This is the BEST Homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Pie recipe! Fresh sweet strawberries are paired with tart rhubarb and hints of orange zest, all baked in a light, flaky homemade crust.
In this recipe
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What is rhubarb?
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How does it taste?
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Prepare rhubarb
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thickening of the filling
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How to save
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Buy the best rhubarb
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Video: How to make Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
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How to make Strawberry Rhubarb Cake
What is rhubarb?
do you cook with rhubarb It looks like pink celery or the stalks of really fat Swiss chard.
In the store you will only find the stems, as the green leaves are poisonous. However, the stalks are tart and delicious, especially when cooked into a tart or cobbler.
Rhubarb grows wild in many parts of the US (not here in Sacramento, unfortunately). My dad remembers when he was a kid in Minnesota picking it in the backyard and dipping the raw stalks in sugar to eat it like the natural version of a Jolly Rancher candy.
What does strawberry rhubarb cake taste like?
Rhubarb loves to be paired with strawberries, and in a pie, they’re BFFs. The acidity of the rhubarb only intensifies the sweet taste of the strawberries. Overall the taste is not too sweet or excessively sharp; it’s just right.
How to prepare the rhubarb
If your rhubarb stalks still have leaves or bits of leaf, cut them off (rhubarb leaves are poisonous and should never be eaten). Sometimes later rhubarb can be a little tough and stringy on the outside. You can peel these outer fibrous parts if you like, otherwise you usually don’t need to peel rhubarb. Cut the stalks into 1/2-inch pieces, just like you would celery.
How is the filling thickened?
I use quick cook or “minute” tapioca to thicken the filling for this recipe. Quick-cooking tapioca has good gelling power and is excellent at absorbing the juice of even the juiciest fruit, so you still get a fairly clean slice. After cooking, tapioca will turn clear so it doesn’t spoil the beautiful pink hue of the cake.
Tapioca also works best if you let it sit with the fruit for a few minutes so it softens and absorbs juices before filling the pie or baking. For this reason, we recommend letting the strawberry and rhubarb filling sit for 10 minutes.
If you don’t have access to quick tapioca, you can substitute cornstarch, the same amount.
How to store strawberry rhubarb cake
It’s hard to be patient, but try to let the cake cool before slicing. The closer it is to room temperature, the firmer it has become, giving you a cleaner slice.
Fruit pies like this Strawberry Rhubarb Pie can be kept at room temperature for about 2 days or longer if refrigerated. Cover the cake loosely with plastic wrap or an inverted mixing bowl. Allow the chilled cake to come to room temperature before serving.
Love fruitcake? Try these recipes:
- Sweet cherry cake
- Old fashioned peach pie
- blueberry cake
- Rhubarb Meringue Pie
- Blackberry tart
How to buy the best rhubarb
If possible, buy rhubarb at the farmer’s market in season – usually April through June – when it should be just picked and at its peak. Whether you’re at the farmer’s market or the grocery store, look for stems that are firm, not limp or rubbery, and free of blemishes. If the stems still have their leaves, cut them off and discard them. Don’t eat the leaves which are poisonous.
While fresh strawberries are always available out of season, fresh rhubarb is rare. If you’re making this pie outside of rhubarb season, you’ll likely need to purchase frozen rhubarb. Thaw the frozen rhubarb in the fridge and drain the juice before adding it in step 2.
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Fast-cooking tapioca works well as a thickener for pies, especially strawberry rhubarb. If the cake is still warm when you cut it, however, it will be a little runny. If you don’t have access to quick tapioca, you can substitute cornstarch in the same amount.
If you’re making a 10-inch cake or just want more filling, use 4 cups rhubarb, 2 1/2 cups strawberries, and up to 1 1/4 cups sugar.
ingredients
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3 1/2 cups (440G) rhubarb Cut stems into 1/2-inch pieces (cut off and discard the poisonous leaves; trim ends)
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2 cups (280G) stemmed and sliced strawberries
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3/4 until 1 Cup sugar (depending on how sour/sweet you like your cake)
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4 tablespoon Quick Cook (“Minute”) tapioca
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1/4 teaspoon Salt
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1 teaspoon Finely grated Orange peel
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1 double crust 9 inches pie dough Recipe, like this one or your favorite pie crust recipe
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1 big Egg whites, whipped or 1 tablespoon heavy cream for brushing, optional
method
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Preheat the oven:
Place the rack in the center and preheat the oven to 400°F.
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Assemble the pie filling:
In a large bowl, gently mix together the rhubarb and strawberries with the sugar, tapioca, salt, and orange zest. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.
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Roll out the bottom crust and fill the cake:
Roll out a disc of dough and line the bottom of a tart pan with it. Trim to 1/2 inch from the edge. Pour the filling into the dough and spread evenly.
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Top the cake:
Roll out the second sheet of dough and place it over the cake. Trim the edges to within an inch of the edge of the pie pan. Pin the top crust edges over the bottom crust edges and pinch the top and bottom edges together with your fingers or a fork. Cut slits at the top to allow steam to escape.
(If you like, for a nice frosting on your cake, use a pastry brush to brush a thin layer of egg white or cream on top of the cake.)
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Bake a cake:
Place the cake on the middle rack of the 400°F oven and a baking sheet on the bottom rack to catch any juices that may overflow.
Bake at 400F for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350F and bake an additional 40-50 minutes longer (50-60 minutes longer for a 10-inch cake). The pie is done when the crust is nicely browned and the filling (which you can see through the vent holes) is thick and bubbly.
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Cool and serve:
Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
Serve warm or cold. Cooling to room temperature gives the juices more time to thicken. Pie can also be stored covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 460 | calories |
| 19g | Fat |
| 71g | carbohydrates |
| 4g | protein |
