Simple Italian Ricotta Orange Cake

Simple Italian Ricotta Orange Cake. Just a few, simple ingredients create a soft and billowy cake with a lovely orange flavor. Not too sweet, it is great from breakfast to dessert.

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Simple Italian cakes

As a matter of fact, simple, rustic, Italian cakes are my absolute favorite. These are the cakes of my childhood, easy to make with staple ingredients, not too sweet, and perfect for breakfast, merenda (snack time), or dessert. Ricotta might seem like a fancy ingredient in baking or cooking, but in Italy it is often a main component and an ingredient we frequently have in the fridge.

The ingredients

• ricotta. In Rome we use ricotta di pecora (sheep ricotta), sweet and rich, but adjust to what you have. Drain it if too watery, and pass it through a sieve as an extra step to make it smoother.
• orange. We need both the zest and the juice, so make sure it is an organic orange.
• vegetable oil. Normally I use peanut oil, use any vegetable oil you like or a light olive oil.
• eggs. As we always say, only free range (farm) chicken eggs for us.
• cane sugar. I used an unrefined one, dark and coarse. Use any sugar you like.
• flour. I used type 0 flour, more unrefined than 00. Unbleached all-purpose flour will do.
• baking powder. I like to use the Italian lievito vanigliato because I like its subtle vanilla fragrance. If using regular baking powder (aluminum-free), I suggest adding ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.

Easy preparation

• Sift the ricotta into a large bowl (this is an extra step. Skip it if you wish, simply whisk the ricotta a little to make it smoother). Add the orange juice and the zest, the oil, and mix well. If using vanilla extract, add it at this step.
• Beat the eggs and sugar with a whisk or a hand blender, until the mixture is frothy. Pour it into the ricotta mixture, mixing gently with the whisk, from bottom to top movements.
• In another bowl, sift the flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the ricotta mixture in 2-3 times, mixing gently with bottom to top movements.
• Grease and flour a bundt pan or a 6-8 inch round cake pan and pour the mixture in.

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
• Bake the cake for about 35-40 minutes. Check with a wooden toothpick or cake tester in the center of the cake: if it comes out dry you can take it out of the oven, otherwise continue baking for a few more minutes.

Variations and substitutions

All in all, this could be a basic recipe for you to adapt to what you like. Substitute lemon for orange. Add berries or chocolate chips to the batter. Make a citrus glaze (orange or lemon juice and powdered sugar) or simply dust with powdered (icing) sugar. We had it plain and simple and it was just as good.

Happy baking!

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