Strawberry and Rhubarb Crumble Cake

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas Mark 6.  Lightly grease and line a 23cm square or round springform tin (or cake tin with a removable base) with baking parchment and set aside.

2. For the crumble layer, place all ingredients in a large bowl and use your hands or a wooden spoon to mix: you need to work the mixture quite a lot to get evenly moist, large crumbs.  The consistency will be damper and more pebbly than you might be expecting, but this is what you want. Set aside.

3. For the fruit layer, place all the ingredients in a medium bowl, toss gently to combine and set aside.

4. To make the cake sift the flour, baking powder and salt together into a bowl and set aside.  Place the butter and icing sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment in place.  Beat for around 3 minutes on a medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. 

5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the vanilla extract, followed by the dry ingredients and beat until combined.  Turn the machine off as soon as everything is combined, then pour into the lined cake tin, using a drop spatula or the back of a spoon to even out the surface.

6. Next, spoon over the fruit mixture and sprinkle evenly with the crumble mixture.

7. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 70 minutes, until the cake is golden brown on top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

8. Have a look at the cake 15 or 20 minutes before the end of cooking, to prevent it taking on any more colour.  Set the cake aside until completely cool before removing from the tin and transferring to a cake platter to serve.