This is the Secret Recipe Club “assignment!” Every month you get a name of a blog and you need to choose ANY recipe from that blog and then blog about that recipe by a date. It’s a secret because the blog owner does not know you are doing this until the reveal date. My secret blog this month was Creative Culinary which is written by Barb. Barb has an amazing food blog with a lot of delicious recipes, I had a hard time narrowing down of what to make. But this past weekend i was hosting a baby shower and needed a coffee cake of some sort, and when i saw Ricotta Pound Cake i knew that was my recipe.
There are times when you find a great recipes and just know that you will make it for years, well this is one of them. I am a huge fan of ricotta cheesecakes, and this is very similar to that. This Ricotta Pound cake is very moist and delicious, and several people asked for the recipe during the shower. I did a few adjustments to the original recipe due to some of my favorite ricotta cheesecake memories and this recipe is a keeper. I know i will be making this lots more, also as Barb suggested i made it the night before.
Ricotta Pound Cake
Adapted from: Creative Culinary
Yields: One 9 inch loaf cake | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 60 minutes
1 1/2 cup flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups fresh whole-milk ricotta
1 1/2 cups sugar sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 vanilla bean
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cups raisins
1 tsp lemon zest
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
Blackberries for topping (optional)Preheat oven to 350 F degrees and position a rack in the center. Grease a 9-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray or butter, dust it with flour, and tap to knock out the excess.
In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, ricotta, and sugar on medium speed until smooth and light, about 2 minutes.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of the bowl after each addition. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out seeds with blunt side of a small knife, then beat them into batter along with vanilla extract, lemon zest and raisins. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients to combine them, scrape down sides of the bowl, and beat batter for 30 seconds on medium speed.
Pour batter into prepared pan and use a spatula to smooth the top. Give the pan a few gentle whacks on the counter to remove any air pockets.
Bake cake for 15 minutes, then turn the pan 180 degrees to ensure even browning. Lower the temperature to 325 degrees and continue baking until the cake springs back lightly when touched, the sides have begun to pull away from the pan, and a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 to 35 minutes more. (I had to cook mine for a total of 60 minutes)
Allow cake to cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then carefully invert it onto the rack to cool completely. Dust cake lightly with confectioners’ sugar before serving it and or add blackberries; the flavor is best on the next day.
Any leftover cake may be wrapped in plastic and kept at room temperature for up to 3 days. The cake also freezes beautifully, wrapped in plastic, and place in a large, re-sealable plastic bag.
One Year Ago: Popovers with Cinnamon Butter
My Kitchen in the Rockies says
May 16, 2011 at 4:39 amI have backed this cake many times and it is always a winner!
Heather says
May 16, 2011 at 4:47 amThat looks delicious! Oh and how fun is the secret recipe club! I just signed up for it for next month.
Shelby says
May 16, 2011 at 5:35 amI have never had ricotta baked in anything other than lasagna. See how deprived I am?! I had my first ever canolli a few months ago when someone brought some in from an Italian Bakery nearby where I work. I later found out it had ricotta for filling! Well, since then I have been looking for sweet recipes with Ricotta – and this one looks awesome. Not to mention the blackberries are a selling side 😉
BigFatBaker says
May 16, 2011 at 6:18 amOh my gosh, this sound so delicious! I love cheesecake, and love making but I have yet to have ricotta cheesecake. This is something I definitely need to explore…
As for this pound cake, WOW. The blackberries are beautiful and add great color. This is going on my “to try” list. Happy Monday!
Jennifer (Savor) says
May 16, 2011 at 7:25 amThrilled to have taken part in SRC with you and discovered new blogs!
Nami @ Just One Cookbok says
May 16, 2011 at 8:13 amHi Ewa! Very nice and moist pound cake and I love it! I wish I am having this cake with my morning coffee right now. I’m on my way to Creative Culinary site.
Dana says
May 16, 2011 at 8:19 amI love a good dense coffee cake, and this looks like it fits the bill perfectly! Sounds so delicious!
Barbara | Creative Culinary says
May 16, 2011 at 11:01 amEwa…your cake looks divine except it’s missing the big sink hole that mine has! 🙂 I will use this as my new standard to shoot for. When baking in Colorado you can never be sure how much high altitude affects results but from the look of your cake…I’ve got work to do!
Nice meeting you…Barb
sara says
May 16, 2011 at 11:06 amThis looks so delicious! I love the idea of using ricotta in pound cake – seems like it would make it really light and give it a great texture! YUM.
The Café Sucré Farine says
May 16, 2011 at 11:16 amWhat a fun idea! And this ricotta cake looks incredible. I will be trying this one for sure YUM!
carolinaheartstrings says
May 16, 2011 at 11:32 amWhat fun. This looks so moist and delicious.
Shumaila says
May 16, 2011 at 1:32 pmThe cake looks so divine! I want a bite of it now (on second thoughts, make that a whole piece!)
Kristen says
May 16, 2011 at 2:21 pmThat cake looks perfect; especially with the berries on top. Ricotta makes such a nice addition to cakes and cookies.
Miel et Lait says
May 16, 2011 at 3:05 pmThe Secret Recipe Club sounds like great fun!
This is a great recipe, and I love that it adds blackberries — they always add just enough sweet & sour to cut into any recipe.
Have a great day!!!
Lisa @ Sweet as Sugar Cookies says
May 16, 2011 at 4:46 pmThat pound cake is simply stunning, gorgeous crumb.
