BROWN BUTTER, RHUBARB & ALMOND TRAY BAKE

This is such a versatile cake – not only is it a doddle to make, but it keeps well, freezes well and is easy to transport.

Serves 8-10 • 360g (12½oz) rhubarb,

trimmed • 225g (8oz) caster sugar • 2 drops of vanilla paste or

extract

For the sponge • 115g (4oz) unsalted butter • 3 medium eggs • 115g (4oz) caster sugar • 100g (3½oz) plain flour • ¾tsp baking powder l 60g (2¼oz) ground almonds l 1½tbsp whole milk l 4tbsp flaked almonds

Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas 5. Grease a 20cm square baking tin and line the base and sides with some baking parchment.

Cut the rhubarb stems into 1cm pieces. If your stems are thick, cut them in half lengthways beforehand so the pieces are not too large.

In a saucepan, bring the caster sugar, vanilla and 225ml of water to the boil. Once the syrup is boiling, add the rhubarb and return to the boil. Remove from the heat as soon as it boils, then drain, saving the juice for another recipe. Set the rhubarb aside while you prepare the sponge.

Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat until it foams and then turns brown and has a nutty aroma. Take it off the heat at once and pass it through a sieve into a jug to catch any burnt bits.

Whisk the eggs and sugar by hand in a bowl until combined.

Add the melted butter and whisk until combined. Combine the flour, baking powder and ground almonds in a separate bowl, then add to the wet ingredients and pour in the milk, whisking to make a smooth batter. Stir the rhubarb into the batter and pour into the tin. Scatter the flaked almonds evenly over the top.

Bake in the middle of the oven for 35-40 minutes. The top should be puffed up and golden, and a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean. If it doesn’t, return the cake to the oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin before turning out.