A moist almond torte topped with a layer of cooked rhubarb and an irresistible crumble topping, this is equally at home after a weekend lunch or a weeknight dinner.

Feeds 6. Takes 1½ hours.

400g rhubarb stalks
3tbsp soft brown sugar or caster sugar
2tbsp orange juice
170g butter, softened
150g ground almonds
170g caster sugar
170g self-raising flour
1tsp ground cinnamon
½tsp ground mixed spice
2 eggs

FOR CRUMBLE TOPPING

100g plain flour
75g soft brown sugar
75g butter, diced
1tsp cinnamon powder
Pinch of salt

Heat the oven to 180C/Gas mark 4. Wash the stalks well, trim the ends and discard any leaves. Chop the stalks into 2cm lengths and simmer with the sugar and orange juice in a covered pan for five minutes or until soft. Stir well and set aside.

Lightly butter a 23cm (9in) springform cake tin. Place the butter, ground almonds, sugar, flour, cinnamon, mixed spice and eggs in a food processor and whizz until thick and creamy. Spread the mixture over the base of the cake tin. Drain off the rhubarb juices and gently spread the rhubarb over the top.

To make the crumble topping, mix together the flour, sugar, butter, cinnamon and salt with your fingertips until it resembles coarse sand, then cover the rhubarb with the mixture.

Set the tin on a baking sheet and bake on a rack set just below the centre of the oven for one hour. If, after 30 minutes, the sides and top appear to be browning too quickly, wrap some folded silver foil loosely around the tin, and cover with a loose sheet of foil.

Cool in the tin for 15 minutes before transferring to a serving plate. Serve warm as a dessert, with cream or ice-cream, or allow to cool and serve as a cake.

Times Recommends

• Jane MacQuitty’s party wine
• Oliver Peyton's Christmas pavlova
• Blood orange cosmopolitan