I love lemon.  I had been eyeing this recipe for a while and as the weather seems to have actually turned to spring here finally, I longed for something zesty!  This was THE PERFECT antidote!

YOU WILL NEED:

-7 oz unsalted butter (plus a bit extra for greasing)

-7 oz flour (plus a bit extra for dusting)

-7 oz sugar

-3 eggs

-1 tsp baking powder

-1/4 tsp salt

-4 TBS poppy seeds

-2 TBS lemon zest

-1 oz whole milk

-3 oz ricotta cheese

FOR THE SOAKING SYRUP

-Juice of 1 lemon

-1 3/4 oz sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees & grease & flour your loaf tin

2. W your hand held mixer, cream the butter & sugar.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, mix well after each one & scrap sides of bowl down when needed.

4. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, & salt, then mix in the poppy seeds & lemon zest.

5. Add the dry ingredients to sugar/butter mix in three stages & mix on a low speed.  Add the milk after the 2nd

batch of dry ingredients.  Increase speed to medium & mix til batter is smooth, then mix in the ricotta cheese.

6. Pour batter in prepared tin & bake for 50-60mins or until sponge bounces back when lightly pressed & a toothpick inserted

in the middle of loaf comes out clean, w no batter on it.

7. When the cake is almost done, put the lemon juice & sugar in a small saucepan w 3 1/2 oz of water & bring to a boil, allowing the syrup to reduce by half.

8. When the cake is done, pour the syrup over it, while it is still hot, so it soaks into the sponge.  Leave the loaf to cool before removing from tin and then onto a wire rack to cool completely.

9. Enjoy!