Rhubarb and Custard Cake

I LOVE custard, not just a little bit,  like those people who have it with crumble or spotted dick, I actually love it. If I could eat just one food for the rest of my life it would be custard (don't worry I won't challenge myself to a week of just eating custard...) 

If I've got time I'll make it from scratch, but bought custard is pretty tasty. And at aged 20 I discovered you could buy it in cans - a miracle! 

Anyway I digress, I had some rhubarb that my mum had given me from her garden. After some internet research I found this recipe, it originally served 16 so I scaled it down, decreased the sugar and added more CUSTARD.

Ingredients (to serve 4)
200g rhubarb, ends cut off and any stringy bits removed
20g soft brown sugar
60g butter, softened
50g caster sugar
100g ready-made custard (I used Ambrosia, you can use custard made from scratch if you have lots of time)
70g self-raising flour
¼ tsp baking powder
1 large egg
few drops vanilla extract
icing sugar, for dusting


Step 1
Pre-heat oven to 200°C/gas 6. Chop the rhubarb into 1-inch pieces and put into a shallow baking tray. Sprinkle 20g soft brown sugar over the top and a few drops of water. Toss together and spread out into a single layer. Cover the tray with foil and roast for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, give the rhubarb a shake and put back in for another 5 minutes. Remove and turn the oven down to 180°C/gas 4.


Step 2
Whilst the rhubarb is roasting prepare your cake mixture. Cream together the butter and caster sugar. Add half of the custard, the flour, baking powder, egg and vanilla. Mix until well combined.


Step 3
Grease and line a 15cm round baking tin. Spoon a third of the cake mixture into the tin and level it out. Add some of the rhubarb, another third of cake mixture, another layer of rhubarb, and the rest of the cake mixture. Sprinkle with the last of the rhubarb and dot over the remaining custard.


Step 4
Bake in the oven for 35 minutes until risen and golden, then cover with foil and bake for a further 15-20 minutes. The cake is done when a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool completely in the tin before removing. Sieve a little icing sugar over the top when cool.


Verdict
I was really impressed with this recipe, the cake was light and fluffy with the custard adding moisture, and there was a really good flavour from the rhubarb. Custard-licious...

Original recipe, (that serves 16), can be found here.