Oh man.  I am not a dessert person but this was……oh man.  Speechless.  I loved it.  LOVED it.  Not the world’s cheapest cake but it was so worth it.  Moist but light, sweet but not too sweet…..the perfect balance.  The rhubarb?  Yum.

Prep time:  10  Minutes                 Cooking time:  1 Hour                   $$  Medium Budget

Serves 10

3 cups of almond meal

2 tsp of baking powder

2 tsp of ground cinnamon

3/4 cup of caster sugar

Zest of 2 oranges

Zest of 1 lemon

8 eggs

11/2 cups of sunflower oil

Whipped cream with a dash of vanilla extract to serve

For the Syrup:

Juice of 2 oranges

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup of caster sugar

6 cloves

1 cinnamon stick

For the Rhubarb:

2 bunches of rhubarb, leaves and grotty ends removed and sliced into 3cm batons

1/4 cup of caster sugar

Juice and zest of 1 orange

2 tbs of water

Grease and line the base of a 23cm springform pan.  Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Place the almond meal cinnamon, baking powder, sugar and zest in a large mixing bowl.  In a mixing jug, whisk the eggs and oil together and making a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour the egg mixture in the centre and combine well with a wooden spoon.  Use a spatula to pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the centre.

Pour the citrus juices in a small saucepan and add the sugar and spices.  Bring the mixture to the boil using a low heat, stirring so the sugar dissolves.  Once dissolved increase the heat to medium and simmer for approximately 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Remove the cake from the oven and pierce it all over with a skewer.  Pour the syrup over, nice and slowly so that it penetrates the holes and soaks down into the middle of the cake.  Allow to stand for 1 hour.

Place the sugar, water and juice in a medium saucepan.  Stir over a low heat to dissolve and then add the zest and rhubarb.  Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low and cook down for approximately 8-10 minutes or until the rhubarb is nice and tender but is still holding some of its shape.

To serve, divide the cake and top with the stewed rhubarb.  Place a delicious dollop of vanilla flavoured cream, yoghurt or ice cream.  The cake freezes really well if you don’t use it all.