Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Preheat and prepare the baking dish
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8x8-inch baking dish, leaving no dry spots so the cake releases cleanly.
Make the cake batter
- Whisk together all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly blended and no lumps remain.
- Stir in milk and melted butter until the batter is smooth and thick, with a glossy look.
- Fold in diced fresh rhubarb and mix just until the pieces are evenly distributed.
- Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top so the sauce layer forms evenly.
Add the self-saucing layer
- For the sauce, mix sugar and cornstarch together until uniform.
- Sprinkle the sugar-cornstarch mixture evenly over the batter so it reaches the corners.
- Pour boiling water over the top slowly to cover the surface; the batter will look thin after adding water.
- Dot the surface with butter so it melts into the bubbling pudding sauce.
Bake and cool
- Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350°F until the cake is golden and the sauce is bubbling around the edges.
- Cool for 15 minutes to let the sauce thicken slightly before serving warm.
Serve
- Serve warm straight from the baking dish, spooning out cake and sauce together in each portion.
Notes
Pro tip: spread the batter evenly and distribute the rhubarb so the sauce thickens into a full layer; if the sauce isn’t bubbling yet, give it a few extra minutes. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently in the microwave or oven. Freezing is not recommended because the rhubarb and sauce texture can soften. For a dairy-light option, use plant-based butter and milk in the same measures.