Yemi Adelekan is a food writer and blogger who was a semi-finalist in the 2022 series of BBC TV’s Masterchef competition.

Every Saturday Yemi writes on the Stray Ferret about her love of the area’s food and shares cooking tips – please get in touch with her if you want her to review a restaurant, visit your farm, taste the produce you sell or even share a recipe.

Easter season is here which means it’s time to make a mess and bake with the little ones, from hot cross buns to no bake creations.

Many of us have a bit more time on our hands and often need to entertain adults and children during the holidays. You might find yourself wondering what to cook or bake during the school holidays or when you have guests without having to go to the supermarket.

I love looking through my cupboard and fridge to see what is available there. Ingredients that I usually can always find include canned pineapple chunks - I use Del Monte -  oats, flour, butter, sugar, almond flour, chocolate chunks and coconut milk.

With these staples, I can create my favourite drinks or bake some goodies from cookies to cakes.

Here is a recipe using ingredients that most of us should have at home. It's cheap, cheerful and delicious - costing only 56p per serving, the recipe will be enough for 16 servings and ready in just over an hour.

Pineapple white chocolate cake with salted brown sugar glaze 

Preparation: 20 mins      

Cooking time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

 Cake:

• 200g unsalted butter


• 200g golden caster or granulated sugar


• 1 tsp vanilla extract


• 3 large eggs


• 200g ground almonds


• 100g plain flour


• 1 tsp baking powder


• 100g white chocolate chips


• 1 x 435g tin pineapple chunks in juice, drained (reserve the juice)


• A few sprigs of fresh thyme  

Salted brown sugar glaze:

• Reserved juice from 435g tin of pineapple chunks s in juice


• 2 tbsp light brown sugar


• ¼ tsp sea salt

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 170c and line a round, 20cm-diameter loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment.


• Cut the butter into chunks and place in a large bowl with the sugar. Whisk with an electric whisk (or in a stand mixer) until fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).


• Add in the vanilla extract, then whisk again whilst adding in the eggs, one at a time.


• Fold in the ground almonds, flour and baking powder.


• Stir in the white chocolate chips then spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Level the mixture with the back of a spoon.

• Arrange the drained pineapple chunks on top of the cake and push in very slightly.


• Place the cake in the oven to cook for 35-40 minutes - until an inserted skewer comes out clean.


• While the cake is in the oven, make the salted brown sugar glaze. Pour the reserved pineapple juice from the drained pineapple into a small saucepan.


• Bring to the boil, then simmer for 8-10 minutes until reduced by half and slightly thickened.


• Add the brown sugar and stir together until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the salt.


• Turn off the heat and leave to cool to room temperature. It will thicken further as it cools.


• When the cake is done, remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.


• Remove from the tin and remove the baking parchment. Brush or drizzle the salted brown sugar glaze on top (you can warm the glaze back up if it’s thickened too much).

• Yemi’s Food Stories: Brunch at The Hideaway in Boroughbridge


• Yemi’s Food Stories: A taste of Paradise in Killinghall


• Yemi’s Food Stories: embracing spring by celebrating seasonal produce