Strawberry Ricotta Cake

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (one and half sticks)
• 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese (drained)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour (210 grams)
• 1 ½ cups strawberries, diced
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (for tossing with strawberries)
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter; set aside. 2. In a large mixing bowl, use a handheld mixer to beat together the sugar and butter until well combined. Add in the drained ricotta and blend until light and fluffy; about 4-5 minutes. 3. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add in the vanilla, baking soda, and salt, and mix until combined. Add in the flour and mix until the mixture is just combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and fully incorporate the ingredients. 4. Toss the diced strawberries with the 2 tablespoons of flour. Fold in about three quarters of the strawberries into the batter. Pour the batter into the springform pan. Sprinkle on remaining strawberries. 5. Bake for 70-75 minutes. You will know the cake is done when the sides pull away from the edges of the pan and the top is golden brown. Always test for doneness using a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake; the toothpick will come out clean when the cake is ready to take out of the oven. 6. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing the collar of the pan. Once the cake is cool, dust the top with powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

• Ricotta: Be sure you are straining your ricotta before using. You can do this letting it sit in a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth, set over a bowl, before adding.
• Mixing: you must use a hand mixer to whip up the ricotta cheese along with the butter and sugar for 4-5 minutes. Don’t skip this step or you’ll end up with a denser cake.
• Baking: if you notice the Strawberry Ricotta Cake starting to brown in the oven before it is done, cover it lightly with foil so it can continue to bake without browning