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May 27, 2011

Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake



I am enjoying every minute of living in Singapore. I have not yet stopped going crazy at the grocery stores and keep finding things that had, until now, existed only in the cookbooks. I did have access to Ricotta Cheese and Mascarpone even in Gurgaon, but this is different. I have bought a can of evaporated milk though I can't remember which recipe had asked for it. That's how crazy I've become. I am the proverbial kid in a candy store.

I also like the deals that come up in supermarkets. Anything that is approaching its expiration date or best before date is sold at reduced prices. I wonder what they do in India. It is something I never thought of before. I found a tub of Ricotta Cheese selling at 1/5th the original price because it was "expiring" the next day. I always wanted to make a Lemon Ricotta Cake and so I bought it. This cake was made the very next day. I have only worked with lime in India and it is a pleasure to work with lemons here.

I found a recipe for an Orange Pound Cake by Giada on the Food Network site. I modified it and made this Lemon Ricotta cake. I baked with butter after ages and so so loved the texture of this cake. I know I will make it whenever Ricotta goes on sale!







1 1/2 cups Cake Flour/Plain Flour
2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
3/4 cup Butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups Ricotta Cheese
1 1/2 cups Sugar
3 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla
3 Lemons, zested
Icing sugar, for dusting
Butter and Flour/Spray for preparing the cake tin


Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Prepare a 10" round tin. (I used a springform ring mould.)

Sift the flour with the baking powder and salt.

Cream the butter with the sugar and ricotta until the mixture is fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and lemon zest and beat well. Incorporate the dry ingredients into the batter, adding a little at a time.

Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool a little and sieve the icing sugar over it.

Cut into slices when warm and just dig in. Memories of an era gone by will come rushing back.

15 comments:

Sreelu said...

lovely

Anonymous said...

pound cakes are always rich and paired with lemon, my fave citrus fruit, i'd love to make this one.... now to go find some ricotta!

Divya Kudua said...

I can imagine your excitement.I wish I'd started baking when we went on our honeymoon to Singapore ages back!I can imagine how shocked Ajay must have become seeing me shopping for baking stuff on our honeymoon,hehe!

I too posted a Mango pound cake today!!Love the tang of Lime in bakes.The cake looks lovely and the first pic is truly eye-catching!

chef and her kitchen said...

Raaga..even in India they follow the same trend..but in big chains n supermarkets..:)
the texture of d cake looks really delicious..:)

Ms.Chitchat said...

Loved the pound cake citrusy, my flavour :):)

Finla said...

It is ages ago i have come to your blog and what do i read you are in s'pore wow, i can imagine your excitment, when i first came to belgium 20 yrs back i coudnt stop talking about the supermarkets to my family back home when ever i phoned them;)
Delicious looking cake.

ee said...

*Sitting in chair with mouth open*
YUM! Ricotta in a cake....never thought of that! It looks delicious!

Laavanya said...

The texture of the cake is mindblowing. I love Giada's recipes... will keep this in mind when I get ricotta next time.

Cynthia said...

Ricotta really make cake moist. Love it.

sra said...

What fun, I wish I too get an opportunity like this, enjoy reading about how you're enjoying life in Singapore!

SS said...

Wow Raaga! I envy you! I go all loony when I travel out of India - picking up insane quantities of stuff! I love your blog, especially the the variety - from baked goodies to puddings to South Indian/Konkani dishes too!
Also! Congratulations on your new arrival!

Sushma said...

Raaga

first time here and a very nice blog and its very nice reading your toughts and i too liked the idea of seeling the expiraing date goods in so cheap.

the cake luks awesome

Herrad said...

Hi Raaga,
Great recipe, really like your blog keep enjoying life.
Love,
Herrad

Raaga said...

Thanks all. Yes, the texture of the cake is great. I can't even begin to describe the smoothness of it. I hope you try this and I'd love to hear from you all!

La @ FoodSlice said...

I have become that 'kid in the candy store' even in Hyderabad, ever since i started reading food blogs. When i find things like chocolate chips, fresh rosemary, dill, leeks, asparagus, even at inflated prices, in some of these large supermarket chains, it feels as if ingredients from cookbooks and American blogs are jumping right at me.