Rhubarb Cornmeal Cake

The recipe that follows is another great vehicle for yoghurt - something I have had a great deal of recently, thanks to the people at Total, who supplied me with a fridge-filling amount with which to experiment. My previous posts on the subject can be found here and here and there's more still to come!

This also happens to be one of my favourite fruit-based cakes. It's moist and sweet and utterly gorgeous while still warm from the oven. It keeps pretty well too, mind, and makes a great pudding with a bit of ice cream on the side.

Rhubarb Cornmeal Cake

(adapted from How to be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson)

500g/1 lb 2 oz rhubarb

300g/10 1/2 oz caster sugar

150g/5 1/2 oz plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

155g/5 1/2 oz fine cornmeal (polenta)

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

125g/4 1/2 oz unsalted butter, soft

250g/9 oz natural yoghurt, prefarably bio (my greek yoghurt worked just fine)

23cm springform or loose-bottomed tin, greased and lined

1) Preheat the oven to 180c/gas mark 4

2) Wash and dry the rhubarb if necessary, and then trim and cut into 1/2cm slices. Put in a glass or china bowl and cover with 100g of the sugar. Leave to sit for up to half an hour.

3) Mix the flour, bicarb, salt, cinnamon and cornmeal together. With a fork beat together the eggs and vanilla and a small bowl or jug.

4) In a large bowl cream the butter and the rest of the sugar, then gradually add the egg and vanilla mixture, beating while you do. Then add the flour-cornmeal mixture alternately with the yoghurt. Don't overmix.

5) Finally, add the rhubarb and any sugary juices and fold together. Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for about 1 hour or until springy to touch. You may need to cover with foil after about 40 minutes so the top doesn't catch. Leave to cool in the tin for a while before unmoulding.

Serves 8-10