Ginger layer cake with rhubarb fool

Method

1. First make the ginger layer cake. Preheat the oven to 180?C/gas 4 and butter and base line two 20cm in cake tins.

2. Place the beer and 125g of the muscovado sugar in a pan and slowly bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the bicarbonate of soda. Leave to cool for about 1 hour.

3. Sift the flour and ginger into a bowl. Whisk together the eggs, the remaining muscovado sugar, caster sugar and oil, then add slowly to the flour, stirring. Add the beer mixture and fold together gently.

4. Tip into the prepared tins and bake for 25 minutes until just firm to the touch.

5. Cool the cakes in their tins for 30 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool, peeling off the paper when cold.


6. To make the fool, place the rhubarb in a pan with the elderflower syrup and sugar and bring slowly to the boil, stirring continuously.

7. Cook gently for 8 - 10 minutes until just tender. Allow to cool. Put the cream in a bowl, then gradually fold in the cooled rhubarb.

8. To serve, place one cake on a large serving plate and spread the fool generously over. Place the other cake on top and top with more fool so that it slithers down the sides of the cake .