littletree bakes...rhubarb crumble cake

So I haven't done a 'bakes' post in a while and what better recipe for a come back than this awesome Rhubarb Crumble cake!? I LOVE rhubarb, everything about it makes me smile, the enormous leaves that grow on the end of that pretty pink stalk...the sweet and sharp taste...plus I just love saying rhubarb! Rhuuuubarb!

Enough of that...this recipe is of my own creation and inspired by my love of rhubarb compote, cream and crumbled ginger biscuits. The simplest dessert and so scrummy! So I thought 'why not in a cake?' and an idea was born...

Ingredients

• 6oz Butter or Marg
• 6oz Caster Sugar
• 6oz Self Raising Flour
• 1oz Ginger Biscuits blended into crumbs
• 1/2tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2tsp Mixed Spice
• 3 Eggs
• 1/2tsp Vanilla Extract
• Rhubarb
• Water
• Extra sugar for rhubarb compote

 Lets' bake!

1. Preheat oven to 180c, grease and line a rectangular tin.
2. First the compote....I just made a large batch as we had a lot of rhubarb to use up but I probably used about 4 tablespoons of the compote in the finished recipe. 
3. Ok, chop your rhubarb into about 2cm small chunks and pop in a saucepan, just add enough water to cover the rhubarb and 3tsp of sugar. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally. (You can add more or less sugar depending on your taste and the sharpness of rhubarb, just give it a taste!)
4. Once the rhubarb is soft, drain any excess water but leave some liquid. Leave to cool.
5. Cream your butter and sugar, add the eggs, vanilla and a tablespoon of the flour, mix well.
6. Add in the rest of the flour and the biscuit crumbs, fold in by hand until combined.
7. Spoon into the tin and even out. Next spoon in the rhubarb compote in small dollops all over the sponge. 
8. Using the handle of a piece of cutlery swirl the rhubarb compote into the sponge mix, not too much, you want some big swirls of rhubarb left!
9. Pop in the oven for 35-45 minutes or until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
10. Leave to cool in the tin before turning out. 
11. Drizzle with icing and top with more crumbled ginger biscuits.

If you wanted this could be served as a desert with any leftover rhubarb compote with a dollop of creme fraiche...yum!

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