This is a wonderfully moist and tender summertime cake, with a delicious thick layer of tangy syrup on the top. It's really worth making!
The recipe is taken from The Australian Women's Weekly Cake Baking.
Ingredients:
185 g softened butter
3 eggs room temperature
1 sachet orange rind (or 1 tbsp finely grated rind from an orange)
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup fine semolina
60 ml sour cream (or buttermilk)
350 g rhubarb stalks
Orange Rhubarb Syrup:
250 ml orange juice
1/2 cup caster sugar + 2 tbsp
125 ml water
110 g rhubarb stalks
Method:
Trim and chop the rhubarb stalks, keep 110 g of them for the syrup.
Divide the remaining 350 g chopped rhubarb into two halves. Chop one half finely (this will be added to the batter) and keep the other one as it is (this will be scattered on the top).
Take 1 tbsp from 1/2 cup of semolina and mix it with the finely chopped half of the rhubarb.
Beat butter, sugar and rind in a small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Fold in sifted flour, the remaining semolina and sour cream.
Fold in the finely chopped rhubarb, mixed with semolina.
Spread mixture into pan, top with remaining rhubarb chunks.
Bake cake for about 1 hour or until the toothpick comes out clean. Stand cake in pan 5 minutes before turning onto wire rack.
Meanwhile make orange rhubarb syrup.
Stir ingredients (except 2 tbsp of sugar) in a small saucepan over high heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves.
Bring it to boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until the syrup has thickened slightly and rhubarb completely softens. Strain into heatproof jug.
Take about half of the syrup and pour it all over the cake.
Return the rest of the syrup back into the saucepan, add the reserved 2 tbsp of sugar, and simmer uncovered over high heat, stirring, until the syrup thickens and resembles runny honey. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
Pour the syrup over the cake.
Leave the cake for at least few hours to set before serving.
Enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee!
Bon Appetit!
