YQ Population Wheat Rhubarb and Yogurt Cake
Recipe by Henrietta Inman YQ is an incredibly diverse wheat bred by Professor Martin Wolfe at Wakelyns Organic Argroforestry farm in Suffolk. A population means millions of genetically distinct individual wheat plants being grown together in one field, as opposed to modern hybrid wheat.
YQ stands for this population’s great yield and quality. Not only does its diversity make it incredibly resilient and a far more sustainable and environmentally friendly way to grow wheat, it also has an amazing, rich, distinct, unique and nutty flavour and beautiful texture, which all work together to lift this cake up. It’s so exciting to see more regenerative farmers in the UK growing it, as well as heritage varieties.
If you cannot find YQ wheat, seek out your nearest mill or available wholegrain wheat flour. Wholegrain spelt would work too.
SERVES: 6-10
COOKS IN: 1 HOUR
DIFFICULTY: MEDIUMIngredients
For the crumble:
75g Wakelyns YQ population wheat flour
75g oats
40g light brown muscovado or demerara sugar
A pinch of coarse sea salt
75g cold unsalted butter, chopped into cubes
50g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
For the cake:
250g rhubarb, sliced into 1⁄2 - 1cm pieces
180g golden caster or light brown muscovado sugar
130g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
80g thick natural yoghurt
200g Wakelyns YQ population wheat flour
2 1⁄2 tsp baking powder
A pinch of coarse sea salt
3 eggs, medium-large
Method
Start by mixing the rhubarb with 40g sugar and set aside to macerate.
Make the crumble by mixing together the dry ingredients from the flour to the salt. Rub in the butter with fingertips or a freestanding mixer fitted with a paddle until crumble consistency. Mix in the nuts and store in the fridge.
Grease the sides and bottom of a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin with butter and line the base with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 180oC. With a spoon or a freestanding mixer fitted with a paddle, cream the remaining 140g sugar with the butter and yoghurt. If there are a few lumps that is fine. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Alternately add the flour and eggs to the creamed mixture until just combined. Fold in the rhubarb and its juices.
Transfer to the prepared tin, sprinkle over the crumble and lightly pat it into the mix a little. Bake for about 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out just clean. Leave to cool for about 10 minutes then demould and serve warm with custard, cream, yoghurt, crème, fraiche, ice cream...!
