Rhubarb and brown sugar traybake

There’s lots of forced rhubarb around at the moment, as well as plenty of spindly stalks making their way tentatively out of the soil in gardens everywhere. So when I needed a speedy cake at the weekend, and the fridge as bare,  I decided to forage in the veg patch instead.

This is remarkably easy, and makes a sweet-sharp traybake where the tart rhubarb is tamed by the dark spices and rich brown sugar. The key is to use young rhubarb and cut it into small pieces so that you end up with little bursts of flavour rather than big soggy lumps. This is at its best served slightly warm from the oven or a few seconds in the microwave. It also makes a great hot pudding with a little custard. Makes 18 slices.

180g butter or Stork

180g dark brown sugar

3 eggs

175g self raising flour

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

¼ tsp mixed spice

1 tsp vanilla essence

160g young rhubarb chopped into 1cm pieces

1 tbsp caster sugar

Line a 22(ish)cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper and preheat the oven to 170/150 fan.

 Beat the butter and sugar together then add the eggs one at a time. Stir in the flour, bicard, mixed spice and vanilla. Gently mix in half of the rhubarb pieces, then tip into the tin. Sprinkle the remaining rhubarb evenly over the top. Bake for 50-60 minutes, checking after 50 minutes to see if a cake tester comes out clean. When it’s cooked, removes and sprinkle the caster sugar over the top. Allow to cool in the tin on a wire rack for 20 mins then remove from the tin and place (paper on) on the rack. Serve warm.