Ricotta Apple Cake
This ricotta apple cake is what fall baking is all about; simple, warm, full of spices and made in a snap with everyday ingredients. The cake is full of cinnamon, ginger and cardamom. The apples on top are sprinkled with brown sugar and more cinnamon. The crumb of this ricotta apple cake is soft and moist but dense, which makes it the perfect breakfast or late night snack in my book! This is pure fall cake bliss!
But I hope you just don't take my word for it and actually bake this cake. The cake itself is one of the most popular here on the blog, always with amazing reviews. Even if I’m not a big fan of cakes for breakfast, with this cake I’ll make an exception any morning. Think of it as a softer and tender coffee cake. The ricotta cheese does wonders for the texture of this ricotta apple cake. If you are not adding ricotta cheese to your cake batters you are missing out so, so much!
I really love how simple it is to make this cake. It’s your typical process of creaming the butter with sugar and then incorporating the rest of the ingredients in a few extra steps. And different from other recipes, you don’t have to cook the apples prior to making the cake. You just pass them through the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture and arrange them on top of the cake. Easy peasy : )
I’m sure you are going to love this cake as anyone that has have a piece of it. You can also try its past variations, this tangy Plum and Ricotta Cake and this sweet Blueberry and Almond Ricotta Cake.
Hope you bake this fall cake and share it with me. I’m sure it will fill your home and soul with so much autumn warmness.
How to make this Ricotta Apple Cake
1. For this recipe you need butter that is barely soft. As soon as you can press it with your finger, it’s ready to use. DO NOT let it become too soft or warm.
2. When you test for doneness make sure your toothpick comes out clean after you insert it through the middle of the cake, but remember that the very top of the cake will look a bit wet and gooey because of the moisture of the apples.
3. For me this is the perfect snacking or breakfast cake! I was exchanging notes with a reader about how it’s better to store and eat the cake leftovers on the Plum Ricotta Cake post, and whether if the cake is best eaten cold from the fridge or warm. My take is that if you like to taste the tartness and freshness of the fruit you will probably prefer the cake out of the fridge. Now, if you are all about that gooey and sticky texture that forms on top, you definitely will want to heat this cake a few seconds on the microwave. I’m all about that gooey top so I’m TEAM WARM!! What about you?!
Ricotta Apple Cake
Ingredients
◯ Small Gala apples, cored and thinly sliced – 2 ½ cups
◯ Brown sugar – 2 to 3 TBSP
◯ Ground cinnamon – 2 Tsps, divided
◯ Unbleached all-purpose flour – 2 cups
◯ Baking powder – 1 Tsp
◯ Fine sea salt – ½ Tsp
◯ Ground ginger – 2 Tsps
◯ Ground cardamom – 1 Tsp
◯ Unsalted butter, barely softened (see notes) – 8 TBSP (1 stick)
◯ Raw sugar – 1 ½ cup
◯ Vanilla Paste (or you can substitute with extract) – 1 Tsp
◯ Eggs, at room temperature – 2
◯ Vegetable oil – ¼ cup
◯ Ricotta cheese – ¾ cup
Details
Yield:
10 to 12 slices
Total time:
1 hour 15 minutes
Active time:
15 minutes
Baking time:
1 hour
Equipment:
stand mixer or handheld electric mixer, 9” springform pan
Steps
Preheat oven at 350°. Spray with plenty of baking spray or grease with plenty of butter a 9” springform baking pan.
Mix the 3 tablespoons of brown sugar with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Set aside with the apples.
In a medium bowl mix the 2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of salt, remaining 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 2 teaspoons of ginger and 1 teaspoon of cardamom with a hand whisk.
Beat the 8 tablespoons of butter in the slowest speed for about 30 seconds either in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a hand held electric mixer with the beaters attached. You just want to cream it a little bit. Add the 1½ cup of the sugar, the teaspoon of vanilla and the ¼ teaspoon of almond extract (if using) and beat for about a minute, until the butter and sugar form a thick grainy paste. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add the ¼ cup of oil and the ¾ cup of ricotta cheese and mix until just combined. Start adding the flour mixture, about half cup at a time but without waiting too much time between additions. As soon as you add the last flour stop the mixer and finish mixing the cake batter very gently with a large rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Mix until there are no flour streaks visible. Be sure to scrap the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Transfer cake batter to prepared pan. Arrange the apple slices in a fan form, making sure they are barely overlapping on each other. Sprinkle liberally the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture on top the apples. Transfer pan to oven and bake for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean after you inserted it through the center of the cake. Remember that the area right beneath the apples could be a bit wet and gooey, but the bottom should be dry.
Retire form oven and let it cool down a few minutes before removing from the springform pan. Store any leftovers wrapped in a very moist paper towel in an airtight container on the fridge. Heat in the microwave a few seconds before eating.
You may whip some extra ricotta with sugar to taste and spread on top!
