Rhubarb and strawberry upside-down slices

It was the most beautiful sunny weekend and we went for a lovely picnic on the cliffs of Southerndown, before clambering down the cliffs to the beach below for a paddle in the sea with Doug the Pug. On the way we stopped at our favourite deli to pick up some picnic supplies, and I bought a couple of slices of the most delicious rhubarb and cherry cake. It was so good I had to figure out how to make it - I couldn't find any cherries in the local greengrocers so I used some lovely ripe strawberries instead. The cake batter is really just my usual upside-down cake recipe, but this time in a rectangular brownie tin. These are sweet, sunny and perfect for seaside picnics!

Ingredients

4 tbsp caster sugar

9 oz butter

1 lb rhubarb, washed, trimmed and cut into ½ inch chunks

6 oz strawberries, washed and chopped

4 eggs

7oz golden caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

1 tsp almond essence

7 oz self-raising flour

Pinch of salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

3 oz ground almonds

6 oz Greek yoghurt

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180°C.  Grease and line a 10 x 13 inch rectangular tin.  Sprinkle the base with 4 tbsp sugar, shaking the tin to make sure it is evenly covered. 
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Meanwhile, arrange the rhubarb and strawberries in the tin.
3. Pour 4 tbsp of the melted butter over the top of the fruit, then set the rest of the melted butter aside to cool.
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar.
5. Add in the cooled melted butter and vanilla and almond essence, and beat well.
6. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, and fold in along with the ground almonds.  
7. Finally, fold in the Greek yoghurt, and pour the cake mixture over the fruit in the cake tin.
8. Bake for 30-40 mins or until a cake tester comes out clean.
9. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 – 10 mins, then turn out onto a chopping board with the fruit on the top side.  Leave to cool completely before slicing into squares.