Kornelia Witek is a stylist and photographer who captures the fleeting beauty of everyday moments. Her work is inspired by nature, the changing quality of light, and her childhood growing up in a small town – ordinary aspects of daily life that take on a dreamlike quality through her lens. Here, she shares her recipe for a deliciously aromatic cake that invites us to find pleasure in slow morning rituals.
Rhubarb Sponge Cake I Photography: @kornelia_witek_photography I Featured: Basix Linen Tutto Towel in Ayrton
"This photo, as with so many others, is a result of split-second reflexes, because sometimes a split second is all you have," says Kornelia of her sun-drenched, springtime tablescape. "Imagine, a cake freshly popped out of the oven, the air still hot and swirling with a delicious aroma of vanilla, caramelised sugar, and a tart, juicy note of pink rhubarb stalks. My four-year-old bouncing at my elbow, eager for his first taste."
Featured: Basix Linen Tutto Towel in Ayrton
Soft, textural layers and a tonal palette of pink, white and cream lend the perfect backdrop for a relaxed yet elegant afternoon tea. "I barely had the presence of mind to catch it. A table with fresh linens, the cake, the mid-morning light flooding through the open window, and lilacs from the garden; there, a study in spring and the ordinary."
Rhubarb Sponge Cake (serves 8-10)
Ingredients
- 340 grams of butter
- 340 grams of raw cane sugar (Kornelia used brown sugar in a smaller quantity)
- 6 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 240 grams of plain flour
- 2 and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
- 600 grams of rhubarb cut into 1-inch pieces (wash stalks thoroughly)
*All ingredients need to be at room temperature.
*You can substitute rhubarb with other seasonal fruits.
Method
- Preheat oven to 175°C
- Using a mixer, blend butter and sugar in a bowl until the batter is smooth.
- Gradually add eggs and blend until all ingredients are combined.
- Add vanilla extract and mix it all together.
- Sift in the flour and baking powder directly, mixing with a spatula until all ingredients are combined.
- Add most of the rhubarb, leaving some to sprinkle on the top. Give it a few more stirs to combine everything.
- Line a 25cm cake pan with parchment paper, butter and flour.
- Pour cake batter into prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes.
- Poke with a skewer to check that the dough doesn’t stick; if it does, leave it in the oven for a few more minutes and check again.
Enjoy!
