When I posted this picture on Twitter, I wasn’t prepared for the reaction.
The image clearly appealed to a lot of people, which made me laugh.

…god that cake looks good. I just licked the laptop screen…

I also received many requests to publish the recipe.

I would love to read the whole thing on your blog, hint hint….

After sharing the photo, the responses kept coming.

International chef and author Gregoire Michaud from the Four Seasons in Hong Kong wrote:

…you should definitely try Carl’s rhubarb and ginger cake – if not THE one, it has to be one of the best recipe of what you can do with rhubarb: awesome!

Sue Daws, whose husband usually dislikes rhubarb, sent this:

Cake was a big hit! OH ate rhubarb and loved it!

And Jono Stevens said:

OH reckons its ‘one of the best cakes I’ve ever tasted’, so you earnt me some brownie points too. 🙂

So, here is the recipe.

Rhubarb polenta cake recipe

This recipe is adapted from Nigella Lawson’s Rhubarb Cornmeal Cake in How To Be A Domestic Goddess. I’ve changed it significantly. We make this cake often — it’s a family favourite and a lovely way to celebrate spring. The gentle crunch of the polenta contrasts well with the soft rhubarb.

I wanted to add complexity by combining flavours and textures. The crystallised ginger provides bursts of spicy sweetness and a firm bite against the rhubarb. I kept cinnamon from the original, and added ground cardamom for a subtle warm note. Flaked almonds add extra crunch on top. I reduced the sugar and replaced some plain flour with light rye flour for a mild nutty flavour that complements the rhubarb. Together these elements work beautifully.

Here’s how to make it.

Ingredients

500g rhubarb (washed and dried if needed), cut into 5mm slices
250g golden caster sugar
75g crystallised ginger, roughly 5mm dice
100g plain flour
50g light rye flour (optional — use plain flour if unavailable)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2–1 tsp ground cardamom
155g fine polenta (cornmeal)
2 large free-range eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract (use real vanilla extract, not imitation)
125g unsalted butter, softened
250g natural yogurt
100g flaked almonds

You’ll need a 23cm springform tin lined on the bottom and sides with greaseproof paper.

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350–360°F) and position a shelf in the middle.

Place the rhubarb in a non-metallic bowl with 100g of the sugar and the crystallised ginger. Stir gently. If you can’t complete the rest of the preparation within 30 minutes, wait to combine the rhubarb until closer to baking, otherwise it will release too much juice.

Sieve the plain flour, rye flour (if using), polenta, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon and cardamom into a bowl and mix gently.

Break the eggs into a separate bowl, add the vanilla extract and beat lightly.

Cream the remaining sugar with the softened butter using a mixer or by hand.

Gradually add the egg and vanilla mixture to the butter and sugar, beating gently as you go.

Add the flour mixture and yogurt alternately in batches, beating gently until just combined.

Fold in the rhubarb and crystallised ginger until evenly distributed.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Scatter the flaked almonds evenly over the surface.

Bake for about 1 hour, until the cake feels springy and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

After roughly 20 minutes in the oven you may notice the almonds darkening. When they reach a pleasing colour, cover the cake loosely with foil or a sheet of greaseproof paper to prevent burning.

When baked, remove the cake from the oven and leave it to rest in the tin on a cooling rack. Once cool enough to handle, release the springform, remove the paper and transfer the cake to a serving plate.

This cake is excellent on its own, but it also pairs well with crème fraîche, custard or a dollop of yogurt.

Enjoy, and please let me know how yours turns out.

Update 2012
A year later and the cake is still popular. Many people returned to make it again. One reader asked for it instead of an Easter egg — a stellar endorsement.

I received a lovely picture from Helen of A Kentish Kitchen who made the cake and shared her photo.

A Kentish Kitchen