Ingredients

Rhubarb is often the first sign of spring in my garden, usually appearing around mid-March, just in time for St. Patrick's Day. It’s a reminder that new life in the garden is erupting for the year. I planted this rhubarb about 20 years ago, given to me as a gift, and it truly is the gift that keeps on giving.

With minimal care – just a little manure in the autumn – I am rewarded with three months of vibrant, tart stalks. Rhubarb and ginger are a natural pairing, this cake is a delicious celebration of that marriage, with a crumbly topping and just the right balance of sweet and spice.

Serves 8

Crumble

• 125 g plain flour
• 4 tbsp caster sugar
• 90 g butter

Rhubarb

• 500 g Rhubarb cut into 1 cm pieces
• 2 tbsp caster (granulated) sugar
• 1 tsp ground ginger

Cake

• 175 g butter, softened
• 175 g caster sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 175 g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp milk

Method

1. Preheat the oven to170 C . Butter a 24 cm springform cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.
2. For the crumble, place the flour, sugar and butter in a food processor and pulse until crumbly.
3. Or make by hand ,mix the flour and sugar together rub in the butter into the flour until you have a crumbly mix.
4. Toss the rhubarb with the sugar and spice until evenly coated.
5. To make the cake beat the butter and the sugar together until white and fluffy.
6. Beat in the eggs added a little at a time, sprinkling in 1 tbsp of the flour when you have added half of the beaten eggs (this is to stop curdling).
7. Sift over the rest of the flour and the baking powder and fold gently but thoroughly in. Lastly, fold in the milk.
8. Spread the cake mixture evenly over the base of the buttered cake pile over the chopped, sugared and spiced rhubarb and sprinkle with the crumble.
9. Bake in the oven until the rhubarb is soft, the crumble is golden brown and the sides of the cake have shrunk slightly away from the tin, about 40mins.
10. Place on a wire rack and let it cool in its tin for 15 minutes, when you can serve it warm as a pudding, or unmould, leave to cool completely and serve cold with softly whipped cream.