Country rhubarb cake

Recipe by: Darina Allen

This delicious juicy rhubarb cake, based on enriched bread dough, was made all over Ireland with filling that varied with the seasons – gooseberries, bramley apples, plums, blackberry and apple

Country rhubarb cake

SERVES

8

PEOPLE

PREP TIME

25

MINUTES

COOKING TIME

60

MINUTES

Ingredients

  • 350g flour

  • a pinch of salt

  • ½ tsp bread soda

  • 50g caster sugar

  • 75g butter

  • 1 egg

  • 165ml milk, buttermilk or sour milk

  • 700g rhubarb, finely chopped

  • egg wash

  • 175-225g granulated sugar

  • caster sugar, for sprinkling

  • softly whipped cream

  • brown sugar

  • Equipment:

  • 1 x 25.5cm enamel or Pyrex plate

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

  2. Sieve the flour, salt, bread soda and caster sugar into a bowl, rub in the butter.

  3. Whisk the egg and mix with the buttermilk. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Pour in most of the liquid and mix to a soft dough, add the remainder of the liquid if necessary.

  4. Sprinkle a little flour on the work surface, turn out the dough and pat gently into a round.

  5. Divide into two pieces — one should be slightly larger than the other. Keep the larger one for the lid.

  6. Meanwhile, dip your fingers in flour. Spread the smaller piece onto the plate.

  7. Scatter the finely chopped rhubarb all over the base, egg-wash the edges and sprinkle the rhubarb with the granulated sugar.

  8. Roll out the other piece of dough until it is exactly the size to cover the plate, lift it on and press gently to seal the edges. Make a hole in the centre for the steam to escape, egg-wash and sprinkle with a very small amount of sugar.

  9. Bake in a moderate oven at 180°C, for 45 minutes to 1 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.

  10. Sprinkle with caster sugar. Serve still warm with a bowl of softly whipped cream and some brown sugar.

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