Rhubarb Cheesecake

Make the most of seasonal rhubarb with a delicious no bake rhubarb cheesecake. A buttery digestive biscuit crust topped with smooth creamy vanilla cheesecake, layered and swirled with a rich rhubarb compote. A simple but wonderful dessert for any occasion!

Seasonal baking

I love using seasonal ingredients in my baking. For me, its the representation of each passing season. Winter is for citrus fruit, summer months are for berries whilst autumn brings pumpkins, apples and pears. And spring? Why, rhubarb of course!

I love the tartness of rhubarb in general, but I especially adore the stunning pink colour of forced rhubarb. Even cooked down, it is so pretty and wonderful in bakes! I mean just look at theses photos of rhubarb cheesecake and admire the rhubarb’s pretty pink colour!

What is rhubarb?

Despite being used more often in desserts than in savoury cooking, did you know that rhubarb is actually a vegetable and not a fruit? It can be eaten raw, but tends to be cooked down with some sugar to taper its extremely tart flavour. Cooking it down also releases juices and allows it to soften and become less tart in flavour. In the UK, rhubarb is most commonly used to make delicious crumbles. Either on its own or with another fruit such as apples or strawberries. However, it bakes brilliantly in a variety of other bakes such as muffins, cakes and tarts too.

What ingredients do I need to make rhubarb swirl cheesecake

• Digestive biscuits: used to make the base of the cheesecake. If you are a fan of rhubarb and ginger cheesecake, you could do half and half of digestives and ginger biscuits too.
• Butter: I use melted unsalted butter in the base of the rhubarb cheesecake. It gives a wonderful rich flavour and helps bind the biscuits together when making the base.
• Cream cheese: make sure to use a full fat cream cheese when making the filling for any no bake cheesecake recipe, as this is part of what helps the filling set firmly. Plus it gives the no bake rhubarb cheesecake a wonderfully rich and decadent texture!
• Double/heavy cream: whipped up, this gives body, richness and stability to the vanilla cheesecake filling.
• Icing sugar: for sweetness in the cheesecake filling.
• Vanilla: who can resist the timeless flavour of vanilla!
• Rhubarb: the star of the cheesecake! It is cooked down with some sugar, and together they give a wonderful tangy sweet flavour to this rhubarb cheesecake.
• Golden caster sugar: for sweetness when making the rhubarb coulis. Use caster sugar if you have no golden caster sugar, but it does give a lovely light caramelised flavour to the rhubarb.

What equipment do I need to make rhubarb cheesecake?

• Digital kitchen scales*: I provide all my measurements in cups too, however I would encourage all bakers to weigh out ingredients when baking. A set of digital kitchen scales is so useful and totally an essential baking tool for me.
• Measuring spoons*: a set of measuring spoons is essential for any baker. This is because these are more accurate than using everyday teaspoons and tablespoons, which can vary greatly in size.
• Small saucepan*: to make and thicken the rhubarb compote when making this rhubarb cheesecake recipes.
• Food processor*: a quick way to make the biscuit base. If you do not have a food processor, you can place the biscuits into a sealable freezer bag and bash with a rolling pin instead.
• Springform tin*: to make the no bake rhubarb cheesecake in. No need to line the base or grease before making the cheesecake, it should come off quite easily!
• Mixing bowl*: to mix all the ingredients together to make the cheesecake filling.
• Handheld electric mixer*: a useful tool to make life easier in the kitchen! You can, of course, make this whole recipe entirely by hand. But it will be quite the workout for your arm!
• Spatula*: used to scrape down the bowl. This helps to ensure everything mixes together thoroughly when making this rhubarb cheesecake dessert.
• Offset spatula*: I use this to level off each of the cheesecake layers as I alternate with the rhubarb. This tool makes this job so much easier than a regular spatula or knife.
• Squeezy bottle*: useful to drizzle the rhubarb filling in between each layer of cheesecake. You can do the drizzle just with a spoon, but it is much harder to get a drizzle and not dollops of the sauce instead!

How to make no bake rhubarb cheesecake

There are three parts to making this cheesecake. Firstly, the rhubarb needs to be cooked, to allow it enough time to cool so it can be used in the cheesecake layers. Then make the biscuit base and pop in the fridge to chill. Then make the cheesecake filling, and finally layer the cheesecake with the rhubarb filling, finishing with a pretty pattern on top of the rhubarb swirl cheesecake.

For the rhubarb filling

Step 1: First, make the rhubarb reduction. Simply place the rhubarb and golden caster sugar in a saucepan and cook until the rhubarb has softened and broken down and the sugar has completely dissolved. Bubble away for 5 minutes to reduce some of the liquid.

Step 2: Remove the pan from the heat and blitz in the food processor or using a hand blender until completely smooth. Transfer to a squeezy bottle, if using, and set aside to cool.

For the biscuit base

Step 1: Place the biscuits into a food processor and blitz until they are completely crumbled. If you do not have a food processor, pop the biscuits into a sealable bag and bash them with a rolling pin until well crushed. Both work fine, one is definitely more therapeutic (!), but I prefer using a food processor purely for speed.

