Jammy Fig and Ricotta Cake
A vibrant zesty ricotta sponge loaf, with jammy figs and a vanilla mascarpone icing.
Ingredients
For the cake
- 240 ml ricotta
- 80 ml Extra Virgin olive oil
- 200 g caster sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 large eggs
- 190 g plain flour
- Pinch fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 8-10 fresh figs
For the icing
- 200 ml double cream
- 150 g mascarpone
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- Honey or maple syrup For drizzling
Instructions
For the cake
- Preheat your oven to 175C / 350F.
- Butter and line a 2L loaf tin with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta, olive oil, granulated sugar and lemon zest. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking well after each addition until fully incorporated.
- Sift in the flour and bicarbonate of soda, then add a pinch of salt. Using a spatula, fold in the dry ingredients until just combined. N.B. Over-mixing can deflate your batter and cause excess gluten development so go easy. Folding rather than mixing vigorously is the best method for this.
- Pour into the prepared loaf tin, spreading it out evenly with the back of your spatula.
- Half the figs and place them on the top of the batter cut side up, then bake for 55-65 minutes until the top is golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the loaf cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing from the tin and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
For the icing
- Whip the double cream in a large bowl until stiff peaks start to form. N.B. You want to stop whisking just as it starts to hold its form.
- Add the mascarpone and the vanilla bean paste, then whisk again for a minute or two until it holds well. Use a spatula to get rid of any air bubbles by gently running it around the bowl.
- Once the loaf has cooled completely, spread the icing on top and finish with fresh figs and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.