My Mum’s Strawberry and Rhubarb Cake

This is one of the first recipes my mum taught me when I was a child. Every time I make this cake I can see my mum and me in the kitchen, usually on the weekend – she’s cooking dinner and I’m right next to her, old-fashioned heavy, noisy mixer in hand, making the fruit cake, as we used to call it and still do. This cake is so quick, easy and versatile that even my friends who claim not to able to bake to save their lives, managed it successfully.

As I grew up in times when only seasonal fruit and vegetables were available in shops, in autumn we’d bake it with plums (my personal favourite), in winter with apples, in summer with strawberries, blueberries or rhubarb. All of the above were always straight from a local farmer’s market. The ultimate Sunday treat!

A Bit of Know-How

You’ll see that the recipe calls for potato flour. Fear not! 😊 It increases the moisture content and makes sponge-like cakes slightly lighter in texture. In Poland it’s a popular ingredient both in cooking and baking. Even though it isn’t widely available in British supermarkets, you’ll find it easily in every Polish shop as well as some continental delicatessen. To make life easier (you know that simplifying recipes is my second name!) in this recipe I’ve replaced it with corn flour. It serves similar purpose and works equally well.

As for the fruit, try any juicy fruit which cooks well. Apples, berries, rhubarb, plums, peaches or nectarines make a good choice. The plum and blueberry version goes very well with zest of half a lemon.

My Mum’s Strawberry and Rhubarb Cake

Makes about 12 portions

Round tin 27 cm in diameter, ideally with removable base

Ingredients

• 150g plain flour plus an extra handful for dusting the baking tin
• 200g caster sugar (can be substituted with granulated sugar or golden caster sugar)
• 60g corn flour (or potato flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 eggs
• 250g unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or essence)
• 200g rhubarb
• 200g strawberries
• A little icing sugar for dusting

Method

1. Grease the baking tin and dust with the flour. Melt the butter in a pan over a low heat stirring frequently and making sure it doesn’t boil. Set aside to cool.
2. Meanwhile, wash the rhubarb and cut it into about ½ cm thick slices. Wash and half the strawberries; if they’re big cut them into quarters.
3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4. In a bowl combine the flour, the corn flour and the baking powder. In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed beat the eggs and the sugar until the mixture is pale, fluffy and thick. It should take a maximum of three minutes. (Don’t be tempted to overmix the batter – incorporating too much air will create a denser texture instead of a light and airy one.)
4. With the mixer still on, slowly pour in the melted butter, add the vanilla extract and mix for about one minute. Fold in half of the flour mixture, mix for half a minute until combined and then repeat with the remaining flours.
5. Pour the mixture into the baking tin. Tap the tin on the counter a couple of times to force the air bubbles to come to the surface. Evenly scatter the rhubarb and strawberries on top and submerge slightly with your hand. Bake for 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and the edges are coming away slightly from the tin. Cool and dust with icing sugar. Ta-dah!

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