Step 2: Add in the melted butter and pulse a few times, scraping down the bowl to make sure everything is really well combined. Tip the biscuit mixture into an 8″ springform tin and press it down evenly to make a flat base. Pop the tin in the fridge to allow the base to chill until needed.

For the cheesecake

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy.

Step 2: Pour in the double cream and beat it all together until the double cream is well combined with the cheese and the mixture thickens.

Step 3: Tip about ⅓ of the cheesecake mixture onto the biscuit base. Spread the cheesecake level over the base using an offset spatula. Squeeze a generous drizzle of rhubarb all over the cheesecake.

Step 4: Repeat this cheesecake and rhubarb twice more, using all the remaining cheesecake filling and reduced rhubarb, and finishing with the rhubarb drizzle on top.

Step 5: Carefully pull a skewer or knife through the top layer of cheesecake to create pretty rhubarb swirl patterns on the top of the cheesecake. Place the cheesecake in the fridge to chill and set overnight before serving. Enjoy!

FAQ for rhubarb no bake cheesecake

I have answered some of the more commonly asked questions about no bake cheesecakes below. However, if there is anything else you would like to ask, please leave me a comment below and I’ll do my best to help!

Does no bake cheesecake contain eggs?

There are no eggs in this easy rhubarb cheesecake. A cheesecake recipe with eggs in the ingredients will need to be baked. This is to allow the eggs to cook and set the cheesecake.

Can I make this cheesecake without a special tin?

A springform tin is a really useful tool as it makes it so much easier to release the rhubarb cheesecake from the tin. If you do not have a springform tin, you could use a loose bottomed cake tin too. Anything that will allow you to lift the cheesecake out of the tin will work when making this.

Do you need to line a springform cake tin for a cheesecake?

No, there is no need to line the springform when making a cheesecake, it should release easily enough without. Simply run an off set spatula or a thin knife under the base to release it from the tin before transferring it to your serving plate.

How long does this rhubarb cheesecake recipe take to set?

I would recommend leaving this cheesecake to set overnight for best results. It will certainly need at least 4-5 hours to chill before serving.

How to store your cheesecake

Store a no bake cheesecake in the fridge. I keep my serving dish in the fridge too, covered with a microwave lid, to avoid too much moisture remaining in with the cheesecake.

How long does a cheesecake last in the fridge?

Make this rhubarb cheesecake up to a day before you wish to serve it. It will keep well in the fridge for up to three days. Please note that the colour of the rhubarb will start to fade to more of a dull pinky brown after a couple of days. It will not affect the flavour, but you will no longer have the pretty pink swirls like when it is first made.

Additional tips for this rhubarb swirl cheesecake recipe

• Adjust the amount of sugar used in the rhubarb filling to suit your tastes. I prefer it more on the tart side, as I like the balance with the sweet cheesecake, however, this is not to everyone’s taste.
• When cooking the rhubarb down for the filling, make sure to reduce the liquid down enough to give you a thick, almost curd like consistency.
• Press the biscuit base really firmly into the bottom of the pan to give a solid base for the filling. I use the end of my rolling pin to give me a flat surface to work with. A small glass, the back of a spoon or even clean fingers work just as well.
• You can bake the cheesecake base. Baking the crust makes it firmer and less crumbly, so it completely depends on the texture you prefer. Once pressed into the tin, bake the crust for about 8 minutes at 180C/350F. Please make sure the base and tin are fully cool before topping with the cheesecake and rhubarb filling, or you will end up with a melted cheesecake puddle!
• The cream cheese should be at room temperature before mixing. Using it at room temperature will ensure the cheesecake filling is smooth and creamy.
• Take your time when layering the cheesecake and rhubarb together. Spreading the cheesecake layer gently over the rhubarb drizzle will allow the ripple layer to be effective in the end.
• Have fun with the decorating of the top! You can create all sorts of patterns with the drizzled rhubarb and a skewer, so just a little bit of planning can result in some fabulous designs!

Troubleshooting

If you have any questions about this rhubarb cheesecake, please comment below and I will do my best to help. And do remember: if you enjoy this recipe, please leave a rating and review below. You could even post a picture on Instagram and tag me when you share it with the world. You already know I would love to see!

More recipes from my blog for you to enjoy

Chocolate strawberry cheesecake: These delectable mini cheesecakes have a deep cookies and cream crust, a silky smooth chocolate cheesecake filling and a hidden strawberry middle. A perfectly heavenly dessert for any special occasion!

Strawberry rhubarb crumble bars: Obsessed with these delicious crumble bars! They have a beautiful buttery shortbread base, a rich vibrant sweet and tart fruity filling and a perfect crumble topping. Honestly so hard to stop at just one!

Mini no bake strawberry cheesecakes: My mini strawberry cheesecakes have a crunchy biscuit base and a smooth creamy vanilla cheesecake filling, all finished with a homemade strawberry topping. These showstopping desserts are the perfect end to a meal with friends, and are sure to delight!

Thanks for joining me today, my friends. Hope you enjoy this delicious cheesecake as much as my family does! x

Recommended equipment I used *

Digital kitchen scales	Measuring spoons
Small saucepan	Food processor
Springform tin	Mixing bowl
Handheld electric mixer	Spatula
Offset spatula	Squeezy bottle