Louisa's Cake
Louisa's ingredients: ricotta, flour, butter, apple, lemon zest, sugar and eggs.
Flouring the pan.
Amanda looks skeptical. As a matter of fact, so does Merrill.
Nothing but smiles now. We're making cake!
This one starts with the classic butter and sugar combo.
3 eggs give it lift and richness.
Bowls, bowls everywhere!
Once you peel the apple, you'll want to grate and use it quickly -- it browns in an instant.
Back to Amanda, at the mixer -- she adds the flour, salt and baking powder (missing from the ingredient shot).
Amanda dangles the ricotta precariously.
A gentle touch is important at the end.
The batter is light and beautiful.
The cake almost looks like a frittata when it emerges from the oven.
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Author Notes: Louisa is a family friend, gardener and chef from Castellina in Chianti, Italy where we gather several times a year. She cooks everything from memory and threw this together one night last Spring. When we pressed her for the recipe she hastily rattled some ingredients off and we scrambled to write it all down on a napkin. Along with my husband and children we've tested this cake about 6 times and friends are constantly asking for the recipe. -SML Office - SML Office
Food52 Review: Only a true Italian nonna could produce something this ethereal with such a simple list of ingredients. SML Office got the recipe for this cake from a family friend in Chianti (Louisa), and to us it's the epitome of a classic Italian dessert. It's airy and light, but not without integrity: ricotta, eggs and plenty of butter give it richness, grated apple lends heft, and lemon zest rescues it from being at all bland. The cake is gently sweetened, and thus equally suited to breakfast and dessert. We think it would be great with something tangy and fresh, like a fruit compote -- and rhubarb season is coming up! - A&M - A&M
Serves 6
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup fresh ricotta
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 apple, peeled and grated (should yield about 1 cup)
- Confectioners' sugar for serving
- Heat the oven to 400˚. Butter and flour a 9 or 10-inch spring form pan.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a standing mixer until light and fluffy.
- On the lowest speed, add the eggs one at a time.
- Slowly add the flour, salt, ricotta, lemon zest, baking powder and apple.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and the sides start to pull away from the pan.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cake out of the pan and cool completely on the rack. Sift powder sugar over top or serve with your favorite seasonal fruit.
- Your Best Recipe with Fresh Ricotta Contest Winner!
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18 days ago white bird
This cake is amazing and a definite crowd pleaser. I use a regular 9 inch round pan because I don't have a springform pan and it works fine. It is great as is, but I also tried it with a light lemon glaze which was awsome.
24 days ago Nomnomnom
This is a wondeful cake and simple to make. I followed the recipe exactly and it came out perfectly. Thank you!
24 days ago thecuriousone
My grandmothers name is Louisa. I baked this in her honor when my thoughts were on her. many of my most treasured memories are of her and I in the kitchen. She always wanted to go to Europe, but would not go when I offered to take her. I bake it in her honor although I suspect she would not find it sweet enough. It reminds me of her when I bake it, coquettishly sweet, light... and so much more than the sum of its ingredients. Thank you for a recipe that allows me to honor her.
about 1 month ago lfree
This is without a doubt the best cake ever. I made it gluten free, using ncy's directions (thanks for that!) and added a simple glaze made of juice from the 1 zested lemon and powdered sugar. Topped with fresh raspberries.
about 1 month ago Kabocha
I've made this cake twice in the last couple of days.. First time to the letter, tonight I added orange zest to the mix and it's amazing!
about 1 month ago Peggy Shryne
Looks and sounds delicious from everyone's comments. I did have a problem with the baking time though. Checked it at 25 mins and let it stay in an additional 5 mins, cake was browned on top and pulling from edges of pan. Cooled on a rack for 10 mins, and when I inverted the cake to cool more, wet batter oozed out of the top!
It's now back in the oven (350) until the top feels done. I must say, it looks and smells delicious! I do have an extra thermometer in the oven to make sure the temp is correct. Anyone else run into this problem? I feel that I must a have done something wrong according to everyone else's results!
about 1 month ago Renee B
We didn't. Perhaps it's the rack location? I don't know which rack my husband used but suspect it was the middle. Or, maybe your pan was too small--therefore, too deep?
18 days ago white bird
I did! I had to do the same thing. I think it's best to keep it in until the center doesn't jiggle anymore
2 months ago Cindy Cassidy
this is a gorgeous, GORGEOUS cake
3 months ago AmandaSallyRose
Made this for our annual family ski trip. It was a huge success!!! Everyone absolutely loved it. Thank you.
