Cherry Ricotta Cake

Ricotta cakes have become my go-to for a summertime bake. They are easy to throw together, elegantly rustic and taste absolutely delicious. We have ricotta to thank for keeping everything moist and bouncy. I’m using cherries here but really any in-season fruit will do. You can also turn this cake into an upside down one or top it with cream and fresh fruit. The world is your oyster!

Feel free to bake this cake in a 10-inch pan, if you’ve got one. Start checking it for doneness around the 55 minute mark.

Serves 8-12

For the pan:

• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

• 1 Tbsp cornmeal

• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar

• ¼ tsp kosher salt

For the cake:

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 200g granulated sugar

• 125g unsalted butter, softened

• 65ml mild olive oil

• 3 large eggs, room temperature

• 337g ricotta, room temperature (strained if it’s very wet)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp almond extract

• 215g all-purpose flour

• 75g cornmeal (use finely ground for a lighter texture, medium grind for something crunchier and more rustic)

• 1 ¼ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 2 ½ cups pitted cherries, divided

• Sliced almonds, to finish

• Turbinado sugar, to finish

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch pan generously with butter. You could also use a 10-inch pan if you want to cut the baking time down a bit.

2. Whisk together cornmeal, sugar and salt. Sprinkle mixture into the pan and distribute evenly, making sure the sides and bottom are coated. Tip out excess and then set aside.

3. Zest the lemon over the bowl of your stand mixer. Add sugar and use your fingertips to smush the two together until fragrant.

4. To the sugar, add butter and oil. Beat with the paddle attachment on medium-low speed until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and beat in the eggs, one at a time, until fully combined.

5. Add ricotta and extracts. Beat until smooth (if there are some little lumps of ricotta, that’s okay!)

6. Whisk dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Fold into wet ingredients until just incorporated. Fold in 2 cups of cherries.

7. Add batter to the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to smooth it out. Top cake with the remaining cherries. Sprinkle over some slivered almonds and turbinado sugar.

8. Bake for about 1 hour 20 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Start checking the cake around the 1 hour mark.

9. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes then turn it out onto a wire rack to finish cooling