Baking power: Rhubarb, ginger & white chocolate cake 

A wonderfully soft afternoon tea cake, warm with ginger and chunks of white chocolate snuggled around all the rhubarb. It can also double up as a pudding if served slightly warm with custard.

SERVES 6–9

200g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

150g fresh rhubarb

180g light brown sugar

3 eggs

225g plain flour

2 tsp ground ginger

1½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

¼ tsp salt

80g sour cream, at room temperature

75g white chocolate, roughly chopped

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm square cake pan, leaving an overhang of baking paper to help you lift the cake out later.
• Wash and trim the ends of the rhubarb. Chop into 2cm chunks and set aside.
• Cream the butter and sugar together using a stand mixer or electric whisk for 4–5 minutes until very light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl every so often. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat for a minute after each addition.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, ginger, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Pour half this mixture into the batter and stir until just combined. Mix in the sour cream followed by the rest of the flour mixture. Stir in the chopped white chocolate.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top, and arrange the rhubarb on top of the batter. Bake for 50–55 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. If the cake looks as though it’s getting too dark before it’s cooked, cover it loosely with a sheet of foil and continue to bake.
• Leave to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely before slicing up.