For years, my colleague has talked about her mother’s Rhubarb Ladyfinger Cake, and I finally got my hands on a copy of the recipe to recreate this absolute showstopper.
It’s a take on a French Charlotte Russe: fresh rhubarb cooked down until soft and syrupy, folded into whipped cream, stabilized with strawberry gelatin, then layered with ladyfingers and finished with a glossy rhubarb glaze and fresh strawberries.
The original recipe called for wild strawberry gelatin, which has since been discontinued, so I used regular strawberry Jell-O. It worked, but I can see why the wild strawberry version would have been special. Even if the sugar amount was similar, it likely had a slightly tarter, less candy-sweet flavor that would have played beautifully with the rhubarb.
Next time, I may reduce the strawberry Jell-O slightly, replace part of it with unflavored powdered gelatin, and add a little lemon juice or zest to bring back more of that tart edge. Not because this version wasn’t delicious, but because now I’m emotionally invested in reverse-engineering discontinued Jell-O like it’s a cold case.
Note: I kept the core of the original recipe intact and only added extra guidance to hopefully make it easier to follow and more reliable. This version has not been cross-tested.
Jane Veale’s Rhubarb Lady Finger Cake
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading…
- Total Time: 8 hours, 55 minutes
- Yield: 10 to 12 1x
Ingredients
- 6 cups rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 2 3-ounce packages strawberry Jell-O (6 ounces total)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 dozen ladyfingers
- Fresh strawberries, thinly sliced,optional
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine 6 cups rhubarb, ½ cup granulated sugar, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 8 minutes, until the rhubarb is very soft.
- Strain the rhubarb mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Measure out 1 cup of the syrup and reserve it for the glaze. Transfer the rhubarb solids and remaining syrup to a blender. Blend until completely smooth – you should have about 3½ cups purée
- Return the rhubarb purée to the saucepan and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and immediately whisk in 2 packages strawberry Jell-O until fully dissolved. Let cool, then refrigerate, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes, until the mixture is thick, glossy, and the texture of loose pudding, about 45 to 55 minutes. Do not let it fully set.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze. In a small saucepan, whisk together the reserved 1 cup rhubarb syrup and the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar.
- In a small bowl, mix 1½ tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water to form a smooth slurry. Add to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until glossy, translucent, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Let cool until just barely warm or room temperature and still pourable, 30 to 45 minutes. If it thickens too much, whisk in 1 to 2 teaspoons of water to loosen.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine 2 cups heavy cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and beat on medium speed to soft peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the Jell-O mixture until well combined.
- Spread a thin layer of filling over the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan to help anchor the ladyfingers. Line the sides of the pan with ladyfingers, sugar-side facing out, then line the bottom with more ladyfingers, breaking pieces as needed to fit. Spread one-third of the rhubarb filling over the ladyfingers. Add a second layer of ladyfingers, followed by another third of the filling. Repeat once more, ending with the remaining filling on top.
- Pour the cooled glaze over the top of the cake, spreading evenly. Cover and refrigerate overnight to fully set.
- Top with fresh strawberries just before serving.
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Chill Time: 8 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
