Let them eat cake

TILLY PAMMENT has cakes and sweets to soothe the emotionally wrung out and those craving a tropical escape.

Some mornings, we eat cake for breakfast and sit in the sun. It feels like the perfect foil for weeks when emotions run high and general restlessness takes over. These little lemon-scented cakes, soft and sweetly milky from the ricotta, are delicious. 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.

LITTLE RICOTTA CAKES

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan-forced and grease six small bundt tins or extra-large muffin cups (200ml) 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.

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, then mix gently until the batter is smooth.

Divide the batter evenly between the tins, smoothing the tops and tapping gently on the bench a few times to remove air bubbles. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until risen and cooked through. 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.

Left-over cakes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a day or two. Just return to room temperature before serving.

Makes 6 small cakes.