Rhubarb and amaretti cake with orange and rosemary glaze

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Put the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract, then the eggs, one by one, beating well between additions until they’re incorporated. Don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled – it will come back together as it bakes.
2. Once the eggs are incorporated, gently fold or stir in the orange zest, ground almonds, flour and baking powder, then the amaretti chunks. Pour the mixture into the cake tin, level the top, then gently push in the rhubarb pieces in a spoke pattern, leaving them two-thirds uncovered (they’ll sink a little in the oven).
3. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden and a skewer pushed into the middle comes out clean (cover the cake with foil once it turns golden). Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift out (still on the base) onto a wire rack.
4. For the glaze, put the orange juice, rosemary sprig and granulated sugar in a heavy-based pan, bring to a simmer and bubble rapidly for 4-5 minutes to reduce slightly. Taste and add the lemon juice if you want the sharpness. Once the cake has cooled, pour over the syrup, letting it sink in before adding a bit more. Sprinkle with the granulated sugar, then serve with crème fraîche or cream, whipped with a little icing sugar and a splash of amaretto, brandy or rum.