3 months ago Lulu K
Best cake ever! Delicious!
3 months ago Guinevere
I made this for my birthday party this weekend, scaled the butter back to a single stick, added seeds scraped from a whole vanilla bean, and subbed full-fat Greek yogurt for the apple. A very simple, delicious, and light cake. I served with David Lebovitz's Chocolate Sorbet. My entire family loved it.
2 months ago nolu
Subbed yogurt for apple? I'm wondering, do you mean for the ricotta?
4 months ago Renee B
My husband and I were invited to a dinner party for which we were to bring dessert. We decided to bring two—neither of which we'd made before. I made a showy French apple tart and my husband made Louisa's cake. Louisa's cake stole the show at a dinner party. It's subtle lemon flavor and wonderful, moist texture were a delicious end to a very nice dinner.
7 months ago Alesig
What a lovely and heavenly cake! I made it yesterday for dessert and it was just awsome!
7 months ago sstalnaker
Made this today, but didn't have a lemon on hand, and I was short of white sugar. So, I substituted half brown sugar, and in place of the lemon I grated some sweet young ginger that I bought at the local farmers' market. It was divine. Moist, light yet substantial, and the ginger and brown sugar made for a flavor with a bit of "je ne sait quoit".
8 months ago Lorrainesfav
SML: Great simple Italian recipe! I made this recipe into cupcakes and they were perfect with a dab of local strawberry jam my neighbor gave us.
9 months ago TheWimpyVegetarian
Just came out of the oven and it smells soooooo good. We have guests coming to dinner and I'm trying to justify why I should have a piece now instead of waiting :-)
10 months ago lurline
I baked this cake yesterday on my day off. It was the best I've ever bake and tasted !
Light and tasty!
It will be in my list of " Favs"
about 1 year ago ncy
I made this cake GF thanks to the input from the Hotline and it was as wonderful as the original recipe. My family continually requests this cake. It's yummy, quick and easy.
3 months ago lerosbif
Can you tell us how you made it gluten free? Thanks!
3 months ago ncy
In place of APF I use 2oz. white rice flour, 1 3/4 oz tapioca flour, and 1 3/4 oz. sweet rice flour. The GF version is great and receives many complements.
3 months ago lerosbif
Thank you so much, I'll give it a try!
about 1 year ago hurleyburley
I just made this tonight and it was so delicious and easy. Only problem is that the middle wasn't completely done but I was scared to cook it any longer because the sides and bottom were slightly overcooked. Might try to cook it in a water bath next time like a flan or a cheesecake.
about 1 year ago Elethea
Should fresh ricotta be drained a bit first please?
about 1 year ago ChicaChewing
My boyfriend has loved it
about 1 year ago CHeeb
The first time I made this cake, I knew I would make it again it was such a hit.
Second attempt, I doubled the recipe and made 12 regular cupcakes, and still had enough batter for a two layer ( 8 inch pans ) cake. I frosted the cupcakes and layers with lemon cream cheese icing . In the middle of the layer cake, I filled it with lemon curd ,before icing the exterior. This is my newest favorite cake recipe!!!
about 1 year ago CalcuttaChow
I blogged about Louisa's cake here, and realized that I should have shared the link. it's a lovely, lovely cake.
http://calcuttachow.wordpress...
over 1 year ago Kitchen Butterfly
Made this - stunning. Took it in to the office and it was devoured in NO time. I offered to bake a colleague a cake for his leaving do and guess what he requested? Yep...this. So I'll be making this on Friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wonderful - thank you.
over 1 year ago Lisa mellick
I just started baking recently and can be intimidated at times especially with cakes. This is definately my go to cake now for any occasion. I poured rose petal sauce over the top, delicious!
over 1 year ago Lisa mellick
I just started baking recently and can be intimidated at times especially with cakes. This is definately my go to cake now for any occasion. I poured rose petal sauce over the top, delicious!
over 1 year ago Karen Rosasco
I made it per the exact recipe last week...delicious, delicious, delicious! Everyone loved it. This week I made it again but I used ripe pear instead of apple, doubled the lemon zest (my lemons aren't very big) and was a little short on the ricotta so used about a quarter cup of sour cream to complete my 1 cup. This one is also divine!
over 1 year ago Louisa
I made this cake last week--doubled the recipe and baked in a bundt pan. It looked and tasted wonderful and was fragrant and delicious. Everybody loved it, and it was even better the second and third day.
