PLUMCAKE with APPLES without BUTTER
Good morning Friends and welcome to the kitchen with Tea!
The day, as you know, only starts well if there is a lovely scent coming from the oven, perhaps the unmistakable aroma of a simple, genuine cake without too much guilt.
That’s why today we’re making together my version of the Apple and Ricotta Plumcake without Butter!
Forget heavy cakes, this plumcake is the quintessence of softness.
The credit goes to ricotta, a magical ingredient that not only excellently replaces butter (making the preparation super quick!), but gives the batter a tenderness and moisture that lasts for days.
Perfect if, like me, you love to bake for the weekend and enjoy it fresh throughout the week.
The apples, then, are the real stars of autumn! In this plumcake they meld with the batter creating little pockets of sweetness and aroma, enhanced by the enveloping scent of vanilla and the freshness of lemon zest.
It’s the ideal recipe for breakfast, for an honest snack, or even to accompany a good afternoon tea (I love it with a hot Earl Grey!).
I assure you the preparation is very simple and requires only a whisk and a little patience for baking.
Follow my tricks, like scoring the surface, and you will get a tall, well-risen and wonderfully golden plumcake. Are you ready to bake your next morning treat?
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Cooking time: 50 Minutes
- Portions: LOAF PAN 10 x 4 in
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Energy 303.14 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 52.16 (g) of which sugars 29.73 (g)
- Proteins 10.29 (g)
- Fat 7.00 (g) of which saturated 4.14 (g)of which unsaturated 2.58 (g)
- Fibers 1.63 (g)
- Sodium 66.21 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 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
- Golden apples (14 oz (about 3 medium apples))
- cow's ricotta (350 g (about 1 1/3 cups))
- 00 flour (all-purpose) (250 g (about 2 cups))
- sugar (170 g (6 oz — about 3/4 cup + 1 1/2 tbsp))
- eggs (3 medium)
- vanilla (seeds from 1 vanilla bean)
- lemon zest (zest of 1 lemon)
- baking powder for cakes (16 g (one packet — about 4 tsp))
Tools
- Kitchen scale
- 2 Bowls
- Electric mixer
- Spatula
- Sieve
- Lemon grater
Apple and Ricotta Plumcake: Soft and Butter-Free, Perfect for Breakfast
In a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer), add the sugar and the ricotta. Beat with a whisk until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous. Add the vanilla bean seeds to flavor.
Start incorporating the 3 whole eggs, one at a time. It’s important to add them gradually, continuing to beat so they fully combine. Add the grated lemon zest.
Separately, sift the flour together with the baking powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, folding gently with a spoon or spatula until you have a smooth batter without lumps. Do not overmix!
Clean the apples, peel them and remove the core. Slice them thinly (using a mandoline or a vegetable peeler makes this easier). Fold the apple slices into the batter, mixing gently to distribute them evenly.
Grease and flour a loaf pan thoroughly. Pour in the batter and level it. Sprinkle the surface with coarse sugar. With a sharp knife, make a lengthwise incision along the top of the plumcake, without cutting too deep. This ensures the classic shape and helps the rise.
Bake in a preheated conventional oven at 356°F for about 60 minutes. After the first 50 minutes, check the browning. If the surface is too dark, cover it with aluminum foil and continue baking. The plumcake is ready when a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out perfectly dry.
Remove the plumcake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn it out onto a rack and let it cool completely. Before serving, dust generously with powdered sugar.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Ricotta: It is essential that the ricotta is well drained (leave it in a sieve for at least an hour) to avoid releasing liquid and weighing down the batter. Alternatively, you can use full-fat Greek yogurt (about 250 g) combined with 100 ml of milk to maintain moisture.
Golden apples: They are recommended because they hold their shape well during baking. You can substitute with Fuji or Renetta apples (great for baked desserts).
Vanilla and Lemon: If you don’t have a vanilla bean, use 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or a packet of vanilla powder. You can replace the lemon zest with orange zest for a sweeter, more autumnal flavor.
Storage
Thanks to the ricotta, this plumcake keeps its extraordinary softness for several days. Store it at room temperature, covered with a glass dome or well wrapped in cling film, for up to 3-4 days. If it’s very hot, keep it in the refrigerator and warm it slightly before serving.
Alternatives and Recipe Variations
Plumcake with Chocolate Chips: Add 80 g of dark chocolate chips to the batter along with the apples, or scatter them only on the surface before baking.
Pear and Cinnamon Plumcake: Replace 200 g of apples with 200 g of pears cut into cubes. Add 1 level teaspoon of ground cinnamon together with the flour.
Gluten-Free Version: Replace the 250 g of 00 flour with 250 g of Gluten-Free Cake Flour (there are specific mixes for leavened cakes). The procedure remains the same.
Serving Suggestions and Pairings
This Plumcake is made for Breakfast or Snack.
Breakfast: Slice and accompany with a good coffee, a frothy cappuccino or a glass of warm milk.
Snack/After-dinner: Serve slightly warmed and accompanied by crème anglaise or a scoop of vanilla ice cream (even though it’s a butter-free recipe, a small addition now and then is allowed!). It pairs perfectly with an aromatic black tea or a warm fruity herbal tea.
Origins and History of the Recipe
The Plumcake (literally “plum cake”) is a dessert of British origin that, over time, lost the plums (plum) while keeping its characteristic loaf shape. The version with ricotta is a typically Italian reinterpretation, created to lighten the batter, making it more healthy and adding an ingredient (ricotta) very common in Southern Italian pastry tradition. It is a perfect example of how an international classic can be successfully adapted to Mediterranean tastes and ingredients.
Tips for Guaranteed Softness: The Ricotta Factor!
The secret of this plumcake is not only the absence of butter, but the quality of the ricotta. For a truly spectacular result, be sure to whip it well with the sugar. This step not only blends, but incorporates air, creating a frothy, light base that, once combined with the flour, will guarantee the softness you dream of for your breakfast. Remember: a well-worked ricotta is the key to a tall, soft cake that doesn’t collapse!
AT TABLE WITH TEA ON INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/atavolacontea_/?hl=it
OTHER APPLE DESSERTS
1) STRUDEL https://blog.giallozafferano.it/atavolacontea/strudel/
2) GRATED APPLE CAKE https://blog.giallozafferano.it/atavolacontea/torta-grattugiata-con-le-mele-ricetta-facile-e-veloce/
3) APPLE CAKE https://blog.giallozafferano.it/atavolacontea/torta-di-mele-ricetta-della-nonna-super-veloce/
AND MANY MORE IN THE DESSERTS SECTION OF MY BLOG
Can I use oil instead of ricotta?
If you really want to omit ricotta, you can replace it with about 100 ml of neutral oil (sunflower or corn) and add 100 ml of milk or plain yogurt to keep the right moisture. However, the softness given by ricotta is unique and hard to replicate!
Why did my plumcake stay low?
There are three possible causes: 1) The baking powder was old. 2) The ricotta was not drained well (too much liquid weighs it down). 3) You opened the oven before 40 minutes, causing a sudden thermal shock.
Should I flour the apples before adding them?
It is not mandatory in this recipe, because the ricotta-based batter is already quite thick. However, if you want to ensure the apples don’t sink to the bottom during baking, you can lightly dust them with flour before folding them into the batter.
