Simple Blood Orange Ricotta Cake (Moist & Fluffy) -

Simple Blood Orange Ricotta Cake (Moist & Fluffy)

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Canadian, Italian

Keyword: blood orange, cake, cheese, ricotta

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 50

Total Time: 1 10

Servings: servings

Calories: 393kcal

Brighten up your winter baking! Learn how to make a moist, tender, and incredibly fluffy Blood Orange Ricotta Cake using fresh citrus and full-fat cheese.

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US Customary - Metric

Equipment

Ingredients

For the preparation

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons zest from 2 blood oranges
5 medium blood oranges (or Navel oranges) Trim off the peel, including the white pith, with a sharp knife.

For the cake

1 cup white sugar
3 large eggs room temperature
2 cups Ricotta cheese room temperature
1 packet vanilla sugar or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
¾ cup unsalted butter melted
½ cup whole milk (3.25% M.F) room temperature

Optional Garnish

1 teaspoon turbinado sugar
1 Tablespoon icing sugar

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Instructions

Prep the Pan and Oven: Ensure your oven rack is placed on the middle shelf and preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Brush a 10-inch springform pan with 2 Tablespoons of melted butter, covering the bottom and sides. Add the 3 Tablespoons of flour and tap the pan around to coat the entire surface. Invert the pan and tap out the excess flour.
Prep the Oranges: Zest 2 of the oranges with a microplane and set the zest aside. Trim the top and bottom off all 5 oranges. Cut away the peel and the white spongy pith completely, leaving just the fruit. Cut 3 of the oranges into 1-inch cubes. Slice the remaining 2 oranges into ½-inch thick round slices. Remove any seeds.
Infuse the Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the 1 cup of white sugar and the orange zest. Using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed for 3 minutes until the zest’s natural oils are infused into the sugar, tinting it a faint yellow.
Mix the Wet Ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs one at a time, letting each fully incorporate before adding the next. (Scrape down the bowl as needed). Increase speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes. Add the room-temperature ricotta cheese and vanilla sugar/extract. Mix on medium-low for 1 minute.
Fold the Batter by Hand: Remove the bowl from the stand mixer. Place a large mesh strainer over the bowl and add the flour and baking powder to it. Shake to sift the dry ingredients into the batter. Add the salt. Using a spatula, fold the ingredients together until just combined. Gently fold in the ¾ cup melted butter, followed by the cubed blood oranges. Finally, gently fold in the room-temperature milk. (Do not overmix!)
Assemble and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Arrange the blood orange slices about 1 inch apart on top of the batter, pressing them in lightly. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar over the surface. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until the cake is golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool and Serve: Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Run a skewer along the edge, then release and remove the springform ring. Let the cake cool for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. Dust with icing sugar using a mesh strainer, slice, and enjoy!

Video

Notes

The Microplane Trick: When zesting an orange, gently rub the fruit against the microplane in a straight line no more than twice before rotating it! Dragging it too many times will cause you to grate into the "pith" (the white, spongy layer beneath the skin), which is incredibly bitter and will ruin the flavor of your sugar.

I can't find blood oranges. What else can I use?

Blood oranges have a very short, specific winter season. If you cannot find them, you can absolutely substitute them with Cara Cara oranges, standard Navel oranges, or even Tangerines! Note: If the oranges you use are particularly tart, you may want to taste one first and slightly increase the white sugar in the batter by a tablespoon or two to balance the sourness.

Why must the ingredients be at room temperature?

Using room-temperature eggs, milk, and ricotta allows them to bind together effortlessly, trapping air to create a fluffy batter. If you use cold milk or cheese, the melted butter in the batter will instantly seize up and solidify into hard little chunks!

Nutrition