Rhubarb and custard cake

I've been growing some rhubarb myself and its looking pretty good but unfortunately its still too young to eat it (I'm not going to give in to temptation though as apparently if you are patient with them when they are young they can last for 20 years!) It has got me in the mood to bake with some though so when I was out I bought a bunch of stalks. There are so many amazing rhubarb recipes I have come across and want to try out - think my next attempt may be a rhubarb and custard pie with meringue topping - but for this occasion I went with a cake as I thought it would be easier to transport on the train on a visit to the Mother's.

I added the flaked almonds just because we had some in the cupboard and rhubarb and almond goes really well together (in my humble opinion) but the original recipe doesn't list them. I'm just a bit of a maverick.

Ingredients
400g rhubarb, washed, ends trimmed, and cut into finger sized pieces
250g butter, softened
1 tin custard (I used Ambrosia)
250g self raising flour
250g golden caster sugar (plus another 50g for roasting the rhubarb)
1/2 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
Handful of flaked almonds (if you too are a maverick)
Icing sugar to dust

First to roast the rhubarb. Spread the rhubarb pieces onto a baking tray then sprinkle with the 50g caster sugar and shake a little to coat. Roast at 200°C, covered with foil,  for 15 minutes then remove the foil, shake and return to the oven for another 5 minutes until tender and syrupy. Allow to cool for 20 minutes.

Turn the oven to 180°C and butter and line a 23cm tin.

Mix together about 2 thirds of the tin of custard with the butter, flour, baking powder, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth. Transfer about a third to the prepared tin then add some of the rhubarb. Add half of the remaining cake mixture on top then more rhubarb and the rest of the cake mix. Level out with a spatula then dollop the remaining custard and a bit of the rhubarb on top and swirl round. 

Sprinkle the almonds on top then put in the oven for 40 minutes until risen and golden then cover with foil and return to the oven for another 15 minutes. A skewer should come out clean when inserted.

Cool in the tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Once cool sift icing sugar over the top.

This cake is pretty good by itself or with custard as a kind of pudding/dessert-type scenario.