Rhubarb and ginger cake
This rhubarb cake is a teatime favourite that's good both warm and cold. As it has fresh rhubarb in it, it should be eaten within three days – not usually much of a challenge!
Cook's notes
You need to make sure that you bring the wet and dry ingredients together without overmixing for the lightest results. Avoid using an electric mixer for this part; use a spatula or wooden spoon instead.
Ingredients
- 340g rhubarb
- 200g plain flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- pinch of sea salt
- 120g unsalted butter
- 170g light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 tbsp milk
- 75g crystallised ginger, roughly chopped
Method
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Line a 20cm-diameter cake tin.
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Step 2
Remove any remaining leaf on the rhubarb, plus any brown areas around the 'hoof ' of the stem (although the white part is fine, and indeed relatively sweet). Rinse and dice into 2cm pieces.
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Step 3
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and ground ginger into a bowl. Add a pinch of salt and stir them together so that they are evenly mixed. Keep to one side.
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Step 4
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Transfer it to a mixing bowl and add the sugar. Whisk them together until well mixed. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking in between to incorporate them well. Finally add the milk.
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Step 5
Add the flour to the wet mix and fold it together a couple of times until half-mixed. Now add the rhubarb and ginger and fold it together a few more times, until it has just come together into a batter. Take care to not overmix it; stop as soon as you stop seeing any dry parts in the mix.
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Step 6
Transfer the batter to the cake tin and bake for 45 – 60 minutes, or until a skewer or knife tip comes out clean. Cover it loosely with foil at the halfway point to avoid the top becoming too dark and overcooked before the centre is cooked. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before gently removing to a wire rack to cool completely.