Rhubarb mess cake
Serves: 12-14
Prep time: 15Total time: 
Recipe photograph by Ant Duncan
Rhubarb mess cake
A cake-pudding hybrid made from tipsy amaretto sponge, sticky rhubarb and stem ginger topped with pillowy meringue
Serves: 12-14
Prep time: 15Total time: 
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Nutritional information (Serving )
Calories
416Kcal
Fat
20gr
Saturates
9gr
Carbs
51gr
Sugars
37gr
Fibre
1gr
Protein
6gr
Salt
0.6gr
Sarah Akhurst
Our Food Director Sarah is a food obsessive, and spends most of her time scoping out the latest food trends, experimenting in her own kitchen, or making her family wait to eat while she photographs every dinner she makes for the 'gram! A complete Middle Eastern food junkie, she is never far from a good shawarma marinade, a pinch of Aleppo chilli or a sprig of dill
See more of Sarah Akhurst’s recipes
Sarah Akhurst
Our Food Director Sarah is a food obsessive, and spends most of her time scoping out the latest food trends, experimenting in her own kitchen, or making her family wait to eat while she photographs every dinner she makes for the 'gram! A complete Middle Eastern food junkie, she is never far from a good shawarma marinade, a pinch of Aleppo chilli or a sprig of dill
See more of Sarah Akhurst’s recipes
Ingredients
For the cake
- 175g butter, softened
- 125g caster sugar
- 5 medium egg yolks
- 150g plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 100g ground almonds
- 75ml amaretto
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 400g rhubarb, cut into 2cm lengths
- 75g stem ginger, finely chopped, plus 2 tbsp syrup
For the meringue
- 5 medium egg whites
- 200g caster sugar
- 1 tsp cornflour
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp stem ginger syrup
- 15g toasted almonds
Step by step
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4 and line a 28cm x 18cm loose-bottomed traybake tin.
- For the cake, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well between each addition. Add the flour, baking powder and ginger, then fold through the almonds, amaretto and vanilla extract. Transfer the mix to the prepared tin and level out. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- While the cake is baking, mix the rhubarb with the chopped stem ginger and syrup. When the cake is ready, remove from the oven and spoon over the rhubarb and ginger in an even layer.
- For the meringue, use an electric hand whisk (or stand mixer) to whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then add the sugar a spoonful at a time, until the meringue is stiff and glossy. Whisk in the cornflour, white wine vinegar and stem ginger syrup. Dollop the meringue on top of the rhubarb and swirl with the back of a spoon so the whole cake is covered and the meringue is peaky. Scatter over the almonds, then bake for a further 30 minutes, until the meringue is golden. Leave to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then remove and slice. The cake is great warm, but can also be served at room temperature.
