Well, you know how I always harp on about not being able to bake decent cakes. I am not going to tell you that I have become an excellent baker suddenly, but let’s just say I am getting the hang of it now. Only because I have an event coming up and I need to bake a cake for dessert and just the thought of it is making me sweat.
So, I have been practicing, and let me admit that there is something incredibly gratifying about a cake that is baked by you. Maybe the fact that you have put it together makes it a little more heart-warming than it usually is or the fact that you never thought you would be dishing out this treat from your oven consistently, makes it extra sweet.
Like this ‘Blueberry and Ricotta cake’ that I have baked a few times and one that we love, the ricotta adds an understated decadence to the otherwise basic cake, and the lemon & blueberries add the right amount of tartness to it.
The first time I ate this cake was at an Italian restaurant, and it was so delicious that I had to order another piece to satisfy my greed. Since then, the non-baker in me has been craving to make it and I have tried it a few times. I don’t think that this version tastes exactly like the one I had, but it is pretty good.
Ingredients:
· 125 gms salted butter, at room temperature
· 250 gms fresh ricotta cheese (Please buy it from the deli as it is firmer)
· 150 gms caster sugar
· 3 eggs at room temperature
· 150 gms self-raising flour
· One lemon, rind finely grated
· 60 ml lemon juice
· 1 cup of Blueberries
Method:
Preheat the oven to 175 C in a fan-forced oven. Grease and line the base of a 20cm springform cake pan with baking paper.
Beat the butter, sugar, and lemon rind until pale and creamy. Add the ricotta and beat until just combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Use a large metal spoon to fold the flour into the mixture. Stir in the lemon juice and all the blueberries.
Gently tap the pan on the bench to settle the batter. Bake for 45 minutes or until the cake springs back when lightly touched (see note).
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then release the side of the pan and sprinkle some caster sugar and serve with cream.