Amanda says
May 16, 2011 at 6:01 pmThat turned out just beautiful! I just recently made a ricotta cheesecake, so I understand your love for them 🙂 Thanks for playing along again this month!
Magic of Spice says
May 16, 2011 at 6:19 pmThis pound cake looks truly amazing!
Katrina says
May 16, 2011 at 7:50 pmThat looks perfectly good.
Tessa says
May 16, 2011 at 10:43 pmGlad this one was a hit at your shower. It definitely looks decadent! Yum!
megan @ whatmegansmaking says
May 17, 2011 at 5:23 ampound cake with berries is such a wonderful summer dessert!
Avanika (Yumsilicious Bakes) says
May 17, 2011 at 5:36 amThat cake looks gorgeous. I’m sure the ricotta flavor was wonderful. I really want to try something with ricotta too!
Winnie says
May 17, 2011 at 6:09 amWhat a stunning cake! Love how you served it with the beautiful blackberries 🙂
cooking rookie says
May 17, 2011 at 8:26 amWhat a beautiful cake! I love that crumb 🙂 Yum! Somehow I also picture a spoon of sour cream with sugar together with this cake and the blackberries…
Tami says
May 17, 2011 at 11:30 amLove the pairing of ricotta and raisins in this pound cake. It could be served with numerous fruit toppings. Love the beautiful fresh berry on top of it! 🙂
Cookin' Canuck says
May 17, 2011 at 12:17 pmMy goodness, what a beautiful pound cake. The crumb looks so tender and moist.
Ruchi says
May 17, 2011 at 12:22 pmThis looks great! I did a pound cake too and I am looking forward to trying this one out with some rictotta!
Cristina, from Buenos Aires to paris says
May 17, 2011 at 9:49 pmBasically, I love whatever has ricotta in it…but your cake is particularly alluring to me! Filing this recipe!
Thanks!
Jeanette says
May 18, 2011 at 3:03 amWhat a perfect cake for a baby shower! Looks so tender and moist and I love the berries on top. Interesting how some cakes are better off letting them sit overnight.
Erica says
May 18, 2011 at 3:34 amhow gorgeous!!!! I’ve been meaning to do more baking with ricotta (I’ve had ricotta pancakes on my to make list forever)- I just imagine the end product to be super moist and yummy! The secret recipe club is so fun! I can’t wait to get my next assignment (and to check out more of your blog :)).
Privet and Holly says
May 18, 2011 at 9:12 amLooks like a fun challenge!
Although, this is NOT the
place for me to be, today ~
this looks so yummy. And
BTW, my raw detox is just
for three days, not 30 : )
And yes, it is gluten free,
vegan and organic, so just
a lot of fresh fruits and
veggies in creative smoothies
and soups. So far, I feel
great! Thanks for stopping
by!
xx Suzanne
Maris (In Good Taste) says
May 18, 2011 at 9:25 amThis cake looks so moist and delicious. You have presented it so stunning with the array of blackberries.
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
May 18, 2011 at 10:33 amYour pound cake looks so delicious, and I love the flavors you incorporated into it. Thanks for sharing. You have a great blog and I’m so glad to have found it! 🙂 I’ll be coming back soon.
sandie says
May 18, 2011 at 11:55 amI will definately contact you the next time we go to Seattle! We made a point of going back to Shangai Garden for the hand cut barley green noodles, which are fantastic. The 1st night we went to a local brew pub that our friend William took us to. It was actually very good with immense portions. We especially like the fresh dungeness crab cocktail and oyster shooters at Pike market. How lucky for you to live there- such a cool city!!!!
Best, Sandie (p.s.- your pound cake looks awsome)
torviewtoronto says
May 18, 2011 at 12:07 pmlooks wonderfully delicious lovely presentation
birdie to be says
May 18, 2011 at 1:49 pmYUM yum yum!!!
http://www.birdietobe.blogspot.com
deeba says
May 23, 2011 at 7:11 amGosh, this is just wonderful Ewa. I’d love to make this soon. Do you make your own ricotta? If yes, then how long do you drain it for. Just wondering how moist/fresh it should be. Bookmarked!
Delishhh replied: — May 31st, 2011 @ 7:58 am
Deeba – For this recipe i did not make my homemade ricotta but if you have never made it, its very easy. Just use whole milk and buttermilk of equal amounts. Heat the milk and you will see it start curding keep stiring until it hits 175F. Then remove and put into a cheese cloth. I let it drain for 1 hour in the refrigerator. But i have left it there ovrenight as well, some folks say just draing for 15 minutes, but i usually keep it longer. I know you can make it with milk and lemon juice too and then you have to let it drain for longer but i have never tried lemon juice.
Megan says
June 7, 2011 at 9:47 amOh Yum! I made one of these a few years back and have never forgot it. Wonderful cake!!!
Pearlie Mueller says
December 13, 2011 at 11:08 amFiling this recipe! I did a pound cake too and I am looking forward to trying this one out with some rictotta! I’ve been meaning to do more baking with ricotta (I’ve had ricotta pancakes on my to make list forever)- I just imagine the end product to be super moist and yummy! The cake looks so divine!
stacey snacks says
December 3, 2012 at 4:48 pmDoes anyone know if this cake freezes well?
I would like to make it in advance for the holidays.
Thanks!
Delishhh replied: — December 9th, 2012 @ 5:32 pm
Stacey,
I have never tried to freezer this but i would think it would work. If you do please let me know how it goes.
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