Rhubarb and poppy seed cake

There are two ways to live when rhubarb season comes – ignore them or use them at full speed. I like to be somewhere in between, but only because I have no one who eats everything I cook. My friends already avoid me when I call – they know they will have to eat. My family has so much, they just can't stop eating, and my partners – I believe they get worried when they know I will come. But I do love rhubarb. It's a shame that in Latvia we just have green and very tart rhubarb, but it does not make it any less beautiful to cook with. 

Ingredients

450 g peeled rhubarb, cut into pieces
50 g white sugar
small handful of almonds to top

batter:
150 g wholegrain flour
70 g almond flour
pinch of sea salt
1.5 tsp baking powder
50 g poppy seeds
190 g butter, room temperature
150 g golden caster sugar
100 g honey
1/2 organic lemon zest, finely grated
4 large eggs, room temperature

Prepare

Heat the oven 180°. Line a 20x30 cm pan with baking paper. Mix rhubarb with sugar and let it rest for 30 minutes at least.

The batter. Mix both flours, salt, baking powder, and poppy seeds in a bowl.

Beat the butter with sugar, honey, and lemon zest until pale, about 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time (if it curdles, add 1 tbsp of flour in between). Add flour mixture and mix just to incorporate.

Pour 2/3 into the pan. Squeeze the liquid from rhubarb and sprinkle on the batter. Pour over rest of the batter and level it out (it's ok if some rhubarb sticks out). Sprinkle almonds on top and bake for 45-55 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Take the pan out of the oven and let cool to room temperature and enjoy. 

Recipe and pictures: Signe Meirane
Camera: Sony Alpha 7s