By Keighley’s Mike Armstrong, an award-winning master baker with a big passion for baking...

THERE are two foodstuffs that go hand in hand, rhubarb and custard ­– and they are an excellent choice.

Rhubarb and custard go together like Wensleydale cheese and fruit cake. Whether it's served up in steaming, stodgy spoonfuls in the school dinner hall or in elegant tearooms, it's a classic double act.

It is always a treat to use our very own Yorkshire forced rhubarb when in season, but sadly it's disappeared for another year.

However, don't content yourself with a bag of rhubarb and custard boiled sweets instead ­– which isn't the worst fate, admittedly!

You can make this rhubarb and custard cake recipe with the sturdier, greener outdoor garden rhubarb, which is now in season.

I must admit now that I'm older I just love rhubarb, and I'm so grateful for the triffid-like plant growing at the bottom of my garden, which was gifted to me a few years ago by my mother-in-law and is now yielding its first good crop.

My garden rhubarb works well within the cake and is tangy and rich and sweet, to say nothing of the delicious contrast between the juicy crunch of the stems and wobbly, creamy custard, or the striking pairing of vivid pink and yellow. Basically, it's a pleasure that works on every level.

This sunny cake's good looks make it an excellent choice for any celebrations – but do we need the excuse of a celebration to bake this cake?

Did you know rhubarb comes from the Latin word 'Rhabarbarins', which means ''root of the barbarians''? The Romans labelled anyone who ate rhubarb barbarians. I guess that makes me a barbarian!

And did you know rhubarb is normally considered a vegetable, but was made an official fruit in 1947 by the ruling court?

Rhubarb grown in China was traded for medicinal purposes as early as the 16th century. People also used it to dye eggs, hair or even use the fibres to knit sweaters. Beware! The leaves attached to a rhubarb stalk are poisonous. But don't put manure on your rhubarb – I prefer custard!

RECIPE

YORKSHIRE RHUBARB AND CUSTARD CAKE

Ingredients:

400g/14oz rhubarb washed, trimmed and cut into finger-size pieces

50g/2oz soft brown or caster sugar

250g/9oz pack of butter, softened

150g/5oz pot ready-to-eat custard

250g/9oz self-raising flour, sift

1/2 tsp baking powder

4 large eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

250g/9oz caster sugar

Icing sugar, for dusting

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas Mark 6, place the prepared rhubarb in a shallow dish with the brown sugar, toss together and roast for 20 minutes. Drain off the juices and cool.

2. Reserving 3 tbsp of the custard, beat the rest of the custard together with the butter, flour, baking powder, eggs, vanilla and caster sugar till creamy and smooth.

3. Butter and line a 23cm/9’’ loose-bottom cake tin and spoon one-third of the mixture into the tin, add some rhubarb, then dot with one-third more cake mix.

4. Top with some more rhubarb and remaining cake batter, leaving it in rough mounds and dips, scatter the leftover rhubarb over the batter and dot the remaining custard.

5. Bake in reduced heat 180C/160C fan/Gas Mark 4 for 40 minutes until well risen and golden, cover with foil and bake 15-20 minutes more.

6. Cool in the tin and dredge with icing sugar when cool to serve.