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Ricotta Orange Pound Cake

Have you ever added ricotta cheese to your pound cakes? If you haven't, it's a game changer! This bundt cake is flavored with orange zest(and pure orange oil. It's been coated with an orange glaze. It's moist, tender and perfect for a morning treat, or perfect for company.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American, Italian
Keyword Ricotta Orange Pound Cake, Ricotta Pound Cake
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Author Debby - www.AFeastfortheEyes.net

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups cake flour AP Flour will make the cake denser
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup butter (1 ½ sticks)butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 orange zested
  • 2 tablespoons Amaretto optional
  • ½ tsp pure orange oil (optional) to boost flavor
  • ½ tsp pure almond extract (optional)
  • Powdered sugar for dusting (if not making orange glaze)

Orange Glaze:

  • 1 cup confectioners sugar
  • juice of one orange
  • 1/8 tsp pure orange extract optional; to boost flavor
  • 1-2 tsp milk, heavy cream or half and half

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
    Grease a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with butter. NOTE: I used an 8-cup bundt pan, prepared with Baker's Joy nonstick spray.
    In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
  • Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, ricotta, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
    With the machine running, add the eggs 1 at a time.
    Add the vanilla, almond extract (if using), orange zest, pure orange oil (if using) and Amaretto until combined.
    Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just incorporated.
    Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a tall wooden skewer comes out clean and the cake is beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 45 to 50 minutes.
    Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
    Using a mesh sieve, dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar, or pour orange glaze on top.

Notes

Nobody wants an over baked, dry cake!  I always set the timer for 5 minutes before the recommended baking time.  Using a tall wooden skewer guarantees that I can check the doneness of the cake by going deeper into it.
Recipe source: Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis/Food Network