also need an 8X8 square baking pan. It's best to use glass when using rhubarb to avoid a metallic taste. I bought the glass set with the 9x13 and 8x8 with lids/covers as they also serve as airtight containers for storage (affiliate links) - I use them both all the time! Alternatively, you could use a springform pan or another ovenproof dish. A food processor also comes in handy. You will also need a trivet (affiliate links).
🌡️Storage
Store leftover Rhubarb Torte in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
👪 Serving Size
This recipe makes 9 servings. However, you can half, double, or triple the recipe by clicking on the blue serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
I took this to a potluck and cut each piece in half, so I got 18 pieces. This size was perfect for serving alongside other desserts!
💭Top tip
If you have early spring rhubarb, there's more water content so you'll need to increase the tapioca to 2 tablespoon and keep it in the oven a little longer (up to 60 minutes)
🦺Food safety
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw egg
- Wash hands after touching raw egg
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
❔ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use frozen rhubarb for rhubarb meringue torte?
Yes, frozen rhubarb can be used for this recipe. Just make sure it's fully defrosted and drained. Make sure you measure AFTER it's defrosted and drained.
So if you are looking for something delicious and unique to do with rhubarb, give this recipe a try!
And if you love meringue desserts, be sure to check out my Old Fashioned Lemon Meringue Pie
📋 Rhubarb Meringue Torte recipe
Ingredients
Base
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter
Filling
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup milk * I use 1%
- 1 ½ tablespoon tapioca starch * I use minute tapicoa
- 2 ½ cups rhubarb
Topping
- 3 egg whites
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
NOTE: The instruction images will NOT print by default. If you want them to print, you'll need to check the box beside "images" on the print page
Base:
- Spray the bottom of an 8x8 pan (glass preferably) with non-stick cooking spray.
- Blend 1 cup flour, ½ cup butter and 2 tablespoon sugar in a food processor. If you don't have a food processor, you could cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or cheese grater.
- Press into the bottom of an 8-inch square pan. * I use glass to avoid the metallic taste of rhubarb with aluminum
- Bake at 325 degrees F (162 C) for 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Filling
- Separate eggs
- Meanwhile, whisk 1 ½ cups sugar and 3egg yolks together, add 2 tablespoon flour
- Add ⅓ cup milk, rhubarb and tapioca
- Turn up oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C)
- Pour rhubarb mixture over base (it's fine if it's still hot).
- Return to oven and bake 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). for 40- 60 minutes or until the filling it set. *baking time will depend on if you are using early spring rhubarb and what type of milk you use
Topping
- In a large mixing bowl, beat 3 egg whites to soft peaks with an electric mixer.
- Then ad 3 tbsp. sugar and ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar and beat to stiff peaks, with an electric mixer.
- Spread meringue over the baked rhubarb and shortbread layers./
- Hint: use a butter knife to make little swirls
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Garnish
- Sprinkle with finely chopped rhubarb and cinnamon, if desired.
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