A little smackrel ... Pear or should we say Apple, Rhubarb and custard cake

Hello Poppits, 

How is everything today ?? It's a lovely day here today and I'm lapping up the sun out on our veranda, Edie's enjoying it as well and is in her swing having a lovely time whilst I'm writing this and listening to like a version 6  it is defiantly a good buy! Now onto this cake...

This cake was a very good one indeed hence there being half a cake in these photos because I forgot to take one when we were eating it first time around ! oops

I had some new season apples in the fridge ( I had been waiting for what seems like months fro these to come back to the fruit shops instead of the old scabby, wrinkly ones that had been hanging around like a bad smell)So I took the opportunity to use them in this scrummy cake, instead of the pear that was suggested! The rhubarb wasn't a problem at all to get for me because we have about 5 plant around the property, but if you have a problem getting it, then try any of the fruits listed at the bottom of the recipe. This cake would be a delightful treat in the middle of winter, to remind you of the summer and spring that is on its way!

Recipe...(original recipe from Women's weekly Cakes ) 
125g butter, softened
3/4 cups caster sugar 
2 eggs 
a splash of vanilla 
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour 
1/2 cup almond meal 
2 TBS custard powder 
1/2 cup milk
250g rhubarb, sliced 
330g pear, peeled and sliced thinly 
1/2 cup of warmed apricot jam


Custard...
2 TBs custard powder 
2 TBS caster sugar 
1 cup milk
1tsp vanilla extract 
20g butter 


Instructions...
start off by making thee custard because it has to come to room temp before you use it !!


Custard...
Combine the custard powder, sugar, vanilla and around 2 TBS of the  milk in a medium saucepan to form a paste, then add in the remaining milk and stir over a medium heat until the custard has thickened.
Remove from the heat then stir in the butter, mixing until the butter is melted. Then cover the custard with glad wrap(push this down until it is touching the whole surface of the custard, this will help to prevent a skin forming)


Time for the cake...
First off you better pre heat your oven to a moderate temp, plus line a 22cm cake tin( sprigform if you have one).
Beat you sugar , butter and vanilla until light and fluffy, then add your eggs in one at a time making sure to mix well after each addition and to scrap the sides of the bowl down.
Next add in the flour, almond meal and milk and mix until just combined.
Now for the fun part! pour half you cake batter into your lined tin and top with half your cut fruit and all the custard  you need to spread this out and yes it will disturb your nicely placed fruit, but this doesn't matter because your just going to eat it and put make cake batter on it !). Now top with the rest of the batter and make a pretty pattern with the remainder of your fruit.
Place into your oven and bake for about an hour or until a testing implement comes out clean( you will smell it when its done like any good cake). Leave it to cool slightly for about 5 minutes then take the cake out of the tin and spread with the warm jam!   


Serve with Ice cream, hot custard and maybe some raspberries !( I think thats what I topped it with ???)


YUMMMM & Enjoy 


Variations: 
Try using different fruits like, Firm strawberries, raspberries, any other berry pretty much and apples or nashis would be nice.
You can also try different jams and nut meals!


TTF, 
Lili xxx