RHUBARB & LEMON DRIZZLE SQUARES

Sometimes you just need a piece of cake—this healthier brown rice flour and almond cake is perfect for a midafternoon pick-me-up.

MAKES: 9     PREP: 30–35 MINS, PLUS COOLING     COOK: 35–40 MINS

6 trimmed young rhubarb stalks, cut into ¾-inch thick slices

1 cup ground almonds

1 cup brown rice flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1 ripe banana, mashed

⅔ cup rice bran oil

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

grated zest of 1 lemon

3 eggs

¼ cup coarsely chopped unblanched almonds

SYRUP

juice of 2 lemons

¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12 x 8 x 1½-inch cake pan with nonstick parchment paper.

2. Put the rhubarb into a dry roasting pan and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, until almost soft. Remove from the oven but do not turn off the oven.

3. Put the ground almonds, flour, and baking powder into a bowl and stir together.

4. Put the banana, oil, sugar, and lemon zest into a separate bowl and whisk together until smooth. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then beat in the flour mixture.

5. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, then sprinkle the rhubarb over the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, until the cake is well risen and the sponge springs back when pressed with a fingertip.

6. To make the syrup, mix the lemon juice with the sugar. Spoon half over the hot cake and let soak in for 1–2 minutes. Spoon over the remaining syrup, sprinkle with the chopped almonds, and let cool in the pan.

7. Lift the cake out of the pan, peel away the paper, and cut into 9 pieces. Eat within two days or freeze until needed.

per square: 400 cal / 26.1g fat / 4.5g sat fat / 37.7g carbs / 22.6g sugars / 0.6g salt / 3.2g fiber / 6.8g protein