The Absolute Best Way To Ensure Rhubarb Cake Doesn't Get Soggy

The pink blush of a tangy rhubarb cake is delightful. However, once you slice into it, you may find that the interior doesn't match up to its pretty-in-pink outward form. Rather than being cakey and light, the crumb can come out soggy and squelchy if you don't take some culinary precautions. One such insurance policy is to put your rhubarb on top of your cake batter instead of stirring it through.

Rhubarb is made up of a whopping 95% water. When heated, the cell structures inside the chopped stalks (which are technically a vegetable) break down and release all that moisture. This is why classic strawberry and rhubarb pie recipes contain cornstarch; it thickens all the fruity liquid liberated from the flesh, creating a yummy viscous syrup that coats the filling. If you stir your rhubarb through cake batter, the released liquid has nowhere to go and pools inside the cake, resulting in gummy pockets that have an unappetizing, almost-rubbery texture.

Placing your rhubarb on top of your cake, however, gives the moisture an easy escape route. The heat of the oven turns the liquid into steam and because there's nothing in the way to hamper its course, it evaporates. The result is soft chunks of rhubarb that have a jammy texture instead of a sloppy mouthfeel. When paired with the sugariness of the cake beneath, the acerbic flavor of the 'barb creates the perfect combo of tart and sweet.

A second tip to making a rhubarb cake that isn't sodden with moisture is to strew it over a batter that has a thicker consistency. If your cake mix is dense and has some extra body, it will be able to support the weight of the rhubarb scattered on top. In turn, the chunks will remain on the surface of the cake instead of sinking down through a lighter mixture. This allows any moisture that's released to evaporate off more easily. While you may want to retain some of that liquid to create a gooey consistency in something like a rhubarb dump cake, it isn't warranted in a classic coffee cake that's supposed to be tender and light.

Alternatively, consider a final trick to preventing runny rhubarb; allow the chopped stems to macerate in a touch of sugar. All you need to do is toss the rhubarb in sugar and place it in a sieve over a bowl so the moisture can run out before scattering it over your cake batter as normal. The additional sugar coating the rhubarb will caramelize in the oven, creating a delicious crunchy crust that counterbalances the softness of the pink stems and lends the cake an aromatic, golden appearance. You could also simmer the rhubarb in a pan to cook out some of the moisture — however, this isn't ideal if you want your cake to feature distinct nuggets of rhubarb.