Cannoli Pound Cake

cannolipoundcake Why did I make this cake? Was it a birthday, a dinner party, or a pot-luck brunch? Was I testing recipes for a new cookbook or auditioning one that I fell for at a bookstore? Did I see this recipe online and found it irresistible? Was it a Friday treat to relieve the pressure of a long week? For someone who might never run out of "excuses" to make cake in this lifetime, you'd think I'd come up with something more exciting than the truth, which is that I could only find a big tub of ricotta at the store when I made ziti last time, and forced myself to find a clever way to use it up. Alas, I rather enjoy a challenge and so it's cake o'clock again; rejoice.

butter or cooking spray to coat pan
1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
1 orange, zested, finely grated
1 lemon, zested, finely grated
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil (120 mL)
1 Tbsp. sweet marsala wine or 2 Tbsp. white wine (15 mL)
1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese (250 g)
2 large eggs
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. fine sea or kosher salt
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1-2 pinches allspice
1½ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached (190 g)
1 cup mini-chocolate chips or 6 oz semisweet chocolate bar, chopped into tiny bits (170 g)
½ cup pistachios, chopped small (60 g)

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Coat a standard (8½x4¼") loaf pan with butter or a nonstick spray.

Place sugar in a large bowl, and add zest. Use your fingertips to rub the zest into the sugar, scenting it througout. Whisk in olive oil, wine (if using), ricotta and eggs. Sprinkle baking powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice over wet ingredients, then whisk to combine. Gently stir in flour, then chocolate and pistachios until just combined.

Scrape into prepared loaf.

Bake oven for 55-65 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out-batter free. Let cool on wire rack in pan for 15 minutes, then invert out onto rack to finish cooling.

Cake is great the first day, and even more amazingly moist on the second and third, so feel free to plan ahead. Store at room temperature, covered with foil or plastic.