We are definitely into rhubarb season - Yippee! I am beginning to see lots of rhubarb recipes on the net, so thought it was about time I added one of my own - rhubarb cake with elderflower icing. What I particularly love in this case is the combination of elderflower and rhubarb flavours which work so well together.
Rhubarb is a favourite in our family, which is lucky as it very happily grows on my little allotment. Last year we were eating rhubarb almost all summer long. It's not the prettiest of plants, but it sure tastes good.
Before I had my allotment 3 years ago, rhubarb was a less frequent treat only available whenever we could find it in the shops at a reasonable price, or beg some from friends or family that grew it.
Having a small allotment is such a treat while living so close to central London. They are very few and far between - I was on the waiting list for 7 years!
Until now l have generally stuck with my old favourites: rhubarb crumble, rhubarb fool, and the odd cake. This year I have decided to get more adventurous and experiment a little. To help me on that path I have been compiling a Pinterest board of rhubarb recipes from the net.
I have also put together a round up of over 25 Fabulous Rhubarb Recipes on my baking blog Only Crumbs Remain featuring recipes from myself and other top UK food bloggers.
After rhubarb crumble, rhubarb cake is probably our next favourite rhubarb dish. It makes a great family cake as is, but for this rhubarb cake recipe, I wanted to make it a little bit special and have added some elderflower cordial to give it that extra flavour dimension.
To finish it off I made a simple water icing flavoured with more elderflower cordial which I spread over the top. I love the flavour of this icing and I have a feeling I shall be using it on more than just rhubarb cake!
I think the cake looks good as it is with the icing trickling down the sides, and there is no need for any special decorating skills here. This cake is about simplicity and flavour, not its looks.
Having said that, if you want to jazz it up a notch or two you could try adding a few crystallised edible flowers on the top. To make your own check out my post How to make Crystalised Flowers. I used some crystallised violets which are rather pretty but of course, you could top it with a few elderflowers if you can get them.
Step by step Rhubarb cake with elderflower icing
Cut rhubarb into small pieces. Cream butter and sugar together then beat in eggs one at a time. Add the elderflower cordial and fold in the flour. Add the rhubarb. Fold in the rhubarb. Spoon into tin and level top. Bake. Mix icing sugar elderflower cordial and water to a smooth icing. Spread icing over the cake allowing some to drizzle down the side of the cake.
Rhubarb cake with elderflower icing
Ingredients
for the cake
- 375 g rhubarb
- 250 g light muscovado sugar
- 250 g butter softened
- 5 eggs
- 1 tablespoon elderflower cordial
- 300 g self-raising flour
for the elderflower drizzle
- 175 g icing sugar
- 2 tablespoon elderflower cordial
- about 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 ℃ /160℃ fan/gas mark 4. Grease and line the base of a 23cm round deep cake tin.
- Wash, trim and cut the rhubarb into small pieces.
- Beat the sugar and butter together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Add a tablespoon of the four with the last egg to help prevent the mixture from curdling.
- Add the elderflower cordial and prepared rhubarb. Next, gently fold in the flour.
- Spoon into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake for 50 minutes – 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Sift the icing sugar into a small bowl and stir elderflower cordial and enough water to mix to a smooth runny icing. Drizzle over cake and allow to set before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
If you like the rhubarb and eldeflower flavour combination as much as I do you may want to try my Rhubarb and Elderflower Jam
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Sharon says
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
Have been searching for a rhubarb cake and this is totally divine, we all loved the icing too.
Thank you for sharing, I look forward to your emails and recipe's so much xx
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Hi Sharon, What a lovely comment you certainly brought a smile to my face. Delighted you like this cake, I make it a lot as we have a very prolific rhubarb cake and I have to say i love the icing too, so simple to make and it goes so well. Jacqui x
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says
Ooooh - I've never had rhubarb cake before! I bet that tastes delicious 😀 Though, as I was lamenting on someone else's comments section a couple of minutes ago - I never get to have any rhubarb as the rest of my family don't like it *sob*. I'll just have to content myself with staring at your cake longingly for a while... Eb x
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
its worth making just for yourself. it freezes well
Jenny Walters says
What an elegant and sophisticated cake! I adore Rhubarb so would wolf a slice of this down. The icing sounds incredible!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I love this icing
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
I love this flavour combination and the cake looks gorgeous!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thank you Kat
Jo Allison / Jo's Kitchen Larder says
I do love rhubarb and would love to have such a regular supply as you've got through your allotment. That's fantastic! I like the sound of elderflower cordial with rhubarb! I must admit I have never tried it in baking before and will definitely have to try it! Thank you for sharing your lovely cake with #BakingCrumbs 🙂
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Yes I am very lucky t have that allotment especially given my location and its surrounded by houses not roads a real little oasis in central London I sometimes use the cordial to sweeten a rhubarb crumble too.
Monika Dabrowski says
I love rhubarb recipes, always makes me think of summer and sun. This cake sounds fabulous and sounds easy enough to make too. Can't wait to see what other rhubarb recipes you are going to come up with. Thank you for bringing your lovely cake to #CookBlogShare.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thanks Monika I have a whole host of other ideas need to keep being inventive as I have a free source of rhubarb
Cat | Curly's Cooking says
Rhubarb and elderflower sound like a delicious flavour combination! I have so much rhubarb I don't know what to do with it so I've been freezing it for using later in the year. This cake would be a great use for it.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I like it a lot I have quiet a few rhubarb recipes here on Recipes Made Easy as well as Only Crumbs Remain if you are stuck for ideas.
Catherine b says
Revisiting this recipe for Easter now my rhubarb plant is in full production again. Happy Easter.
CB
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
. Happy Easter Catherine. IHope you like it. Do pop back and rate it if you have a moment.
Natalie says
Just made this with some of Catherine e's rhubarb. Delicious!
Jacqueline Bellefonatine says
Glad you liked it. J x
Sarah James says
Your rhubarb cake looks delicious Jacqui, I love the sound of the elderflower icing, I tend to make my self saucing pudding or a crumble with our rhubarb but a rhubarb cake sounds a great idea for a change. Thanks for sharing x
Jacqueline Bellefonatine says
Thank you Sarah. I tried yourself saucing pudding and it was great sorry didn't get round to commenting as it was a bit frantic before going away. I hope you like the icing I shall be using it again for certain. The cake is pretty yummy too 🙂
Catherine B says
It was moist, delicious and my colleagues at work have requested I make on every week! And I have not made a cake for 20 years, so I was extra delighted it worked so well. Thank you.CATHERINE b
Jacqueline Bellefonatine says
Well it's clear to me you should be baking more cakes Catherine and if I get more rhubarb than I can cope with then I know who to let have some:) I haven't had a chance to pop to the allotment yet but I suspect with this wet and mild weather it will be growing rampantly!