This post is sponsored by Doves Farm Organic Flour

I love January for only two reasons, and no it’s not tax season and dry January, it’s rhubarb and blood oranges. Two fruits that brighten an otherwise dull grey month. For this week’s recipe I wanted to make a simple chocolate cake that would work wonderfully with the rhubarb and be quick to bring together. I considered a flourless chocolate cake but I fancied something with a bit more structure and I wanted a little extra flavour to make the whole dessert a bit more interesting. For that flavour I turned to a favourite, Buckwheat flour. The reason buckwheat jumped to mind was it is actually related to Rhubarb, so pairing the two together seemed like the obvious choice.

As I have in the past, I am working with the guys at Doves Farm Organic Flour to produce recipes using their ancient grains. Today I am using their Organic Wholemeal Buckwheat Flour but the range includes so many different varieties from Rye, Spelt, Khorasan to Einkorn and Emmer. The thing I love most about these different ancient grains is they open up a world of flavours. Rye for example has a wonderful earthy, nutty flavour and adds a little splash of acidity that can really help bring out flavours, it’s a particular favourite when paired with chocolate and makes wonderfully flavoured breads. Today’s grain is Wholemeal Buckwheat and its one of the ‘ancient grains’ you might be more aware of and may have even used. It is a wholemeal flour which I love for its texture and the boost of flavour. Buckwheat Flour is naturally gluten free  (though note may contain traces of gluten-containing cereals) and if you’ve ever had a French galette or Japanese soba noodles you probably know its unique flavour. Similarly to rye it has an earthy and nutty flavour but it’s also a little floral and has a hint of bitterness too. I find it pairs wonderfully with fruits and chocolate and adds a real depth to so many recipes. With this recipe the flour isn’t used a replacement, the recipe was developed for the buckwheat grain, but if you do want to substitute this flour for regular wheat flour this is a helpful method. Generally you don’t want to replace wheat flour with 100% buckwheat as it lacks the gluten to hold baking together. I always suggest a starting point of using 20% as a replacement which will add flavour without changing the texture, the way a recipe works, too much. The most important thing to note is that over-mixing recipes made with buckwheat can make heavy cakes so if you are doing a blend it is worth combining everything else before gently adding the buckwheat.

Doves Farm Organic Wholemeal Buckwheat Flour is available from Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsburys, Tesco and Waitrose. You can also buy direct from Doves Farm

Chocolate Buckwheat Torte with Roasted Rhubarb and Creme Fraiche
Serves 10

Chocolate Torte
150g dark chocolate (65-70% cocoa solids)
175g unsalted butter, diced
5 large eggs
100g light brown sugar
50g caster sugar
75g Doves Farm Organic Wholemeal Buckwheat Flour
50g cocoa powder

Roasted Rhubarb
175g rhubarb
25g caster sugar
1 tbsp orange juice
Seeds from 1 vanilla bean (or 2 tsp vanilla bean paste)
Creme fraiche, to serve

Preheat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC Fan) and lightly grease a loose bottom (or springform) 9-inch round cake tin and line with parchment paper. 

Place the butter and chocolate into a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of simmering water and cook, stirring occasionally until everything is melted and smooth. Remove from the pan and set aside for 10 minutes to cool.

Place the eggs and sugars into the bowl of an electric stand mixer (or large bowl using an electric hand mixer) and whisk on medium speed for about 8 minutes or until pale and almost tripled in volume. In a separate bowl whisk together the Doves Farm Wholemeal Buckwheat Flour and cocoa powder. In two or three additions fold this flour mixture over the mixture and fold together to combine, trying to keep the mixture as light as possible. Add the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture in three additions, once again folding together lightly to keep as much air as possible. Scrape the finished batter into the prepared tin, spreading out in an even layer

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the top of the cake is just set. Remove from the oven and set aside at room temperature for about an hour before serving. 

As the cake is cooling prep the rhubarb. Cut the stalks into small roughly 1-inch long pieces and place into a bowl along with the sugar, orange juice and vanilla beans scraped from the pod, tossing together to make sure everything is evenly coated. Tip this mixture out onto a rimmed baking tray and bake in the oven, still set 180ºC (160ºC Fan), for about 15-20 minutes or until the fruit is softened but still holding its shape. Remove and serve along side the cake with a dollop of creme fraiche. 

I like to serve this cake whilst still just a touch warm with the creme fraiche chilled from the fridge and the rhubarb served fresh from the oven.