So this year was the first year that I’ve grown rhubarb in my little London garden, when I say grown it’s said very loosely, but I did get three stalks and was able to include them in my baking! So now along with a few strawberries and lots of the usual herbs I have a little kitchen corner! 

Anyway I ended up having to buy a ridiculous amount of rhubarb to replenish my drinks cupboard, I had used up my first batch of rhubarb infused gin where I  used forced rhubarb which is a beautiful candy floss pink, so to ensure my new batch was as pink as possible I bought lots and used all the pink bits leaving me with lots to use up. I made a rhubarb and ginger streusel cake and then I made a rhubarb and custard cake. This cake is everything I like a cake to be, easy to make, (I love an all in one cake) filled with rhubarb and in my opinion it’s greatest accompaniment custard! I’m already thinking this would work beautifully with plums! This is a great size cake for an afternoon with friends!

Let’s get baking…

You will need: 23cm loose-bottomed or springform cake tin, buttered and lined. I lined the base and sides.

Preheated oven gas/4 fan/180- this is for the cake, below is the recipe for the baked rhubarb so you can bake it then whilst it’s cooling you can get on with the cake. REMEMBER TO TURN THE OVEN DOWN BEFORE YOU BAKE THE CAKE!

For the rhubarb you need:

Preheated oven gas/6 fan/200

• 400g rhubarb rinsed, shake off excess water. Cut into little finger size pieces.
• Place in a shallow dish
• Add 50g caster sugar, toss together so its in a single layer
• Cover with foil, then roast for 15mins.
• Remove foil, give it a little shake.
• Roast for 5mins more or until tender and the juices are syrupy.
• Drain off juices and leave to cool.
• Get baking…..

TURN OVEN DOWN …

Ingredients: For the cake.

• 250g butter softened, plus extra for greasing
• 250g self-raising flour
• 150g ready-made custard not the fresh chilled kind- Ambrosia
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250g golden caster sugar
• Your cooled rhubarb
• Icing sugar, for dusting

Method:

Remove 3tbsp of the custard and keep reserved in a bowl.

Beat together the rest of the custard with the butter, flour, sugar, eggs, baking powder and vanilla until creamy and smooth. I used my stand alone mixer. Don’t over mix, it takes just a couple of minutes.

Spoon one third of the batter into the lined cake tin, add some rhubarb, then dot with one third more of the batter and spread it out as best you can, the back of a spoon is useful for this bit.

 

Top with more rhubarb, then spoon over the remaining cake mix, leaving it in small mounds and dips rather than spreading it and being to neat. Scatter the rest of the rhubarb over the batter, then dot the reserved custard over.

Bake for 40mins until risen and golden, then cover with foil and bake for 15-20 mins more. It’s ready when a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cool in the tin, the dredge with icing sugar when cool.

This is a beautiful cake and child’s play to make!!!

Get your friends round, a pot of tea or pop open a chilled bottle of Prosecco and you’re all set…

Enjoy 

Deb xx