Ingredients
Almond crumble
Method
1.Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced).
2.Split vanilla bean in half, scrape out seeds. Reserve seeds. Cut rhubarb into 2.5cm (1-inch) lengths, halve any thick stems lengthways. Combine rhubarb, caster sugar and vanilla bean in a shallow large ceramic ovenproof dish, spread rhubarb into a single layer. Roast for 25 minutes or until tender. Cool. Drain rhubarb, discard vanilla bean, reserve syrup.
3.Meanwhile, make almond crumble. Combine flour and sugar in a medium bowl, using your fingertips, rub in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press mixture together with your fingers to create uneven lumps. Stir in almonds. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm.
4.Grease a deep 23cm (91/4-inch) square cake pan; line base and sides with baking paper, extending the paper 5cm (2 inches) above edges.
5.Beat butter, reserved vanilla seeds, extract and extra caster sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in sour cream. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Stir in combined sifted flours and custard powder. Spread half the mixture into pan; top with half the rhubarb and half the almond crumble. Repeat layering.
6.Bake cake for 1 hour 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand cake in pan for 5 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto a wire rack. Dust with sifted icing sugar. Serve cake warm with reserved rhubarb syrup.
You will need about two bunches of rhubarb for this recipe. To spread the second layer of cake batter over the crumble, without mixing the two, dollop the batter into each corner first, then gently spread the batter toward the centre.
Note
