Blueberry Ricotta Cake
I am a believer that sometimes the best tasting food is also the simplest, and this applies for desserts as much as it does for savory food. Who doesn’t dream of biting into a simple scoop of ice cream, or a well made chocolate chip cookie, or a decadent piece of tiramisu? There are also a good variety of simple cakes out there, such as the blueberry ricotta cake that I’m about to share with you.
Having ricotta cheese in a cake might sound bizarre, but it is delightful as it adds a unique texture to the cake that is unmatched by any other cake.
The other thing I love about this cake is there’s nothing to hide about it. We’re not trying to hide anything under frosting or fancy decorations, we just have a simple slice of cake that makes for a great dessert, but even has a place on the breakfast table.
Serves 8
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) soft unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 container (15 ounces) whole milk ricotta cheese (If your ricotta is a bit watery, then you might want to strain it for an hour)
3 eggs
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
2 cups fresh blueberries, divided
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9-inch round cake pan with butter.
In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar for about 3-4 minutes, starting on low then increasing the speed as the butter and sugar creams together, until the mixture turns pale. Add the ricotta, and beat to combine.
Add the eggs, one at a time and making sure to beat well after each addition, followed by the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.
Stir in the baking powder, salt, and flour on low speed until barely combined. Add 1 1/2 cups of blueberries and gently fold with a spatula to combine.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, making sure to spread the batter into an even layer. Top the batter with the remaining 1/2 cup of blueberries, then bake for 55-65 minutes, or until the sides of the cake are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then run a knife along the edges and invert the cake onto a wire cooling rack, then leave to cool completely. Slice and serve the cake once cooled, topping with a dusting of powdered sugar.
