Passionfruit and Lemon Loaf

Delicious with just a dusting of icing sugar, the loaf can be tarted up with a couple additions. Drizzle with the passionfruit icing or really impress friends by layering with the lemon curd, ricotta filling and the icing – that would be my choice.

• 150 grams butter at room temperature
• ¾ cup caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1¼ cups plain flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• finely grated zest 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup passionfruit pulp, about 3, including the seeds
• 1/3 cup mashed ripe banana

Icing

• 1 cup icing sugar
• pulp and seeds 1 passionfruit
• 1 teaspoon melted butter
• squeeze of lemon juice

Filling

• 250 grams firm ricotta, I used Clevedon Valley Buffalo
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons icing sugar
• ½ cup lemon curd

Grease and line the base and sides of a 4½ cup capacity loaf tin.

Preheat the oven to 170˚C.

Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time until well mixed.
Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together.
Combine the lemon zest and juice, the passionfruit pulp and the banana together and add to the egg mixture along with the dry ingredients. Using a large metal spoon, gently but thoroughly fold together.
Tip into the tin and smooth the top.
Bake for 40 or until firm to the touch and the sides are pulling away from the baking paper. Cool for 20 minutes before removing from the tin. Place on a cooling rack and cool completely.
Filling: Combine the ricotta, sour cream and icing sugar in a bowl.
Icing: Combine the icing sugar, passionfruit and butter in a bowl and add enough lemon juice to make a thick, pourable icing.
To assemble: Slice the loaf in half horizontally. Spread one half with the ricotta mixture and the other half with lemon curd then sandwich together.
Spoon the icing over the loaf, letting it dribble down the sides.
The unfilled but iced loaf will keep for 3 – 4 days in an airtight container. If using the filling, keep the loaf covered in the fridge for 1-2 days. Makes 1 loaf