When I chanced upon a rhubarb-wrapped mousse cake recipe a couple of years ago, I knew I needed to try and replicate the technique on a cheesecake. Fortunately, rhubarb season coincides with Shavuot season, and this beautiful cake came to be.


The rhubarb is a decorating technique, so you can use any cheesecake recipe for the base. I used my classic cheesecake recipe, but if you have family favorite you prefer, go ahead and use it.

The only change I made was to divide the recipe into two smaller pans (4.5 inches in diameter), to make it easier to wrap the rhubarb strips around the cake, without too much overlap.


The basic technique involves peeling off thin strips of rhubarb, cooking them very briefly in a sugar syrup, and wrapping them around the cake. You then retain the syrup to brush over the rhubarb and serve drizzled over the cheesecake, adding delicate notes of flavor.





Rhubarb idea and method inspired by SprinkleBakes
Rhubarb idea and method inspired by SprinkleBakes

Ingredients

  • 1 cheesecake recipe (use my classic cheesecake recipe or your own)
  • 1 cup water
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 6 long stalks of rhubarb (you want to look for rhubarb that has a strong red/pink color)

Directions

  1. Bake cheesecake and refrigerate overnight. Keep in the refrigerator until ready to cover with the rhubarb. Note: You may find it easier to bake the cheesecake in 2-3 smaller pans (I used 2 4.5 inch pans), rather than one large cake. It can be hard to find rhubarb long enough to cover a full size cake.
  2. Use a peeler to peel thin strips of rhubarb.
  3. Pour the water and sugar into a small pot. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  4. Place 3-4 strips of rhubarb into the syrup at a time. Leave them in to cook for 30-40 seconds, remove and transfer to a plate or baking sheet lined with paper towels. Repeat until all strips have been cooked.
  5. Strain the remaining syrup and set aside for later.
  6. Now you're ready to decorate the cheesecake. Gently lay the strips of rhubarb across the top of the cake. When the entire top is covered, trim the edges with scissors, so they only drape over the cake for half an inch or so. If the strips have dried too much or start to peel away, brush them with some of the reserved cooking syrup.
  7. Wrap more strips of rhubarb around the sides of the cake, until the cake is fully covered. Brush the entire cake with the sugar syrup and refrigerate until ready to serve. Also refrigerate the remaining syrup.
  8. When you're ready to cut the cake, use a very sharp knife to neatly cut through the rhubarb. Serve each piece with a drizzle of the rhubarb syrup.