Blueberry and Ricotta Cake

Ode to an Air Conditioning Unit 

Tucked away

Out of the way

Hidden

The machine waits for use

 

Autumns cool

Winters cold rule

Spring

Summer but no heat wave 

 

Heat begins

Summer then wins

Hot

Time to get the machine 

 

Movement; light

Moved in plain sight

On

Working and whirring away 

 

Heat banished

Sauna vanished

Sleep

The machine performs well 

Ingredients

220g plain flour

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

135g butter, softened

250g caster sugar

300g ricotta

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

150g blueberries 

1.    Preheat the oven to 180°C/GM4 and line a loaf tin. I have those pre-made up ones from Lakeland and they are such a time saver.

2.    Mix the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt together. Leave to one side as you don’t need it for a while.

3.    Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then mix the ricotta in. (In this weather softening butter is so quick as you just leave it out for 30 minutes. This means you spend less time make the cake as it gets fluffy really quickly).

4.    Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well, then add the vanilla. Scrap down the sides as you go so everything gets mixed in.

5.    Add the dry ingredients about a third at a time, mixing until just combined, and then fold in the blueberries.

6.    Put in the lined tin and bake for 1 hr to 1 hr 10 mins, turning the oven down to 170°C/GM3 after 30 mins. Check it’s cooked with a skewer and if it’s clean take out and cool.  

N.B. This does make a generous amount of batter and it doesn’t rise that much. I used my 9” x 5” loaf tin and it basically goes almost to the top. If you have a smaller tin then you could always put some of the batter into cupcake cases and put in for the first 30 minutes or so.