Ricotta and Orange Cake: Soft as a Cloud! 🍊
If you’re looking for the perfect dessert for breakfast or a snack, the ricotta and orange cake is the ultimate answer. This recipe is taking the web by storm for a very simple reason: its incredible softness. Unlike classic cakes, the use of ricotta in the batter allows you to completely eliminate butter and oil, achieving a moist texture that literally melts in your mouth. The intense aroma of fresh orange releases an irresistible fragrance that fills the kitchen from the first minutes of baking.
It’s the ideal dessert for those who love the genuine flavors of the past but don’t want to give up lightness. It’s very simple to prepare and takes only a few minutes: just beat the eggs well with the sugar and incorporate the sifted ricotta to avoid lumps. The secret to assured success? Use organic oranges, as the grated zest is the aromatic soul of this dessert. Try it now and see why you won’t be able to do without it!
How to choose the right ingredients
To achieve a textbook ricotta and orange cake, the choice of raw materials is crucial. Cow’s milk ricotta is the most suitable for a delicate taste, but if you prefer a stronger note, you can try sheep’s ricotta. A step often underestimated is sifting the ricotta: making it a smooth cream before combining it with the eggs will avoid those small white deposits inside the cake, ensuring an impeccable aesthetic. As for the flour, type 00 is the standard, but you can replace part of it with almond flour for a gourmet touch and an even richer structure.
Remember that the temperature of the ingredients matters: using eggs at room temperature promotes a more stable and voluminous foam. If you want an even more fragrant version, you can add a pinch of cinnamon or vanilla seeds, which pair divinely with the citrus. This cake is not just a dessert but a true healthy treat that pleases both young and old.
Below are other sweets with oranges:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 6People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter and Spring
- Energy 338.86 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 65.32 (g) of which sugars 39.65 (g)
- Proteins 10.17 (g)
- Fat 5.75 (g) of which saturated 3.28 (g)of which unsaturated 2.01 (g)
- Fibers 0.82 (g)
- Sodium 58.67 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 210 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 8.8 oz ricotta
- 1 cup sugar
- 1.6 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 3.4 fl oz orange juice
- 1 orange (grated zest)
- 1/2 packet baking powder
- to taste orange blossom honey
- to taste powdered sugar
Tools
- Pan Round Baking Pan Ø9.5 inches x H 1.2 inches – Carbon Steel with Non-Stick Coating, Reinforced Edge
- Electric Whisk Moulinex PREP MIX Electric Beater, Mixer 450W, 5 Speeds, Turbo Setting, 2 Whisks, 2 Dough Hooks, Stainless Steel, Ergonomic, Dishwasher-Safe Accessories, HM450HF0
Steps for Ricotta and Orange Cake
Preheat the oven to 356°F (static).
Butter and flour a pan about 9-9.5 inches in diameter.
Work the ricotta: In a small bowl, sift the ricotta or work it vigorously with a fork until it becomes a smooth and lump-free cream.
Beat the eggs: In a large bowl, combine the eggs and the sugar. Use the electric whisk for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes light, frothy, and almost tripled in volume.
Add the aromas and the ricotta: Add the grated orange zest and the ricotta spoon by spoon, continuing to mix with the whisk at low speed to incorporate it evenly.
Add the liquids: Pour the orange juice (3.4 fl oz) in a thin stream while continuing to mix.
Incorporate the powders: Sift the flour (and the baking powder, if you decide to use it*) directly into the mixture. Mix gently with a spatula or with the whisk at the lowest speed to avoid deflating the eggs.
Baking: Pour the batter into the pan and level the surface. Bake for about 35-40 minutes. Always perform the “toothpick test” before removing from the oven: insert it in the center of the cake, if it comes out dry it’s ready!Once the cake is baked and cooled, brush the surface with a layer of warm orange blossom honey and then sprinkle with plenty of powdered sugar. The honey will help the sugar adhere better and add a deep aromatic note.
Storage, notes, variations for the Ricotta and Orange Cake
For an even more intense flavor, replace the granulated sugar with raw cane sugar: it will give an amber color and a caramelized aftertaste.
Storage: The cake keeps well under a glass dome at room temperature for 2-3 days. If the environment is very warm, it’s better to store it in the refrigerator (but take it out 20 minutes before eating).
Freezing: You can freeze it already portioned in freezer bags; it stays perfect for about a month.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I use packaged ricotta from the supermarket?
Yes, the important thing is to drain it very well from excess whey so as not to unbalance the liquid part of the batter.
The cake didn’t rise enough, why?
Probably the eggs were not beaten enough or the flour was deflated by mixing too vigorously from bottom to top.
