Ingredients

280g plain flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
Good pinch of salt
60g unsalted butter at room temperature
320g light brown sugar
1 X-large free range egg
Vanilla extract – be generous, two teaspoons
1 heaped cup of full fat sour cream,
4 cups rhubarb – it’s about seven to eight medium sticks
Flaked almonds – get a new packet so they’re fresh. You’ll need at least half a cup – I use at least three quarters of a cup and load it up.
1/3 cup raw sugar

Method

Preheat oven to 180 convection and line a 10-inch springform pan – I do the whole pan.

In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt. Set aside.

Beat the butter and brown sugar – there’s not a lot of butter so it’s going to clump and not cream. Resembling wet sand is what you’re after.

Add the egg and beat until the mixture is well combined.

Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat to combine. Do not drink the batter at this stage – it tastes like caramel and is very tempting.

Add the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Do NOT overmix.

Fold in rhubarb.

Spread the mixture into prepared pan

Sprinkle top of the cake with flaked almonds mixed with the extra sugar – be generous with the almonds

Bake for 60-70 minutes. If it’s browning but a skewer isn’t coming out clean, put a loose sheet of foil on top to protect while it continues to cook. I have baked up to 80 mins. Start checking from about 55mins though, depending on your oven.

The sugar does not need to melt. The almonds simply need to look toasted.

Dust with icing sugar for your final flourish. Do not share. Eat it all yourself with ice cream or custard, or both…and even pure cream poured with abandon.