Ricotta Pound Cake with Fresh Berries
This Ricotta Pound Cake with Fresh Berries is absolutely amazing; easy to make too and so delicious.
When you’ve been blogging as long as I have there are the occasional moments when you spy something on your own site that you might have forgotten just how much you loved and know it’s time to make a second time and introduce to readers again, like this Ricotta Pound Cake with Fresh Berries.
I published this post in 2009 and when I decided to make it to serve to some friends I literally cringed when I saw the photo and knew it was time for a change.
This cake is just magnificent; it is rich and dense as pound cakes should be but that ricotta adds not only a great flavor addition but this cake is so deliciously perfect. The texture is smooth and a great crumb and absolutely perfect accompanied by some seasonal fresh fruit.
There was a period of time a couple of years ago when I went pound cake crazy over the holidays. Each gift had a different one included so I started earlier each year trying out different recipes to keep that tradition alive.
My favorite had been a browned butter rum pound cake that was always a winner but with some ricotta on hand I wanted to make this recipe from Pastry Chef Gina DePalma’s book ‘Dolce Italiano.’
The rave reviews made it clear this is the one I should include for everyone; I had people begging for more. I was saddened to hear of Chef DePalma’s recent passing and know that for me she will live on in her work and the recipes I’ve grown to love and that my friends now demand.
Since moving to Castle Rock; Denver’s farthest southern suburb, I’ve also moved north a bit…as in up higher. I was struggling a bit with baking and finally took the time to see if Castle Rock had a different elevation than Denver and was actually shocked to learn we are a full thousand feet higher!
I’ve had to revise my standard modifications and was pretty happy with this result; no deep depression in the entire cake like my other go round.
By the way, I don’t post the recipe with the amounts I use for baking; preferring to post what works for ‘flatlanders’ and knowing those of us up in the air will have to do some modifications based on our altitude; it changes for every thousand feet. My first step though whether at Denver or Castle Rock elevation?
I turn up the heat. I’ve had more luck with adding a few degrees to the temp and subtracting a few from the baking time than anything else and it makes sense. While our baked goods rise faster, now they’re baking faster in my oven too…and that seems to set them better and not have that ‘depression fail’ that I’ve had to work with so often.
I’ve had some make this cake that think it needs a longer time in the oven; be sure and test yours. Mine worked perfectly with the instructions from the book, but test yours with a toothpick before considering it done; not just altitude but ovens can differ too!
PIN IT! ‘Ricotta Pound Cake with Fresh Berries’
Ricotta Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cake flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups fresh whole-milk ricotta
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ½ vanilla bean
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Confectioner’s sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and position a rack in the center. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter, dust it with flour, and tap to knock out the excess.
- In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, ricotta, and sugar on medium speed until smooth and light, about 2 minutes.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of the bowl after each addition. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out seeds with blunt side of a small knife, then beat them into batter along with vanilla extract. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients to combine them, scrape down sides of the bowl, and beat batter for 30 seconds on medium speed.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth the top. Give the pan a few gentle whacks on the counter to remove any air pockets.
- Bake cake for 15 minutes, then turn the pan 180 degrees to ensure even browning. Lower the temperature to 325 degrees and continue baking until the cake springs back lightly when touched, the sides have begun to pull away from the pan, and a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 to 35 minutes more.
- Allow cake to cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully invert it onto the rack to cool completely. Dust cake lightly with confectioners’ sugar before serving it; the flavor is best on the next day (not that easy!).
- Any leftover cake may be wrapped in plastic and kept at room temperature for up to 3 days. The cake also freezes beautifully, wrapped in plastic, and place in a large, re-sealable plastic bag. Serve with a side of fresh fruit; pictured are blackberries.
Gina’s Olive Oil Cake is another winner.
I’ve not made that; now I have to give it a try!
I made this recipe exactly as written. I even went out and bought a 9 inch loaf pan because mine was only 8 inches. It has currently been cooking for 15 minutes and it overflowed the pan and is all in the bottom of my oven. There is something definitely wrong with this recipe. Beware.
When a reader of this blog leaves a comment that they had a problem with a recipe Connie, I’m always eager to help if I can. In this case, this recipe is actually fairly well known as it is from the cookbook ‘Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen’ by Chef Gina DePalma; a pastry chef with impeccable credentials. That I have made it before with success and that others have too with these exact measurements can only presume that you erred in some way. Even then I would have been gracious in my reply…not like your warning to ‘Beware.’ Just a quick heads up…when you visit my blog, presume you are visiting my home and act in accordance. I share the work I’ve done in my kitchen with readers all over this globe and your warning was in a word, rude.
This is one of my all time favorite cake recipes that I have been making for years (love everything Gina DePalma) but I have to agree with this comment, too much batter for 9″ loaf. I adjust by either using a tube cake pan or doing the loaf & a couple of cupcakes. I also need to cook it longer. I thought it was a problem with my oven, or the ricotta being too wet.
Anyway, it’s worth taking the time to figure it out, because it’s the best cake I’ve ever tasted.
I have never had a problem with the loaf pan being too small…now wondering if my high altitude has actually been a plus! But you’re right, it is the best doggone pound cake; we LOVE it!
I’m not sure if I’ve ever had ricotta in a pound cake. Love the idea — such a flavorful addition. Always good to revisit olides but goodies, isn’t it? 🙂 Anyway, good stuff! Thanks.
WOW! I love pound cake, but this one is so beautifully presented. It goes on the "to try" list.
Thank you Christie. Funny thing is that the presentation came from a desperate need to rescue another ‘altitude challenged’ cake; now I’m wondering how to ALWAYS have that happen so there is a depression area for fruit!
I have to say I was one of the lucky people that got to eat a slice of this pound cake. It was the best pound cake I ever had. Make it , you will not be disappointed.
Thanks Angie! Glad you liked it; I’ll have to have something for you each Monday. 😉
This is a beautiful cake and I love the blackberries you've added. A great recipe! And you said I could marble it? Great! Thanks!
This recipe look amazing, I can't wait to try it.
I would like to go pound cake crazy one year! I love it too! Guess we have more in common than just our name! This one sounds great!