Rhubarb Crumble Cake (vegan) from "The Book of Egg Free Cakes"- "From Cookbook" Event

Check out my well-thumbed copy!

Apologies for  the terrible picture, taken several years ago in a half-finished kitchen with a mobile phone. If you look hard, you can just about make out the cake layer, rhubarb layer and crumble/ nuts layer. You can also see how the cake always comes out just as good as the picture in the book!

 One of my favourite cookbooks ever is "The Book of Egg Free Cakes" by Cintia Stammers. When I got it my cake-baking skills were in their infancy to say the least, but by the time I'd worked- and eaten- my way through some of her recipes I'd learnt some important skills, even if my waistline had slightly expanded... Now I am able to devise my own cake recipes based on the baking science I learned from that book, so I am truly indebted to Ms Stammers. Good cakes are a really useful thing to be able to make- there is always an occasion to bake for or a loved one to please, so it makes sense to have a never-fail recipe in your repertoire. The following cake, from said book, is one such recipe. I love the way it manages to both look and taste good without recourse to fancy icing or cream and most of all I love the way it never goes wrong!

This post goes to Gauri's "From Cookbook" event at Runner Girl in the Kitchen http://cooking-goodfood.blogspot.in/2013/06/only-event-for-july-cook-book-giveaway.html , a great concept for sharing  cookbook recipes. I know she originally asked for recipes we have never made before, but I couldn't resist sharing this one-it's so good! Hope you all enjoy this bake...

100g vegan margarine
150g caster sugar
4tsps vanilla sugar/ 1 tsp vanilla essence
200g plain flour
4 tsps baking powder
200ml soya milk
2 cups (1 cup=250ml) rhubarb, cut into pieces 1.5cm long
Topping:
50g flour
50g caster sugar
25g vegan margarine
50g chopped almonds

• Grease and flour a 25cm (10") springform cake tin, and preheat your oven to 180C.
• Cream the margarine and sugar together. Add vanilla.
• In another bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.
• Mix in the milk and the margarine mixture gradually.
• Turn into the prepared tin and cover with the rhubarb pieces.
• For the topping, mix the flour, sugar and margarine together and crumble it on top of the rhubarb. Sprinkle with chopped almonds.
• Bake for about 45 minutes and allow to cool for about 20 minutes before removing it from the tin.

The Yogi Vegetarian Notes:

1. Make the crumble topping and chop the almonds before you make the cake batter. That way you can get the cake together and in the oven faster for a perfect rise.
2. We always use unrefined demerara sugar instead of caster sugar, as cane sugars are usually refined using a bone charcoal filtration system (Yuck! Not even vegetarian, let alone vegan!)
3. We use wholemeal flour for the crumble topping, and often for the rest of the cake. 
4. You can use apple instead of rhubarb if you prefer, and sprinkle cinnamon on top.