Rhubarb, Orange, Pistachio & Cardamom Cake

Serves: 12

With its blend of exotic fruits and spices, this is one grown-up cake.

150g light brown sugar

250ml sunflower oil, plus a little extra for greasing

3 free-range eggs

1 tbsp orange flower water (optional)

zest of 1 orange

seeds from 12 cardamom pods

½ tsp ground ginger

300g self raising flour

350g rhubarb, cut into 1cm pieces

80g pistachios, finely chopped, plus extra for the topping (optional)

For the icing:

250g vegetarian mascarpone or cream cheese

50g icing sugar, sifted

zest of 1 orange

1 tbsp lemon juice

Grease a 20cm cake tin and line with baking parchment. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, oil and eggs. Stir in the orange flower water, zest, cardamom seeds and ginger. Fold in the flour. Stir in the rhubarb and pistachios.
Pour into the tin and even it out. Bake at 180C/350F/Gas 4 for 1-1¼ hours on the middle shelf, until a skewer comes out clean. Keep an eye on it as it cooks and cover loosely with foil if it’s turning too brown. Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool.
To make the icing, beat together the mascarpone, icing sugar, orange zest and lemon juice. Spread over the top and sides of the cake once it has cooled completely. Sprinkle over some chopped pistachios, if using.

Print Recipe www.riverford.co.uk/recipes