This Italian Orange Ricotta Cake is light, moist, and full of flavor. Made with ricotta cheese and fresh orange. You can serve this as a dessert or breakfast cake.
¾cupunsalted butter, softened(one and a half sticks)
1 ½cupsgranulated sugar
15ounceswhole milk ricotta cheese, drained
3largeeggs, room temperature
1teaspoonvanilla
2tablespoonsorange zest(from one large orange)
¼cupfresh orange juice(from one large orange)
½teaspoonbaking soda
½teaspoonkosher salt
1 ½cupsall purpose flour(205 grams)
powdered sugar for dusting top of cake
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch springform pan using butter and powdered sugar; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl or stand up mixer, mix together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the drained ricotta cheese and mix together until on medium high speed for 4-5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Add in the eggs, vanilla, orange zest, orange juice, baking soda, and salt, and mix until well combined. Lastly, add in the flour and mix until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl to fully incorporate all of the ingredients.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in pan for 10-15 minutes before removing the collar and base of the pan. Cool on a wire rack completely. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
Ricotta: make sure you are using well drained ricotta for this recipe. If the ricotta is too wet, the cake will not bake properly.
Mixing: it's important that you mix the ricotta in with the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. This can take anywhere from 4-5 minutes. Taking this extra step will keep the cake light and fluffy rather than dense.
Orange: A large orange should be sufficient to give two tablespoons of zest and a quarter cup of juice. If you love orange flavor, you can add a teaspoon of orange extract to the cake as well.
Baking: once the batter is prepared, pour into the prepared pan and bake immediately. If you wait too long, the baking soda will become inactive leaving you with a dense cake. You will know the cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Cooling: let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Then, run a knife around the inside edge of the cake and remove the collar. Let cool completely.
Serving: serve your orange ricotta cake with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. You can also top with a dollop of whipped cream.
Storage: leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or you can refrigerate for up to a week. Freeze cooled cake in an airtight container for up to a month.