When time is limited, but you really need something everyone will love, look no further. If it has to be tasty but quick, impressive but easy, here’s a cake for you – and them – one that ticks all those boxes.

Serves: 10 – 12

Level: Easy

Time: Just under two hours

Equipment: 20cm/8” loose bottomed round cake tin with reasonably high sides

Ingredients

200g/7oz Ricotta
115g/4oz butter, melted
3 eggs, beaten
175g/6oz golden caster sugar
150g/5.5oz self-raising flour
50g/1.75oz polenta (If not available, use 200g/7oz SR flour and reduce baking powder)
½ tsp baking powder
150g/5.5oz ground almonds
6 tbsp (around 100g/3.5oz) plum or apricot jam
4 – 6 plums (depending on size), quartered – I used halves from a jar, but took care to dab off the syrup
30g/1oz demerara sugar

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 180C / Fan 160C / 350F / Gas 4. Butter and line the base of the tin with parchment paper.

2. In a bowl, beat the Ricotta, butter, eggs and sugar together, then sift and fold in the flour plus polenta, baking powder and ground almonds.

3. Spoon half the mixture into the tin then blob half of the jam over this. Cover with the remaining batter.

4. Arrange the plums on the top and sprinkle over the demerara sugar.

5. Tap the tin on the work surface a couple of times to release any air and to spread the mixture in the tin. Bake for around 60 – 65 minutes – until risen and golden. The plums should have shrivelled a little and become caramelised.

6. Leave the cake to cool a little then remove to cool fully on a wire rack.

7. To glaze the cake, warm the remaining jam with a tbsp. water (20 – 30 seconds in a microwave should do it.) If necessary sieve the jam to remove any bits then brush it over the cake.

I hope you enjoy this lovely cake. If you want more cake recipes click this link, or have a look at my site for lots of other great recipes, both sweet and savoury.

Below are some other nice ones that you might want to try:

Coffee and Almond Crunch Cake