Lemon Ricotta Cake

Lemon Ricotta Cake

The bright taste of lemon, a slice of something dense and delicious—who doesn’t need a treat right about now. This is an old-fashioned, every day dessert I’ve seen everywhere from southern Italy to New Orleans to Boston—sometimes as a traditional Easter dessert. In some places folks think of ricotta as something that only works with pasta and tomato sauce—or in cheesecake type desserts. But add it to the usual cake recipe ingredients here and it’s a pretty springtime treat.

• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup (1 stick) softened butter
• 2 ½ tblsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/12 cups whole milk ricotta

1. Thoroughly butter a 9” springform pan, line bottom with circle of parchment paper, and butter paper.
2. In stand mixer, cream together the butter, sugar and lemon zest until fluffy.
3. In separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Add eggs to butter mixture, one at a time and beat, then add vanilla.
5. Add ½ the flour and mix to just combine—add ricotta and mix gently, then add remaining flour to just combine.
6. Spread batter evenly in springform pan.
7. Bake in preheated oven at 350’ for 45 to 50 minutes. Tooth pick should come out clean from center of cake.
8. Cool cake slightly, then remove ring from pan. Cool completely and dust with confectioners’ sugar through a sieve.

The Kitchen Hive

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