One of the joys of summer in our organic kitchen garden is the abundance of rhubarb, with its tart, vibrant stalks just begging to be baked into something delicious. At the café, we like to let the season guide our menu — and nothing captures early summer quite like this Rhubarb & Almond Cake.

This cake has become a firm favourite among our regulars. It’s buttery, moist, and delicately sweet, with bursts of tangy rhubarb and the warm citrus lift of orange zest. We grow the rhubarb ourselves just a stone's throw from the kitchen, and we love being able to bring the garden straight to your plate.

Whether you're visiting us for a slice or baking it yourself at home, this is a perfect cake for lazy afternoons with a cup of tea or served as a simple dessert with a dollop of crème fraîche. And the best part? It keeps beautifully for up to three days — if it lasts that long.

🌿 Rhubarb & Almond Cake

Serves: 8-10
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 1 hour 10–15 minutes
Storage: Keeps for up to 3 days in an airtight container in a cool place

Ingredients

150g salted butter, at room temperature
150g golden caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp for sprinkling
2 medium eggs
200g ground almonds
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
100g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
400g rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 4cm lengths (halve lengthways if very thick)
2 tbsp flaked almonds

Method

Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan 160°C/gas mark 4). Grease a 22cm springform tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.
Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl using an electric whisk until pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
Fold in the ground almonds and orange zest. Sift over the self-raising flour and baking powder, then mix everything until well combined.
Spoon half the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it evenly to the edges.
Layer with rhubarb: Arrange just under half of the rhubarb pieces over the batter, keeping them away from the edges. Sprinkle over 1 tablespoon of the extra caster sugar.
Add the remaining cake mixture on top, gently spreading it to cover the rhubarb. Arrange the remaining rhubarb in a circular pattern on top, filling any gaps (again, avoid the edges).
Scatter with flaked almonds and sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of sugar over the top.
Bake for 1 hour, then cover loosely with foil and bake for a further 10–15 minutes, or until the centre feels firm and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Cool in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or allow to cool completely.

We hope you enjoy baking this with your own garden rhubarb — or come by the café to try a slice made fresh with ours!