Summer plum loaf

Makes: 1 medium cake

Prep time: 11⁄2 hours

INGREDIENTS

250g ricotta

150g butter, at room temperature

1 cup caster sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder 1⁄4 cup milk combined with 1⁄2 tsp baking soda

6-8 ripe red-fleshed plums, stoned and cut into 8 wedges

1⁄4 cup raw sugar

1 tsp mixed spice

Lemon drizzle icing

1 cup icing sugar

1 Tbsp each lemon juice and water

METHOD

Preheat oven to 160C fanbake. Grease the sides of an 8-cup loaf tin and line the base with baking paper. Beat together ricotta, butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla extract and orange or lemon zest. Mix in flour, baking powder and milk mixture until evenly combined. Spoon half the batter into prepared tin and smooth the top. Arrange half the plum wedges evenly over the top. Mix sugar with spice and sprinkle half over the plums. Cover with remaining batter, smooth and arrange remaining plums on top. Sprinkle with remaining sugar and spice mix. Bake until the loaf is risen and set and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (11⁄2 hours). Allow to cool fully in the tin before turning out. To make icing, mix ingredients in a small jug. Drizzle over the cooled loaf.