MAMA CAN COOK

Little ricotta cakes

Makes 6 small cakes

Ingredients:

Plain flour, to dust

150g unsalted butter, softened

165g caster sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste

185g fresh ricotta, at room temperature

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

2 eggs

180g self-raising flour

Pinch of salt

125ml full-cream milk

Icing sugar, to dust

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced and grease six small bundt tins or extra-large muffin cups (200 ml) well with melted butter. Dust with a little plain flour, tapping out any excess.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until very light and fluffy. Add the ricotta and lemon zest and beat for another minute or two until well combined and light. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Fold half the dry ingredients into the butter and ricotta mixture before adding half the milk and stirring until just combined. Add the remaining flour and finally the remaining milk and mix gently until the batter is smooth.

Divide the batter evenly between the tins, smoothing the tops and tapping the tins gently on the bench a few times to remove any air bubbles. Bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes or until the cakes are risen and cooked through. Allow the cakes to cool in their tins for 5 minutes or so before turning out onto a wire rack to cool further. Dust the cakes with icing sugar and serve warm or at room temperature.

Store any left-over cakes in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or two. Just return to room temperature before serving.

Some mornings we eat cake for breakfast and sit in the sun. We eat ours warm from the oven, simply dusted with icing sugar – but they would be beautiful served with a cloud of whipped cream and some macerated strawberries too.

This is a very simple chocolate cake. It’s a melt-and-mix number that delivers a nostalgically light, uncomplicated cake. Quite a lot of sour cream in the batter helps keep it lovely and soft, and topped with a simple chocolate icing and sprinkles or dried petal confetti, it’s pure childish delight.