My friend Renée makes this as a loaf cake for her Cuidiu Coffee morning. It is her signature cake and is a big success. I tweaked it so I had a muffin that everyone loved for my kids’ lunchboxes. Don’t like blueberries? Replace them with raspberries they work just as well with the lemon. Even as a Gluten Free version this muffin is divine. Impress your friends and serve the muffins warm with a dollop of cream next time they pop around for coffee

250 grams /1 ¾ cups plain flour (all purpose)

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

150 grams/ 1 ½ sticks/ ¾ cup butter

230 grams/ 1 cup ricotta cheese

300 grams/ 1 ½ cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 2 lemons)

140grams/ 1 ½ cups blueberries

Preheat the oven to 160C/325F and place muffin cases into your muffin pan.

Rinse your blueberries and using a teaspoon of flour from the 250 grams / 1 ¾ cup toss the blueberries to coat them. This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.

Beat together the butter, ricotta and sugar in your mixer until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time as well as the lemon zest and vanilla. The batter will look curdled but not to worry it isn’t! Add the flour and mix on a low speed to prevent it flying everywhere. Add the blueberries and mix by hand to prevent breaking the berries.

Scoop the batter in to the muffin cases using a muffin scoop   and bake for about 18 minutes until a skewer inserted come out clean.

Alternatively, you can make this as a loaf cake. Use a 9’’x 5’’ pan and line it with baking parchment or a loaf liner. Bake for 70-80 minutes. If you feel it is browning too quickly put a sheet of tinfoil (aluminium foil) over the top of the pan.

I have made this as a gluten free loaf cake and muffins by replacing the flour with a gluten free variety. I used Dove’s Farm Brand. Remember also to use GF baking powder and ¼ teaspoon Xanthan gum to prevent it crumbling.

Cheat by freezing these muffins. Then, they are ready to pop into your lunchbox whenever you need.