This recipe is by Lilly Higgins who says early rhubarb is usually sweeter and more tender making it more suitable for this cake than the tougher green outdoor rhubarb.

Serves 10-12

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Ingredients

For the cake:

225g soft butter

240g caster sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

50ml milk

200g self-raising flour

35g custard powder

1 tsp baking powder

300g pink rhubarb, chopped into medium chunks

For the icing:

450g icing sugar

60g custard powder

80g butter

50ml milk

1 tsp vanilla essence

Hundreds and thousands, to decorate

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Butter two 20cm sandwich tins and dust with flour. Cream the sugar and butter together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, mixing well after each. Add the milk and vanilla and mix until combined. Sieve the flour, custard powder and baking powder into the egg mix. Carefully fold in the dry ingredients. Tumble in the rhubarb and give it a final stir. Spoon the batter into the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 minutes, until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Leave to rest in the tins for a few minutes before turning onto a rack to cool. To make the icing, cream the butter with half the sugar. Add the custard powder, milk and vanilla and the remaining icing sugar. Mix until well combined.

Place one cake on a serving plate and spread the top generously with icing. Sandwich the cakes together and top with more of the icing. Sprinkle with hundreds and thousands to decorate.