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Cherry Ricotta Cake

Source of Recipe

From "Once Upon A Chef: Weeknight/Weekend" by Jennifer Segal


Recipe Introduction

"A riff on a lovely raspberry ricotta cake featured in Bon Appétit magazine years ago, this is an easy cake that you can throw together for last-minute company, so long as you have a bag of cherries in the freezer and a tub of ricotta in the fridge (the rest of the ingredients are kitchen staples). The cake comes together with two bowls and a whisk, so while it does take nearly an hour to bake, you can throw it together in minutes. Though there is a lot of ricotta in the cake, it does not taste like an Italian cheesecake; rather, it is like an ultra-moist butter cake. I love the addition of orange zest, as cherries pair beautifully with oranges, as cherries pair beautifully with oranges, but feel free to use lemon zest instead, if that's what you have on hand. This cake is best served fresh from the oven, when the interior is still warm and the sugared top is nice and crisp."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ Nonstick cooking spray with flour, such as Baker's Joy or Pam Baking
â—¦ 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
â—¦ 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
â—¦ 2 teaspoons baking powder
â—¦ ½ teaspoon salt
â—¦ 3 large eggs
â—¦ 1 ½ cups whole-milk ricotta
â—¦ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons (packed) grated orange zest (from 1 orange)
â—¦ ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
â—¦ 1 â…“ cups frozen sweet cherries (do not thaw)


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350° F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour (alternatively, spray with nonstick cooking spray and dust with flour).

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 cup of the sugar, the baking powder, and the salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, ricotta, vanilla, and orange zest. Gradually add the melted butter, whisking constantly, until evenly combined. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula until just blended. Quickly fold in 1 cup of the cherries; don't overmix or the cherries will bleed and turn the batter pink. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and scatter the remaining â…“ cup cherries over the top. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.

Bake the cake until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for about 30 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature. (The cake will keep nicely for 2 to 3 days, under a cake dome or covered with foil at room temperature. Leftover slices can be toasted or reheated in a 350° F oven until warm, about 10 minutes.)

Serves 8 to 10