1. Wash, dry and pit the cherries. Try to save all the juices. In a medium-sized pot mix water, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Add sugar and cornstarch and mix until there are no more lumps. Heat up the mixture and as soon as it starts to thicken add the pitted cherries and let simmer over low heat (while stirring from time to time) for 5-8 minutes – the cherries should be soft but not mushy and the liquids should have thickened. Set aside to cool down.

 

2. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease and line an 8 inches (22cm) springform tin and set aside. Add the water, milk, and butter to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the polenta and semolina and stir in. Let bubble 1-2 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat. In a separate bowl mix the sugar, ricotta cheese, eggs, limoncello, and lemon zest until well combined. Gradually add to the pot with the polenta mixture and mix until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and smooth out the top. Add some of the cherries on top and press a bit into the batter – save the rest for later. Bake for 38-40 Minutes – the top should have a slight golden color. Take out of the oven and let cool down on a wire rack.

 

3. Remove the cake from the tin and place on a serving plate and dust with some confectioners’ sugar if you like. Stir the cherry topping – if it dried out too much, add some hot water and mix until smooth. Top the cake with the cherries and serve.