RECIPE FOR RHUBARB CRUMBLE CAKE

I love this time of year as there are lots of tasty things coming into season. I try to bake with seasonal ingredients as it means that everything is super tasty if it’s at its peak and also, it means that recipes are special if they’re only available at a certain time of year. I have a customer who keeps asking me about a certain apple cake I made in the autumn and whether I have it with me. I don’t. It’ll be back next autumn. You’ve got to leave people wanting more!

So this month I have used one of my favourite ingredients and it’s now in season and available all over the place (in case it’s not growing in your garden). It’s rhubarb! I know it’s a bit old fashioned but it’s super tasty and really quite versatile. It’s delicious in a pie (my mum makes an amazing rhubarb meringue pie which might be a recipe for another post) and makes a perfect crumble. I use the crumble idea to make a crumble cake which I think is a perfect combination! The rhubarb is paired with almond and vanilla for a subtle sweetness and a crumble topping is added to the cake before baking. The top goes crisp and crunchy while the cake is tender, moist and studded with tart rhubarb. It really is delicious!

Ingredients:

For the topping:

1tbsp cold butter

2tbsp self raising flour

1tbsp Demerara sugar

2tbsp chopped almonds

For the cake:

100g butter

200g sugar

3 eggs

100g plain yogurt

1tsp vanilla extract

1/2tsp almond extract

200g self raising flour

225g rhubarb, trimmed and finely sliced

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C then grease and line an 8 inch round pan.

To make the topping, put the butter and flour in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir the sugar and almonds through the mixture and set aside.

To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition.

Add the yogurt along with the vanilla and almond extracts into the bowl and continue beating until smooth.

Fold the flour carefully into the batter until it is combined, then gently stir though most of the rhubarb.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, scatter with remaining rhubarb and then sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the top.

Bake the cake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean and the top of the cake springs back when gently pressed.

Allow to cool in the tin before transferring to a serving plate. This is (unsurprisingly) delicious served with custard or vanilla ice cream.

Linds Bestwicke runs Pixie Hall Cakes in Fakenham and can be found selling her delicious baking at Fakenham Farmers’ Market on the 4th Saturday of each month.

Photographs by Keith Osborn Photography