orange ricotta cakes

Zesty orange cakes are, I think, made for the cooler months of the year. They are a burst of golden summer sunshine in your mouth - and your nostrils, it has to be said, because they should smell just divine. These ones do, and they also have a rich, moist, fluffy crumb, thanks to the generous bucketload of ricotta and three fat eggs (thanks, chookies). They're spot-on for morning tea; enjoy one ... or two ... with a robust mug of earl grey tea for perfect pick-me-up.

Orange ricotta cakes
My recipe says 'adapted from Cake keeper cakes' - say that ten times fast - which would have been a library book. This made 14 cupcakes.

• Preheat your oven to 180 and prep a muffin tin with papers.
• Cream 160 gms softened butter with 1 and 1/2 cups sugar.
• Add 350 gms ricotta and beat til combined (I would say 'til smooth' but mine looked rather like cottage cheese at this point).
• Add 3 eggs, 1 and 1/2 tspn vanilla, the zest of 2 oranges and 1/4 cup orange juice (including all the pulpy bits - there's flavour and colour there!).
• Now fold thru 2 cups plus 1 tbspn plain flour, 1 and 1/2 tspn baking powder, and 1/2 tspn baking/bicarb soda.
• Spoon into your muffin tin and bake for 25-30 minutes or until done.
• I would say these are nicest eaten warm, so re-heat gently if necessary.