Recipe for country rhubarb cake
Originally, it would have been baked in the bastible or baker beside an open fire. My mother, who taught me this recipe, varied the filling with the seasons. First there was rhubarb, followed by green gooseberries in May. Eventually, we had the first of the cooking apples in grandad’s garden, then if we were lucky some Victoria plums from a neighbour’s walled garden and blackberries and apple in the autumn.
12oz (340g) flour 2oz (55g) caster sugar a pinch of salt 2 teaspoons breadsoda 3oz (85g) butter 1 egg (preferably-free range) egg wash 5½fl oz (165ml) milk, buttermilk or sour milk 1½lb (675g) rhubarb, finely chopped 6-8oz (170-225g) granulated sugar caster sugar for sprinkling 1 x 10 inch (25.5cm) enamel or Pyrex plate
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/regulo 4. Sieve the flour, salt, breadsoda and caster sugar into a bowl, rub in the butter. Whisk the egg and mix with buttermilk. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Pour in most of the liquid and mix to soft dough; add remainder of liquid if necessary.
Sprinkle a little flour on work surface, turn out the dough and pat gently into a round. Divide into two pieces: one should be slightly larger than the other; keep larger one for the lid. Meanwhile, dip your fingers in flour. Spread the smaller piece on to plate. Scatter finely chopped rhubarb all over base, egg-wash the edges and sprinkle rhubarb with sugar. Roll out the other piece of dough until exact size to cover the plate. Lift it on and press gently to seal edges. Make a hole in the centre for steam to escape, egg-wash and sprinkle with a small amount of sugar. Bake in moderate oven, 180C/350F/regulo 4, for 45 minutes to one hour or until the rhubarb is soft and the crust is golden. Leave it to sit for 15-20 minutes so that the juice can soak into the crust. Sprinkle with caster sugar. Serve warm with a bowl of softly whipped cream and some moist, brown sugar.
