Strawberry Ricotta Cake with Honey Whipped Ricotta
This cake is super moist with a crackly sugary top and chock-full of strawberries, which get roasted and tender when baked. I’ve paired mine with whipped ricotta, but for an even more strawberry shortcake adjacent experience, definitely do whipped cream. A note on baking— this cake is very tender and moist so you’ll want to bake in a spring form pan or even a skillet— any pan where you DON’T invert it out of the pan. Cool all the way before sliding onto a serving platter. With a cast iron skillet— go ahead and serve it right out of the pan!
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
8 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar, plus 3 tablespoons
1 tsp lemon zest
2 large eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1½ cup ricotta, divided
1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
2 tbsp honey
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter a 9-inch spring form pan or cast iron skillet.
In a large bowl, beat butter, 1 cup sugar and lemon zest with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture in three batches, alternately with ½ cup ricotta, beginning and ending with flour mixture, making sure to stir just until combined after each addition. Fold in strawberries. Spread batter in prepared skillet. Sprinkle with remaining 3 tbsp sugar.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in comes out clean and surface is golden brown, approximately 40-45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
To make Honey Whipped Ricotta, add remaining ricotta along with honey in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
Serve with honey whipped ricotta or whipped cream and fresh strawberries, if desired, on the side.