I always have a container of ricotta cheese in my fridge just in case I want to make a baked ziti, a cheesecake or something or other. Unfortunately what ends up happening is, it sits in my fridge, I know it’s there, but I don’t get around to using it until it’s about to expire and then I’m scrambling to make something because I don’t want to throw it out. When this recently happened I decided to make something I made a few years ago, but didn’t come out quite right the first time… a Ricotta Orange Pound Cake. This cake has a nice orange taste and is quite moist thanks to the ricotta cheese.
Ricotta Orange Pound Cake
Ingredients:
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups cake flour*
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 orange, zested
2 tablespoons amaretto
*If you don’t have cake flour, use this method to substitute with all-purpose flour and cornstarch.
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a loaf pan with butter, or spray with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir to blend.
With a mixer, cream together the ricotta cheese, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each one. Add the vanilla, zest and amaretto and beat until well combined. Add the dry ingredients, a little at a time, and mix until just incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 45 to 50 minutes. If you find you need to bake it a little longer, you may want to lower the temperature of the oven to ensure that you don’t burn the cake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe from Food Network
That sounds delicious. I never had ricotta in my house, but the same thing happens when I buy mascarpone for my favourite tarts.
Thanks! I had to stop buying mascarpone for that same reason… I only buy it now when I am sure I’m going to use it!
Yum