A pound cake is a type of cake traditionally made with a pound of each of four ingredients: flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. The addition of ricotta makes this cake moist, while the lemon gives a hint of freshness.
Wrapped loaves of pound cakes as a special gift.
If you are looking for the BEST pound cake, this is it—full Stop. If you are planning a special cake to gift or happen to be entertaining family or friends, the lemon ricotta pound cake is an outstanding dessert with wide appeal. It is perfect to finish a special dinner or for an afternoon tea. I created this recipe knowing it would be one of those cakes that gets better with age, meaning it tastes even better the day after it is baked.
Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake
It makes one large loaf or three demi-loaves
chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup sweet butter, softened
1 1/2 cups (15 oz container) fresh whole-milk ricotta, drained
1 1/2 cups Turbino or granulated sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Grease and flour 9-inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth and light. Fold in ricotta in three parts. Scrape the bowl well with a spatula. Mix dry ingredients- flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter and sugar and mix just until flour is absorbed with eggs one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add lemon juice and vanilla.
Scrape the downsides of the bowl, and mix on low speed for 30 seconds just until the batter is completely mixed. Do not over-mix. Over-mixing will toughen the cake and produce air pockets. Pour the batter into greased pan and smooth on top. Once the pan is filled with batter, tap the pan against a table or counter to remove air pockets.
Bake for 45-55 minutes. After 40 minutes, lower to 325 degrees until done. Allow cake to cool in pan for 5-10 minutes. Remove from pan; finish cooling on wire rack. Top with confectioner’s sugar before serving.
