Rhubarb almond cake with orange

Preheat the oven to 180˚C, gas mark 4. Grease and base-line a 20cm deep cake tin with a removable base. In a large bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar with electric beaters for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly between each. Add the almonds, flour and baking powder, followed by the vanilla, orange zest and liqueur or juice; gently fold in.

Spoon ½ the batter into the prepared tin and cover with ½ the rhubarb. Spread the remaining batter on top and finish with the rest of the rhubarb, arranged in a pretty pattern if wished. Scatter over the demerara sugar.

Put the cake in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 170˚C, gas mark 3. Bake for about 1 hour, until golden with a firm centre. Cover loosely with foil halfway through the cooking time if it’s browning too much. Allow to cool in the tin. Serve sliced as a teatime cake or warmed as a pudding with ice cream, if liked.