Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

ricottapoundcake Classic Ricotta Pound Cake is dense, soft and sweet. Incredibly moist, buttery and decadent, everything you expect a lb cake to be. This cake doesn't have a fine crumb like most of the other lb cakes. It's moist, dense and creamy, but the crumb is actually quite large.

1½ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
¾ cup butter, at room temperature
1½ cups whole milk ricotta
1½ cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla or lemon extract
1 lemon, freshly zested

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Grease a 9" loaf pan with butter or solid vegetable shortening then sprinkle of granulated sugar or flour.

In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter, ricotta, and sugar until smooth about 2 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time. The batter may look curdled at this point. It's okay just keep mixing. Stop the mixer and scrap the sides. Return the mixer to med-low.

Add the flour mixture and either vanilla extract or lemon zest and extract, depending on which you prefer. Scrap down sides and allow to beat about 30 seconds.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Bake for 45-50 minutes. Test cake by inserting a wooden pick into the center. If the pick is clean or has dry crumbs the cake is cooked perfectly. Dark pans cook faster than light pans as well as if you put the pan on a cookie sheet to bake. (I ALWAYS put cakes or pies on another pan to prevent spills from leaking in the oven.) Watch the time and cake carefully according to your oven and your pans.

Allow cake to cool on wire rack 15 minutes before inverting onto serving tray.

Makes 12 servings.