Rhubarb, oat and cinnamon loaf – recipe

When my children take a packed lunch to school, I like to include something baked as bedfellow to the sandwich, fruit, lump of cheese. They’re fond of those European-style cakes that include almonds and cooked fruit but, ever-conscious of the no-nut policy at my daughter’s primary school, I have been experimenting with oats instead of nuts.

This is my take on my Kiwi mother-in-law’s recipe for rhubarb loaf. Stored in a tin, the loaf keeps well for several days. Sliced and spread thickly with butter alongside a steaming pot of tea, it’s pretty good for the grownups too.

For the stewed rhubarb:

250g rhubarb, chopped into 2cm pieces

50g caster sugar

20g unsalted butter

Place all the ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over a low heat with a lid on for the first few minutes, then stir frequently, until the stalks soften but do not collapse completely. Leave to cool for around five minutes.

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For the sponge:

190g unsalted butter, softened

190g caster sugar

3 large eggs

140g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

50g oats

½ tsp ground cinnamon

Stewed rhubarb, as above

Heat the oven to 170C/325F/gas mark three. Grease a 8.5cm x 17.5cm loaf tin and line with greaseproof paper.

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Sift the flour into a bowl and add the baking powder, oats and cinnamon. Mix the flour into the butter.

Swirl the stewed rhubarb through the batter, taking care not to mix it too much. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin.

Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes. When cooked, the sponge should be firm to touch. Check by inserting a skewer into the middle of loaf – it should come out clean.

Allow the loaf to cool a little before turning it out on to a wire rack.