Time for some summer baking.

We’ve reached that rather wonderful time of year when there’s more fresh produce on the shelves than you know what to do with. Summer fruits are in abundance and you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to tomatoes. Good news if you’re looking for inspiration on what to make at home.

Over the last few weeks we’ve been indulging in blueberries, raspberries and cherries, even the strawberries have been good. I say this because so often I think they’re the one summer fruit that can let you down. They look so good, a vibrant red in the punnet, but the taste often disappoints. My feeling is the improvement in strawberries, something I first noticed last summer, might be one of the few coronavirus benefits. I’m sure the best of the crops normally find their way into restaurants and catering, and with that sector operating at such a reduced scale at the moment, we’re reaping the benefit in our kitchens and fruit bowls at home.

With such a bumper crop to hand, this weekend was the perfect opportunity for some summer baking. I had the house to myself for a few hours and retreated to my happy place. The kitchen windows were open to let the cool breeze in, my choice of music was playing and after a couple of hours, we had a tomato, feta & polenta cake, followed by a summer fruit cake. I’ll share the tomato cake recipe next time, but for now, let’s talk about fruit.

When the star of the show is going to be the natural produce on top, you can afford to go fairly plain and simple with what’s underneath. I opted for a light genoise sponge, which I topped with a mascarpone and cream mix before adding the fruit. Cherries, blueberries and raspberries are listed in the recipe because they’re what I had to hand at the time. If you decide to have a go at making this yourself, use whatever happens to be in your kitchen on the day.

Ingredients

• 4 eggs – take the eggs out of the fridge an hour before you want to use them so they are at room temperature.
• 130g caster sugar
• 125g plain flour
• 30g butter – melted
• 110g mascarpone
• 30g icing sugar
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 60ml double cream
• Zest of a lemon
• Approximately 75g each of cherries, blueberries & raspberries

Method

• Heat the oven to gas mark 4. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin.
• Add the eggs and sugar to a bowl and whisk them until very thick. This will need an electric whisk and you are looking for a consistency whereby if you lift the whisk out, don’t forget to turn it off when you do this, the batter that trickles back sits on the surface for a few seconds before sinking in. You will need to whisk for at least five minutes to reach this stage.
• Sift one-third of the flour into the batter and very gently fold it in. You are looking to maintain as much of the air in the mix as you can. Then sift in the remaining flour and fold again. Finally, fold in the melted butter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 35 minutes. 
• Leave the baked sponge in the tin for five minutes then turn it onto a rack to finish cooling. Handle it carefully as the sponge will be very soft.
• To make the topping combine the mascarpone, sugar and vanilla in a  bowl and beat them together. In another bowl whip the cream until thick and then fold it into the mascarpone and sugar mixture. Once done add the lemon zest and stir it in.
• When the cake is completely cooled, spread the cream and add your choice of fruit on top.