Baking

Rhubarb and Ricotta Tea Cake

This rhubarb tea cake recipe is a twist on a simple butter cake, using ricotta instead of milk. It uses rhubarb and lemon juice, but you can experiment with other types of citrus and fruit. Peach and lime, or berry and lime work really well!

10 minutes prep, 50 minutes cook

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

150g plain flour

½ tsp baking powder

45g desiccated coconut

125g unsalted butter

150g caster sugar

Zest of 1 lemon, plus 2 tsp lemon juice

2 eggs

185g ricotta

125ml whole milk

125 –150g rhubarb, trimmed and sliced into small pieces

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C/ Fan 150°C/Gas 3. Line a 21 cm round cake tin with baking paper. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and coconut in a large bowl and set aside.

In a stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Turn the mixer to low speed and mix in the ricotta, then add the flour mixture in three goes until just combined.

With the mixer still running drizzle in the milk and lemon juice. Turn off the mixer and fold in the rhubarb, then pour into the prepared cake tin.

Bake for 50 minutes or until lightly golden on top and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The cake will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.