Ricotta Cream Cake

A delicate, creamy and fluffy cake. A bit different from the cakes I've made so far. First, this one sits on a delicious base with chunks of chocolate. Second, I usually make my cakes with a mascarpone filling, and ricotta reminds me more of savory dishes. It's also a cake that takes a little more time to prepare and chill, but patience pays off. On top of that, it's a bit unusual because the sponge isn't layered with the cream, but filled with it.

Ricotta Cream Cake

This cake is perfect for Sunday coffee, but also as a nice addition to a festive sweet buffet. The pieces of candied fruit give it a holiday flair and an exotic note. For me it wasn't very sweet, so if you love really sweet desserts, I recommend adding more sugar to the filling.

Ricotta Cream Cake

Instructions:

First, make the base. Beat the butter with the powdered sugar and salt for 10 minutes, until you get a fluffy mixture. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing constantly. Chop the chocolate finely and mix it with the flour and baking powder, then fold it into the butter mixture.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 24 cm pan with parchment paper, pour in the batter and bake for about 40-50 minutes, then let it cool in the pan.

Drain the ricotta if needed. Chop the candied fruit and soak the gelatin in cold water. Wash the orange and lemon in hot water and grate the zest, then squeeze the juice from half of the orange.

Heat the orange juice with 2 tbsp of the liqueur, then add the squeezed-out gelatin and stir thoroughly until the gelatin dissolves. Let it cool slightly, then mix it quickly and thoroughly into the ricotta along with 2 tbsp of powdered sugar.

Whip the cream until stiff and gently fold it into the ricotta mixture together with the candied fruit and the citrus zest. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Meanwhile, scoop out the middle of the cooled cake with a spoon, leaving a 2 cm border on the bottom and all around. Coarsely chop the cocktail cherries, mix them with 4 tbsp of the syrup they came in and 4 tbsp of the liqueur, and sprinkle the mixture generously over the bottom of the cake. Spoon in the ricotta mixture, shaping it into a dome (or a mound), and smooth it out. Crumble the scooped-out cake finely (you can use a blender) and cover the cake with the crumbs. Chill the cake well in the refrigerator (about 2-3 hours) and dust it with the remaining powdered sugar before serving.

Enjoy!

Additional information:

You can freeze any leftover crumbs and use them, for example, in a layered dessert or to make cake pops.

Ricotta Cream Cake

Source: essen und trinken 4/2011