Serves 15

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups chilled unsalted butter, plus more, softened, for pan
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
⅓ cup cornstarch
2 ¾ cups sugar
1 lb strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 ½ lb rhubarb, trimmed & cut into 1 inch pieces
3 ¾ cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups buttermilk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350f (180 C). Brush a 9 by 12 by 3 inch baking pan with butter and set aside. Make fruit sauce: Combine lemon juice, cornstarch and 1 cup sugar in a medium saucepan. Add strawberries and rhubarb; cook stirring frequently over medium heat until rhubarb is soft and liquid has thickened, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and let cool.

2. Make the crumb topping: Combine ¼ cup sugar and ¾ cup flour in a medium bowl. Melt ¼ cup butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Drizzle butter over flour mixture; using your hands, mix until crumbly. Set aside.

4. Make cake batter: Whisk together remaining 3 cups flour and 1 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry knife or two forks, cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Pour into flour mixture: stir to combine.

5. Spread half the cake batter evenly into the prepared pan. Top with half the fruit sauce. Carefully spread the remaining batter over the fruit and top with the remaining fruit sauce. Sprinkle with crumb topping.

6. Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back when touched in the center, about an hour. Transfer pan to wire rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into squares.