I used up a can of rhubarb and some leftover ground almonds to make this perfect little cake.

There was no particular occasion, just a desire to create something sweet and tasty. I found this recipe online in another bakers blog. It is an adapation of a Nigella Lawson recipe Winter Plum Cake.

It was a really easy recipe to make, and you know, these days I’m all about the simple and easy baking.

In this adapted version of cake, an icing topping is replaced by a sprinkling of caster sugar. I think it works well. It add a crispy sweet texture to the cake.

As for the cake, it was pretty nice. It is decidedly almondy with bursts tart rhubarb. And yes, it went down nicely with a cup of Rooibos tea.

Ingredients

539g tin of rhubarb (to give 245g drained weight )

125g plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

75g ground almonds

125g butter, softened

125g soft light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 scant teaspoon almond extract

1 heaped tablespoon caster sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 170 C / 150 C fan and butter and line a 20cm springform cake tin.

1. Drain the rhubarb, chop it into 1.5cm chunks, then leave it in a sieve to drain some more.
2. Mix the flour, baking powder and ground almonds together.
3. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour mixture after each. (This helps to prevent curdling.)
4. Beat in the almond extract and then fold in the rest of the flour mixture.
5. Finally, fold in the rhubarb chunks. Tip into the prepared tin, and smooth out the top a little. Sprinkle over the caster sugar, and bake for about an hour. (If it isn’t yet coming away from the edges, of a cocktail stick doesn’t come out more or less clean, then it may need up to an extra 15 minutes.)
6. Leave it to cool in the tin, on a wire rack, for ten minutes before turning out onto the rack.

Makes 6 – 8 slices.