Spring is here! Rhubarb and Custard Cake

 It has taken so long, but yes, finally there is a hint that we may be departing from that long Winter. The mornings are brighter, you actually have an evening you can enjoy and the sun has been struggling through giving some beautiful warm days. Yes, it is time to shed the woollies and look to the upcoming brighter days ahead. Some of the best things about the Spring are the foods that are in season. The New Potatoes, Asparagus and, my personal favourite of all, the tangy, sweet taste of rhubarb. Who remembers those delicious rhubarb and custard sweets, so tangy and smooth at the same time? Well, here it is encapsulated in a cake, no less, really, can you think of anything better? And of course, it is a favourite of my four year old, for no less reason than that it is pink!

This cake truly is colossal, I made it in a large pie dish which it fit into snugly. It does need a long slow cooking time an have the foil ready to cover when it is brown and avoid burning. 

Rhubarb and Custard Cake 

400g Rhubarb, trimmed and cut into chunks
2 tbsp Caster Sugar
2 tbsp Orange Juice 
350g Unsalted Butter
350g Caster Sugar
2tsp Vanilla Extract
6 Free Range Eggs
1 tsp Baking Powder
3 tbsp Custard Powder

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Butter the pie dish or, if you prefer, line the tin, but you will need a large one.
2. Put the rhubarb in an ovenproof dish, with the 2 tbsp of caster sugar and the orange juice. Roast for 15 minutes.
3. Beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth, by hand or an electric mixer, which is much quicker.
4. Gradually add the eggs with a spoonful of the flour to avoid curdling. Then add the rest of the flour, baking powder, custard powder and fold together.
5. Spoon half the mix into the dish, layer the rhubarb over then top with the rest of the mix.
6. Arrange the rest of the rhubarb on the top, keeping the juices as a pour over when the cake is finished.
7. Bake until cooked through (insert a skewer into the middle and check it is clean when removed). This took about an hour so leave plenty of time to cook.