Weather forecasts are working against my crave for summer: apparently this weekend won’t be blessed by sun, cold drinks and an afternoon nap in the shade of a leafy tree. Apparently it will rain. They say. Yesterday a sudden rainstorm nullified my effort to have crystal clear windows, temperatures dropped significantly and, as a reaction, I put a stew and some broth on the stove.

It is raining outside, what’s better than baking a cake? A thick slice of ricotta cake will sooth the disappointment for a rainy weekend, will put a beaming smile on your face on any Sunday morning along the smell of just brewed coffee and will help you through next week, which I suppose will be demanding as the last one.

A few weeks ago I was reading one of Orangette’s posts: usually after her posts I feel a tickling happiness invade my soul, I want to be a better person, cook something, write a book, discover the world and visit Seattle, not just for Grey’s Anatomy but mostly to spend an evening at Delancey’s. In her post she was describing with enthusiastic words a raspberry-ricotta cake she just baked, found on the March issue of Bon Appétit. I fell instantly in love with the cake, but what made me bookmark the recipe were these few words:

But nothing makes me feel like I’m really living, really doing it up right, like having a cake on my kitchen counter on a weekday.

This is exactly the feeling that I’m looking for in these first months of living together, the feeling of really living, of doing it up right: a cake on the counter during the week is a sign that I am succeeding. Simple pleasures for a modest happy life.

After a few weeks, when Tommaso asked me for a simple cake for breakfast – please make me something simple, not too complicated, I just want to have a slice of cake with me coffee in the morning –  I made it.

It is a modest cake which you can make without effort: it takes two bowls and a wooden spoon or a whisk. It is moist and fluffy, spiked with berries, the ideal start for the next morning, whether it will be quiet, accompanied by a book and a cup of tea, or on the run, with one foot already outside your house, drinking an espresso standing in your kitchen.

It is so simple that Tommaso put together a video recipe while I making it: simple, irresistible, quick, you can see it.

Raspberry-ricotta cake

Even if it is not raining but there’s a wonderful sunny day waiting for you outside, bake this cake which will happily greet you every morning at breakfast time.

A new book series: Cucina Naturale

I am also proud and excited to share the new project which kept me in the kitchen in the last months: I took part to a new book series, Cucina Naturale, where twelve foodbloggers explored all the different aspects of cooking inspired by a natural approach: no preserved food, chemicals or preservatives but organic ingredients and healthy cooking methods.

I shot all the covers for the book series and developed the recipes for the fruit cookbook: 40 sweet and savoury recipes from porridge to salads, soups, cakes and main dishes. It will be sold with a Tuscan newspaper, Tirreno, on the 16ht of June and with Arena, Il Giornale di Vicenza e Bresciaoggi on the 23rd of June. Unfortunately it will be just in Italian, but don’t despair, another project is simmering on the stove!

Related posts:

Now I’ll show you how to make gnudi Rhubarb and berry custard bars Walking hand in hand. Ricotta and peach cake and the JK newsletter A festive Chestnut Yule log and a Christmas video recipe