Rhubarb, Rose, and Almond Cake #TheCakeSliceBakers

Here we are the May edition of the Cake Slice Bakers. For 2020, we'll be baking from The New Way to Cake: Simple Recipes with Exceptional Flavor by Benjamina Ebuehi.*

In this group, we are given a selection of three cake recipes. We each choose one cake to bake, and then on the 20th - never before - we all post about our cake on our blogs. There are a few rules that we follow, but the most important ones are to have fun and enjoy baking & eating cakes!

Follow our Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest pages where you can find all of our cakes, as well as inspiration for many other cakes. You can also click on the links below to take you to each of our cakes. If you have a blog and are interested in joining The Cake Slice Bakers and baking along with us, please send an email to thecakeslicebakers at gmail dot com for more details.

The Cake Slice Bakers also have a new Facebook group called The Cake Slice Bakers and Friends. This group is perfect for those who do not have a blog but want to join in the fun and bake through this book. Our choices for May 2020 were...

Chamomile Cake with Honey Crème Fraîche

• All That's Left Are The Crumbs
• Amandie Bakes
• A Little Bit of All Right
• Sweet Sensations
• Camille Cooks

Rhubarb, Rose & Almond Cake

• Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• A Day in the Life on the Farm

Hibiscus Buttermilk Cake

• Making Miracles
• Oven Delights
• Karen's Kitchen Stories

Rhubarb, Rose, and Almond Cake 

very slightly adapted from Ebuehi's book

I made this back in March when we were just beginning to be sheltered-in-place to flatten the curve of the coronavirus spread. Funny thing: Felice had posted the options for April and May's cakes and I jumped on this one immediately, not realizing that it was for May. So, I did this cake before I did April's cake, Jasmine Green Tea Cake.

I made a few minor changes. As I mentioned, we were sheltered-in-place and discouraged from leaving the house except for the bare necessities. Since I didn't have yogurt in the fridge, I used the buttermilk that I had. Also, it seemed a little bit plain to me, so I whipped up a rhubarb compote for the top. Delicious!

Ingredients makes one cake

Cake

• 3/4 C butter
• 3/4 C organic granulated sugar (I reduced this from 1 C)
• 1/4 t rosewater (omit completely if you are not a fan of rosewater!)
• zest from 1 organic lemon
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/2 C flour
• 3/4 C ground almonds
• 1 t baking powder
• 1/2 t baking soda
• 1/2 C buttermilk (the original has yogurt, but we were out)
• 1/2 pound rhubarb
• 1 to 2 T raw organic sugar
• organic powdered sugar for serving

Compote

• 1/2 pound rhubarb, trimmed and diced
• 3 T organic granulated sugar
• 2 T water
• juice from 1 organic lemon, approximately 2 T

Procedure

Compote

Place all of the ingredients together in large skillet. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until rhubarb is mashable. Mash with a fork until desired consistency. Set aside.

Cake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease the bottom of pan; I used a tart pan with a removable base.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and rosewater until lightened and fluffy, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Add in the lemon zest and, then, the eggs one at a time.

Fold in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, and baking soda until just moistened. Whisk in the buttermilk and transfer batter to prepared pan. Smooth the top and set aside.

Slice the rhubarb into strips and arrange them in a pattern on the top. The original recipe had them radiating from the center like a flower; I opted to weave them into a lattice. Sprinkle with raw sugar and place in the preheated oven.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes until the cake is golden brown and the top is firm to the touch.

Let cool for 10 minutes before unmolding. Then let cool completely.

To serve dust liberally with powdered sugar.

Then slice...

and serve on individual serving plates.

Let diners top with compote as they desire.

That's a wrap for May's #TheCakeSliceBakers. Stay tuned for next month's sweet treats.

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