Small Raspberry Peach Ricotta Cake

This cake is a great way to use up any leftover ricotta you may have! The ricotta makes this cake so soft and fluffy! Have it with a cup of tea or coffee. Maybe add a dollop of whipped cream on top! Eat this cake for breakfast or dessert. This small cake will be perfect to serve at a small dinner party or intimate brunch!

Ricotta is a cheese from Italy. It is a fresh cheese that is light, spongy, and creamy in texture. It is typically made with cow milk, but can be made with goat milk, sheep milk, or water buffalo milk. Ricotta means “recooked” in Italian. This is because ricotta is a whey cheese. In the cheese making process the milk is separated into two parts. There are the solid parts, called curds, and the liquid parts, called whey. Ricotta is made from a small leftover amount of curd that remains in the whey. Cheesemakers use leftover whey from their process to make ricotta.

Traditionally, to make the ricotta the whey with leftover curd is heated. Whole milk and citrus juice or vinegar is added to the whey. Then the small amount of curds in the whey begin to coagulate. The curds grow larger and become more solid. The pot will be emptied into a cheesecloth to be strained. Once all the whey is drained, the result is fluffy ricotta cheese. In the United States, ricotta is made from whole milk instead of leftover whey. The milk is heated, it coagulates, and the curds are strained from the whey to make ricotta.

One of the most popular ways to use ricotta cheese is in lasagna. I love making lasagna, but I never know what to do with the leftover ricotta. Thus I am always looking for new ways to cook with it. I like using it for desserts, that way I can serve a scrumptious sweet treat after a savory lasagna or pasta meal. I came up with this recipe when I had too much fruit from the farmer’s market and too much ricotta from a pasta recipe.

I had made lemon ricotta cake once at a cooking class so I knew its moistening powers for cake. So I decided to make a ricotta cake base and added chopped raspberries and peaches to the batter. The red and orange fruits swirled into the batter looked like a beautiful tie dye experiment. The finished product turned out to delectably moist and very tasty! My husband loved it, and he does not even like peaches. I hope that this recipe brings your family happiness. Please enjoy!

Small Raspberry Peach Ricotta Cake Recipe

Serves 6

Specialty tools: Stand or hand mixer and 9-inch round cake pan

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 40 to 50 minutes

Inactive Time: 2 hours and 15 minutes

Drink Pairing Suggestion: Tea, coffee, or milk

Ingredients

2 large eggs

3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 teaspoon

1 cup ricotta

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

2 teaspoons orange juice

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup raspberries, chopped

1/2 cup peaches, chopped

Serve with: Whipped cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F

Butter or oil a 9-inch round cake pan. Then line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the raspberries and peaches. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar for about a minute.

Pour the ricotta, vanilla, oil, salt, orange zest, and orange juice into the bowl with the egg sugar mixture. Whisk until smooth.

Add flour, baking soda, and baking powder to the large bowl. Mix until well incorporated and smooth.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in 2/3 cup of the fruit into the batter.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Shake it gently to release air bubbles. Spread the rest of the fruit on top of the batter.

Sprinkle the remaining teaspoon of granulated sugar on top of the batter.

Bake the cake until golden, and the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes.

Let the cake cool in the pan for about 15 minutes.

Lift cake out of the pan and let it cool on a cooling rack until it has cooled completely, about two hours.

Serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream and a hot beverage like tea or coffee.

This recipe also works with a 8-inch square cake pan. Follow the directions from above, but the cut the parchment paper to shape.

Variation: Switch out the 1/2 cup of raspberries for 1/2 cup blackberries.

DID YOU MAKE THIS DISH?

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