Ricotta Cheese Poundcake
Submitted by louiselemke
Ricotta cheese pound cake made with a blend of whole wheat and all-purpose flour, brown sugar, lemon zest, and nutmeg. The pureed ricotta creates an incredibly moist, dense crumb.
YIELD
10 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
75 minREADY
180 minThis pound cake gets its extraordinary moisture from ricotta cheese pureed smooth with milk and folded into the batter. The result is a dense, velvety crumb that stays fresh for days, much longer than a standard butter pound cake.
The flour blend is half unbleached all-purpose, half whole wheat. That whole wheat adds a nutty depth that you’d never get from white flour alone, and the bran stays in (add any pieces left in the sifter back to the bowl). Light brown sugar brings a caramel warmth that complements the lemon zest and nutmeg beautifully.
Six eggs, added one at a time, give the cake its structure and lift. The critical instruction: do not beat the batter once you start adding the dry ingredients. Stir gently in stages, alternating with the ricotta mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Overbeating develops gluten and turns your tender pound cake into tough bread.
Pro Tips
- Puree the ricotta and milk in a blender until completely smooth. Grainy ricotta leaves lumps in the finished cake.
- Butter and flour the tube pan thoroughly. This cake is heavy and sticks aggressively.
- Cool in the pan for exactly 10 minutes. Too long and it steams and sticks; too soon and it cracks.
- Let the cake cool a full hour before slicing. It needs that time to firm up properly.
Variations
- Orange ricotta: Replace the lemon zest with orange zest and add 1 tablespoon of Grand Marnier to the batter.
- Glazed: Drizzle a simple lemon glaze (powdered sugar + lemon juice) over the cooled cake for extra sweetness.
- Berry topped: Serve slices with macerated strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Butter and lightly flour a 10 inch tube pan.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer, gradually beating in the brown sugar.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.
Beat in the vanilla and lemon zest.
Sift the flours, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg into another bowl, adding any pieces of bran that remain in the sifter; set aside.
Purée the milk or cream and ricotta cheese in a blender.
Stir the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk and ricotta mixture; do this in several stages, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
Do not beat the batter.
Distribute the batter evenly in the prepared pan, then bake for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes; a tester inserted in the center should come out clean.
Cool the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert it onto the rack and cool the cake for at least one hour before cutting.
Transfer the cake to a serving platter.
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