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Rhubarb Chiffon Cake with Pét-Nat Glaze

Rhubarb Chiffon Cake with Pét-Nat Glaze

This Rhubarb Chiffon Cake is a classic chiffon cake infused with rhubarb juice and a hint of lemon. The cake is coated in a Pét-Nat glaze and topped with whipped cream rosettes and bourbon-soaked cherries.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Cooling Time 4 hours
Course Dessert
Servings 10

Equipment

  • 1 tube pan
  • 1 hand or stand mixer

Ingredients
  

Rhubarb Chiffon Cake

  • 454g (1lb) rhubarb coarsely chopped
  • 1 ⅓ cup sugar divided
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 6 large eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest
  • tsp pink color gel optional
  • ½ tsp cream of tartar

Pét-Nat Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
  • 3 tbsp pét-nat

Garnish

  • ½ cup unsweetened whipped cream
  • 8-10 bourbon-soaked cherries

Instructions
 

For the Cake

  • Place the rhubarb, ⅓ of a cup of the sugar, the water, lemon juice, and vanilla bean paste in a skillet. Stir to combine and place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let cook for 15 minutes or until the rhubarb begins to fall apart.
    454g (1lb) rhubarb, 1 ⅓ cup sugar, ¼ cup water, 1 lemon, 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • Pour the rhubarb into a fine mesh strainer suspended over a bowl. Press the rhubarb with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much juice as possible. You should have about ¾ of a cup. ** Set aside to cool.
  • Separate the egg yolks from the whites into two bowls. Leave them to come up to room temperature.
    6 large eggs
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Place the flour, the remaining sugar, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
    2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp baking soda, 1 ⅓ cup sugar
  • Add the cooled rhubarb juice to the egg yolks and add the oil, milk, lemon zest, and pink color gel if using. Whisk to combine and set aside as well.
    ½ cup canola oil, ¼ cup milk, 2 tbsp lemon zest, ⅛ tsp pink color gel
  • Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites and, using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk until stiff peaks form.
    ½ tsp cream of tartar
  • Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the yolk mixture. Stir until a cake batter forms. Add the egg whites to the batter in thirds, gently folding each addition in until no streaks remain.
  • Pour the batter into an ungreased tube pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted into the center of the cake and removed cleanly. Take the cake out of the oven and invert it onto a cooling rack. Leave it to cool completely upside down in the pan. Run a butter knife along the edges of the cake and give the pan a good sharp knock on the counter. The cake should release.

For the Pét-Nat Glaze

  • Sift the sugar into a bowl. Add the pét-nat and whisk until smooth. Pour the glaze over the cake and let set for 30 minutes.
    1 cup powdered sugar, 3 tbsp pét-nat

To Serve

  • Pipe the whipped cream on top of the cake in rosettes and stud each with a bourbon-soaked cherry. Serve immediately.
    ½ cup unsweetened whipped cream, 8-10 bourbon-soaked cherries

Notes

** Save the rhubarb pulp for pancakes - it makes a great topping. 
Keyword lemon, rhubarb