Instructions: Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one by one, beating well between each addition. In a separate bowl fold the fruit zest, fruit and nuts into the ricotta. Fold the butter and egg mix into the ricotta and fruit. Sift the flour into this mix and combine.

Beat the egg whites to soft peaks. Fold in one large spoon of the egg whites into the ricotta mix; once this is amalgamated fold in the remainder carefully, ensuring that you do not lose too much of the air.

Grease a 12 x 2 inch spring form cake tin sparingly with vegetable oil, pour in the mixture and bake in a 180C oven for about 45 minutes or until the tip of a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.

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