Orange and ricotta cake
A moreish orange and ricotta cake that takes us back to sunnier days.
You will need a 20cm/8in springform tin and a stand mixer for this recipe.
Ingredients
For the orange and ricotta cake
- 120g/4½oz softened unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- 200g/7oz caster sugar
- 1 vanilla pod, seeds removed and pod discarded
- 3 free-range eggs, separated
- 5 oranges
- 250g/9oz ricotta, drained
- 200g/7oz ground almonds
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 100²µ/3½´Ç³ú flaked almonds
- 3 tbsp demerara sugar
- 150ml/5fl oz cognac
To serve
- icing sugar
- 1 orange, zest only
- whipped cream mixed with cognac
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Grease and line a 20cm/8in springform cake tin.
In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, caster sugar and vanilla seeds until pale and light. Beat the egg yolks in.
In a separate, clean bowl whisk the egg whites to form soft peaks with the large whisk attachment.
Mix the zest of 1 orange with the ricotta in a large bowl. Add the ground almonds and baking powder to the bowl and stir to combine.
Mix the ricotta mix into the butter mix. Carefully fold in the whites and pour into the lined cake tin.
Peel and slice the remaining 4 oranges. Fan out on top of the cake batter and sprinkle with the flaked almonds and demerara sugar.
Bake for 30 minutes. Then cover with parchment paper or foil and bake for a further 30–40 minutes.
Once the cake is out of the oven, liberally sprinkle over the cognac and then allow to rest.
Serve dusted with the icing sugar and orange zest, and with the cognac whipped cream on the side.
