Method

• 1

  Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line the bottom of an 18cm cake tin. Pop the agave nectar (for the cake), butter and sugar into a pan. Add 1 tbsp water and heat gently. Remove from the heat and mix in the eggs and flour.

• 2

  Spoon into the tin and bake for 40-45 minutes until the cake is springy to the touch and shrinking slightly from the sides of the tin. Cool slightly in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack.

• 3

  While the cake is still warm, make the icing by mixing the sugar, agave nectar (for the icing) and lemon zest together with 2-3 tbsp hot water. Glaze the cake with the icing and allow to cool completely before serving.

• 4

  To make the compote, put the rhubarb, orange juice and the agave nectar (for the compote) in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook for about five minutes, until the rhubarb breaks down into a purée. Stop cooking when some of the rhubarb is still just holding its shape, but make sure it’s quite tender and not at all crunchy.

• 5

  Use a sieve to strain off a little of the syrupy juice, so you get a slightly denser rhubarb mixture and some good, tart rhubarb syrup. Serve warm or cold alongside the cake.