Strawberry Rhubarb Layer Cake

Strawberry rhubarb layer cake with a delectable brown butter strawberry rhubarb frosting is perfect for all your springtime celebrations.

This Strawberry Rhubarb Layer Cake not only has the fruit baked into the cake but is layered with it too!

Some things are just meant to go together. Salt and pepper, bacon and eggs, peanut butter and jelly. And one of my personal favorites,  strawberries and rhubarb. Both are at their peak during the spring, and rhubarb’s tangy, almost sour flavor is perfectly complemented by the intense sweetness of strawberries. While Strawberry and rhubarb are best known for being paired up in pie form, I find that this ‘power couple’ shines in all sorts of delicious desserts. And this Strawberry Rhubarb Layer Cake is the crown jewel of them all.

This gorgeous cake is light and fluffy, and features a delectable strawberry rhubarb compote layered with a creamy brown butter strawberry rhubarb frosting. Just the thing for springtime celebrations, from casual backyard barbecues to special occasions. Strawberry Rhubarb Layer Cake is both stunning and scrumptious.

A Bit About Rhubarb

• Rhubarb is a hearty vegetable (not a fruit!) with a tangy sour taste with a consistency similar to celery. 
• When shopping for rhubarb, look for thick, firm and smooth stalks. Rhubarb is best known for its red stalks, but varieties can range from pink to light green.
• The leaves contain toxins that are not edible, so it is important to trim and discard them before using.
• To store rhubarb, place in a plastic bag and keep in the fridge for up to three days. 

Even More Strawberry Rhubarb Recipes

Love the combination of strawberry and rhubarb as much as I do? Then you’ll want to check out these Strawberry Rhubarb Turnovers, this recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Sugar Cookie Crumb Bars, and my perfect-for-summer Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream Shortcakes.

Other Layer Cakes Like Strawberry Rhubarb Layer Cake 

If you are looking for other tantalizing layer cake recipes, try this S’mores Dessert Layer Cake , my Fig Hummingbird Cake, and this recipe for Berry Zebra Cake with Berry Buttercream Frosting.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Layer Cake

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

22 mins

 

The best of spring wrapped up in this delicious layer cake with a spoon licking delicious brown butter strawberry rhubarb frosting.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: rhubarb recipe, strawberry rhubarb cake

Servings: 10

Author: Jackie

Ingredients

Compote

• 2 cups strawberries diced
• 2 cups rhubarb thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cake

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 6 egg whites
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk room temperature
• 3/4 cup cooled strawberry rhubarb compote

Brown Butter Frosting

• 1/3 cup strawberry rhubarb compote
• 3 cups (6 stickunsalted butter room temperature
• 10 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp milk

Instructions

Strawberry Rhubarb Compote-

1. In a medium sized pot set over medium heat, cook the diced strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, and lemon juice, stirring frequently. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium-low. Gently simmer until fruit has softened and compote has thickened, about 15 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and cool completely.

Cake-

1. To make the cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 8" or 9" round pans.
2. In the bowl of your mixer, cream together butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the vanilla and egg whites and beat until batter is light and airy, about 5 minutes on medium speed.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
5. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until just combined.
6. Add the milk mixture and cooled strawberry rhubarb compote and mix until just combined.
7. Add remaining dry mixture, mixing until combined and scraping down the sides of the bowl.
8. Evenly spoon batter into prepared pans.
9. Bake cakes for 22-25 minutes or until a knife is inserted in the center and comes out with only a few coarse crumbs.

Frosting-

1. In a medium heavy-bottomed pot, melt butter over medium-low heat.
2. Continue cooking while stirring until the butter foams up a bit, then subsides and begins to brown.
3. Watching carefully so it doesn't burn, cook butter until it has a golden brown color and nutty aroma.
4. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl to cool completely and begin to firm up again, about 1 hour.
5. Once butter has firmed up, add it to the bowl of your mixer with the compote and half of the powdered sugar.
6. Beat on medium speed until frosting is smooth.
7. Add remaining powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk and beat until combined.
8. Increase mixer speed to high and beat until light and smooth, about 5 minutes.

Assembly-

1. To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on the cake plate.
2. Spread a thin layer of frosting over the layer and pipe a border of frosting around the cake
3. Spread 1/2 of the remaining compote over the frosting, then top with 2nd cake layer and repeat.
4. Top with final cake layer and frost the top and outside of the cake.
5. Garnish with fresh strawberries.

Recipe Notes

Compote, cake, and browned butter can be made 2 days ahead of time. Just be sure to refrigerate compote and butter in an air tight container and bring to room temperature before using. Wrap cake tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to frost.