Rhubarb & Lettuce Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

This rhubarb and lettuce cake is the sweet surprise you didn’t see coming. With blanched lettuce blended into a batter of almond flour, eggs, and rhubarb compote, the result is moist, tangy, and rich in natural flavour. Finished with a creamy lemony mascarpone frosting and springtime toppings — this cake is a true showstopper from the garden.

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Making Rhubarb & Lettuce Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

Yes, you read that right — lettuce cake. And not just any cake, but a tender, tangy rhubarb and lettuce cake that’s naturally gluten-free, perfectly moist, and completely unique. We blend 500 grams of blanched lettuce with sweet rhubarb compote, then finish the cake with mascarpone frosting, lemon slices, mint leaves, and a sprinkle of toasted seeds. It’s what spring tastes like… even if you have to eat it in the rain.

Serves:

12 people

Time to Prepare:

25 min

Time to cook or cure:

40 min

Skill

Baking

Serves:

12 people

Time to Prepare:

30 min

Time to cook or cure:

40 min

Skills:

Baking

Ingredients & Tools

Ingredients

Cake Batter
- 500 g blanched lettuce (from about 1–2 heads, depending on variety)
- 500 g rhubarb compote
- 175 g almond flour
- 215 g unrefined cane sugar
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 eggs
- Butter (for greasing the tin)
Frosting
- 200 g mascarpone
- 150 g thick yogurt
- 4 tbsp cane sugar (or honey/maple syrup)
- Juice of ½ lemon
Decoration
- Sliced lemon
- Fresh mint leaves
- Toasted mixed seeds

Tools

Blender
Pot (for blanching lettuce)
Sieve
Large mixing bowl
Spatula
Cake tin (springform, approx. 23–25 cm / 9–10 inch)
Baking paper
Tongs
Oven
Cake stand or serving plate

Useful Guidelines

Squeeze excess water from the lettuce after blanching if it feels soggy. A drier blend will bake better.
This recipe is naturally gluten-free, thanks to the almond flour.
Don’t skip the salt – it lifts the sweet flavours and balances the earthy lettuce notes.
If rhubarb compote is very sweet, you can slightly reduce the sugar in the batter.

Directions

Simply follow these steps in order to make Rhubarb & Lettuce Cake with Mascarpone Frosting

1. Prep the Lettuce

Wash lettuce thoroughly.
Blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes, then transfer to a sieve and let it drain completely.
Weigh out 500 grams of the drained, blanched lettuce for the recipe.

2. Make the Batter

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).
Grease a springform cake tin and line the bottom with baking paper.
In a blender, combine blanched lettuce, rhubarb compote, and eggs. Blend until smooth.
Pour mixture into a bowl and fold in almond flour, sugar, bicarb, and salt. Mix until well combined.

3. Bake

Pour batter into the prepared cake tin.
Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until the center is set and a skewer comes out clean.
Let cool completely in the tin before turning out onto a cake stand.

4. Make the Frosting

In a bowl, whisk together mascarpone, yogurt, sugar, and lemon juice until smooth.
Once the cake is cool, dollop and spread frosting over the top.

5. Decorate

Top the frosted cake with lemon slices, mint leaves, and a sprinkle of toasted seeds around the edges.
Admire, serve, and enjoy — preferably in the garden with your kids, even if it’s raining 🌦️

Storage

Store the cake covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Best served at room temperature – remove from fridge 20–30 min before serving.
Unfrosted, the cake can be frozen (whole or in slices) for up to 1 month. Thaw and frost fresh.

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Rhubarb & Lettuce Cake with Mascarpone Frosting