Soft buttery cake flecked with orange, topped with soft, tart rhubarb and crunchy sweet streusel crumble. Absolutely delicious, pretty as a picture and can be served as a pudding or a cake. How much better can things get?
Forced pink rhubarb is a thing of joy particularly When shown off on its bed of golden sponge. In truth, as long as the rhubarb is young and not stringy, new season stalks would do just as well though they would like the jewel like bright pink colour of forced rhubarb. There is something very British about this cake as it brings to mind all the elements of a rhubarb crumble only better. I love “pudding cakes” – as I call them – they are so versatile, though if you are going to serve this for pudding it’s nicest served warm with lots of sweetened (use the rhubarb syrup that will have been created from macerating the rhubarb) whipped cream.
Its not a difficult cake to make though there are a few stages to go through The lining of the tin is very important here to allow the cake to turn out easily so don’t skip this stage I like to use a spring form cake tin so it’s easy to release the sides though it’s not essential.
Ingredients (serves 8)
For the rhubarb
- 225g/ 8oz forced rhubarb, halved lengthwise and cut into finger length pieces (see photo)
- 60g/ 1/4 cup caster sugar
For the streusel
- 90g/ 1/2 cup plain flour
- 90g/ 1/2 cup soft light brown sugar
- 60g/ 4tbsp cold butter from fridge, cubed
- pinch salt
For the cake
- 225g/ 1 1/4 cups plain flour ( plus some for dusting cake tin)
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 90g/ 6tbsp room temperature butter ( plus extra for greasing cake tin)
- 180g/ 3/4 cup caster sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 100g/ 1/4 cup sour cream or creme fraiche (at room temperature
- Zest of an orange
Method
- Heat oven to 160c Fan/175c or 350F
- Butter a 23cm/9” cake tin and line bottom with baking parchment. Butter parchment, dust tin with flour and tap out excess
- Put rhubarb sticks into bowl, add sugar and toss together. Leave for 30 mins, stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved
- Make the streusel by rubbing all the ingredients together in a bowl until clumps form. Press mixture down hard into bottom of bowl and refrigerate for at least 20 mins until mixture is firm.
- To make cake, combine flour and baking powder in s bowl and set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar together and add eggs one by one
- Add half the flour and combine. Fold in creme fraiche/sour cream and finely grated orange zest then incorporate rest of flour.
- Spread cake mix into prepared cake tin
- Crumble over half the streusel, add the rhubarb – drained from its syrup, followed by the remaining streusel
- Bake for 45 mins until cake is cooked and allow to cool before turning out.
- Serve warm for pudding with whipped cream or cool completely to serve with tea/coffee. Yum!
This is such a pretty cake Rosie!! And streusel just makes it even better! How is your weekend going?? Did you have plans? We’re pretty much home all day today (Saturday) for the first time in over a month. Been reading up for a little trip we’re about to take– so cozy on the couch all morning! What have you been up to?? xox
Ooo. Where are you going? Sounds very exciting.
Hi Rosie! We are taking a little cruise up the west coast with friends. And then Larry and I are staying on in Vancouver and Seattle. So I’ve been pouring over travel guides getting ready– love the planning! Do you have any travel plans ahead?? this summer? hugs hugs!