Gluten Free Rhubarb, Ginger & Coconut Crumble Cake

Without hesitation, let me say this is one of the best cakes I've ever made. It tastes sublime, an idle baking must-do for all you crumble and cakeaholics out there. Made with gluten free flours and the first home grown rhubarb of the year, it has a crunchy crumble topping, sweetly tart gingered rhubarb and a soft fluffy base. If you need the cake to be nut as well as gluten free, then simply take out the coconut and replace with more gf flour and sugar. It will be scrumptious either way.

Recipe
My own recipe

Serves 8-10


for the crumble:
85g gluten free plain flour mix (Dove's Farm or M&S recommended)
60g dessicated coconut
85g unsalted butter, cold
85g caster sugar


1. Turn the oven to 180C (160C fan ovens), and grease and line a deep 20/23cm springform cake tin. To make the crumble, cut the butter into small chunks and using your hands rub it in to the flour, coconut, and sugar in a large bowl until resembling crumbs. Put the crumble to one side.



for the rhubarb:
500-600g rhubarb
1 teaspoon ground or fresh finely chopped ginger
1 or 2 tablespoons caster sugar


2. Cut the rhubarb also into small chunks. Taste it for bitterness, before tossing it in another bowl with the ginger and sugar. If the rhubarb is quite sweet only 1 tablespoon of sugar is needed, but add an extra tablespoon if the fruit is a little bitter.

for the cake base:
170g unsalted butter, room temperature
170g caster sugar
3 eggs
170g gluten free self raising flour mix (Dove's Farm or M&S recommended)
1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder (Barkart recommended)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon milk


3. To make the batter, cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl for at least 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

4. Add the eggs one by one, followed by a tablespoon of the flour after each addition. Beat well.

5. Next stir in the rest of the flour, baking powder and the ginger.

6. Then add the milk and stir gently until the batter is smooth and well combined.

7. Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin, then spoon the rhubarb in its ginger sugar evenly over the top.

8. Finally, tip the crumble topping over the rhubarb until it has covered the top of the cake, and level off. It should come to the top of the baking tin.

9. Place in the oven and bake for approx 1 hour, checking after 50 minutes. You'll know it's done when a skewer comes out clean except for a little rhubarb juice.

10. When done, take out of the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, before placing on a wire rack or plate to cool further.

11. Serve warm, with a dollop of cream.

This cake was idly baked while listening to BBC Radio 4's programme The Listening Project