How to make rhubarb, almond and orange cake

Looking for something sweet and seasonal? This might just be the dessert you’re looking for

(Julia Platt Leonard)

Seasonal fruit and cake is always a welcome combination but rhubarb and cake is something sublime. In this recipe, you lightly cook the rhubarb before baking in a mixture of almonds, butter and brown sugar.

The cake gets a lift from almond extract, orange juice and orange zest.

Grease the sides of the tin to help the cake slip out easily or use, as I do, a springform tin.

You’ll lose some of the butter and brown sugar mixture but the cake will release beautifully.

You could serve this with a dollop of crème fraîche but be honest if it doesn’t need it.

Rhubarb, almond and orange cake

60g unsalted butter, plus butter for greasing the pan
80g brown sugar
30g almond flakes
​3 sticks of rhubarb, about 250-300g, chopped into 3-4cm long pieces
60g caster sugar
4 large eggs
240ml vegetable oil
2 tsp almond extract
Zest of 1 orange
4 tbsp orange juice
250g plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 175C. Grease the sides of a 23cm springform or round cake tin with butter. In a frying pan, melt the butter and brown sugar. Add the almond flakes and the chopped rhubarb.

Cook over medium heat until the rhubarb is just cooked but still firm – only a few minutes. Place the mixture into the bottom of the tin.

Mix together in a bowl the caster sugar, eggs, vegetable oil, almond extract, orange zest and juice. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Fold the liquid mixture into the dry mixture.

Pour into the cake tin over the rhubarb and almonds. If using a springform tin, place on a baking tray as some of the butter and sugar will leak out.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven, allow to rest for 5-10 minutes then invert onto a plate so the rhubarb is on top. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.

@Juliapleonard