I know. I know. I've committed a cardinal sin of blogging by not including a picture. I apologize for this, but I haven't had a camara for years and I'm illiterate when it comes to a camara phone. I'll work on figuring something out for the near future.
Tired of old man winter? If so, here is a little indulgence to lift your spirits and remind you that spring isn't far away. This lemon ricotta cake is so versatile. You can serve it all year round and dress it up or down depending on the occasion. Serve it with or without the glaze depending on your love of pucker. A dollop of whip cream makes a fabulous garnish too. Enjoy!
Lemon Ricotta Cake
INGREDIENTS
baking nonstick cooking spray (flour added)
12 oz. ricotta cheese
4 eggs
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 Tbsp. freshly grated lemon zest
10 oz. sifted cake flour
10 oz. superfine sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
8 oz. unsalted butter, softened
Lemon Glaze (recipe below)
Bring all ingredients to room temperature, ideally between 65°-70° F. Preheat convection oven to 325° F or regular oven to 350° F. Grease a 9” cake pan or 9” springform pan with the baking nonstick cooking spray.
In a food processor, purée the ricotta cheese, eggs, lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth. Set aside.
In a bowl of an electric mixer, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt at low speed for about 30 seconds. Add the softened butter and ½ the ricotta mixture. Mix on low speed until dry ingredients moisten. Turn speed up to medium and mix for 1½ minutes. Scrape down the bowl’s sides. Add the rest of the ricotta mixture in two batches, mixing for 20 seconds after the addition of each batch. Scrape down the bowl’s sides and mix until just combined.
Pour batter into the prepared pan. Smooth surface with an offset spatula. Bake for 50-60 minutes; test for doneness by inserting a small knife, toothpick or cake tester into the cake’s middle. Cake is done when gadget comes out clean.
Let cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.
Loosen the sides with a small metal spatula and unmold the cake or remove the sides of the springform pan. Allow the cake to cool completely on the rack.
Place rack on top of a baking sheet. Pour lemon glaze over cake. Use an offset spatula to spread glaze evenly over the top. Let dry completely before serving. Store cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Lemon Glaze
INGREDIENTS
6 oz. confectioner’s sugar
3 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ Tbsp. freshly grated lemon zest
Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl until the sugar completely dissolves. Let stand 10 minutes.
---Authored by Wendy
This cake was delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!
Posted by: Charly | 02/26/2010 at 01:31 PM