What a huge and beautiful cake Nicola made for our second Bake Club meet. Extra points for the black and white plate and bourgainvillea decoration. Nic noted that last time she made it she used homegrown rhubarb which infused the cake with a stunning pinky colour. Rhubarb is out of season at the mo so the bought rhubarb didn't produce the rich colour, but the cake was still v soft and delicious.

Rhubarb & Cornmeal Cake from Nigella Lawson's 'How to be a Domestic Goddess'

500g rhubarb
300g caster sugar
150g plain flour (or in this case Healtheries gluten free baking mix)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp gd cinnamon
155g fine cornmeal (polenta)
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
125g unsalted butter
250g natural yoghurt (pref bio)
23cm Springform cake tin, buttered & lined

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C/gas mark 4
Wash & dry rhubard, trim & remove stringy bits & cut into 1/2cm pieces. Put into glass or china bowl & cover with 100g of the sugar, while you get on with rest of cake. Don't let rhubarb stand for more than 1/2 hour or sugar will make too much liquid seep out.
Mix the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon & cornmeal together. With a fork, beat the eggs with the vanilla in a measuring jug or bowl. In a large bowl, cream the rest of the sugar & butter, then gradually add the egg & vanilla mixture, beating while you do so. Then add the flour-cornmeal mixture alternately with the yoghurt. They need to be just combined; don't over mix.
Finally, add the rhubarb together with its sugary, pink juices, folding in to mix, and then pour the speckled batter into the prepared tin. Put in the preheated oven and bake for about an hour or until springy to the touch. You may need to cover it with foil for about 40 mins so that the top doesn't catch. Let cool on a wire rack for a while before unmoulding. Serve with mascarpone!