over 1 year ago durun99
This cake is exceptional. I made this for my brother when he came to town a few weeks ago and the whole family loved it. Surprisingly, my 11-year-old son loved it so much that he requested it for his birthday cake last week, and everyone invited to the party loved it there, too (even more than the brownies I made in case the cake wasn't decadent enough for a birthday celebration).
over 1 year ago phinneycook
This is a great cake! Beautiful dense, moist texture and the perfect foil for fruit topping, either fresh or compote. I served it last night with fresh figs...perfect. I wasn't sure about the baking time because of the many comments saying the cake needed 45 minutes instead of the 25-30 specified in the recipe. My oven temp is very accurate (I have an oven thermometer) and I baked mine for 35 minutes and will try 30 next time. I think its important to realize the cake firms up as it cools. Its similar to may of the minimal flour chocolate cakes which seem a little wiggly as they come out of the oven, but which cool to a perfect, solid, slice.
over 1 year ago gingerroot
What a lovely, lemon perfumed cake! I made this tonight for my mom's birthday and served it with a warm mango-strawberry compote. My three year old son, who helped make it, was suspicious about the ricotta (he is certain he does not like cheese), but said it was the most delicious cake "ever." Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
almost 2 years ago Hark
I turned this into a two-layer cake, made lemon ricotta stuffing with the leftovers to put between the layers, and made a blackberry syrup to pour over top (didn't want to adulterate it too much, but had way too many blackberries in my last produce bin). Huge hit at my friend's baby shower.
almost 2 years ago dailykale
This is one outstanding cake! A real keeper. I made it twice this weekend. The encore was because of the requests for more. Perfection. Everyone asked for the recipe. SML Office, thank you *so* much for sharing this lovely and very simple recipe.
almost 2 years ago BlissfulBaker
I made this cake today & the texture is wonderful, but the cake doesn't have much flavor on its own. When you make it, definitely plan to serve with a topping. I'm sure it would be delicious drizzled with melted chocolate or a fruit compote. I chose to dust mine with cinnamon & powdered sugar, which gave it a coffee cake flavor. Breakfast for the week!
about 2 years ago Rembems
I made this for Mother's Day and everyone loved it!!!! I didn't have a springform pan, but used a regular pan instead and it turned out wonderfully! thanks!
about 2 years ago ryanbissoon
Such a simple, elegant, and delicious cake. It's excellent just on its own but I've also used it as the layers for a strawberry shortcake. Amazing!
about 2 years ago belen_aquino_perfilio
made this cake for Easter, a HUGE hit. HUGE. amazing recipe.
about 2 years ago monkeymom
This cake is so light and delicate. Thanks for this really wonderful recipe.
about 2 years ago mjlandry
I made 2 of these tonight for Easter tomorrow. I used a 10inch SF pan and they cooked for exactly 25 mins and were perfect. The batter was very delicious. I am def. going to make again using orange zest and I mat even try an almond extract for an almond version. Thanks for sharing a great recipe.
about 2 years ago cookinbklyn
This cake is delicious! I used sheep's milk ricotta from the farmer's market. Brought it into work today and served it with sliced strawberries--it was devoured immediately.
about 2 years ago blcbaker
My wife, herself a native Italian who was raised on the belief that olive oil is sacred and butter is sacrilegious, refused my repeated efforts to convince her that we should try this recipe--until I suggested that we substitute mascarpone for the butter. While I have never tasted the original, buttery version of this recipe, I am happy to report that the final product of our efforts was quite delicious (if I do say so myself!). Thank you for the recipe and the inspiration!
about 2 years ago annalea
Making this now for Sunday dinner with friends - I can already tell it is going to be delicious. How simple and perfect a recipe. The endearing story is just an added bonus!
about 2 years ago Midge
This is one super cake. I'll think of that pic of Louisa every time I make it, which will be often!
about 2 years ago jfreemanslade
This is an INCREDIBLE recipe. As rich and creamy as cheesecake, but with about 1/3 of the guilt. I made this and the winning tart recipe on the same night, and it's pretty clear which one won't be shared with the office...thanks!
about 2 years ago Nora
I made this for visiting family. I dressed it with a little sauce made from good plum jelly, a dash of kirsch, a little butter and heat. They were licking their plates. Thanks for something I will be making again and again. Strawberry season is coming fast, and we have blueberries in the garden. Can't wait!
about 2 years ago isabel Gillies
Everyone in my family loved this cake! The boys polished off the last of it for breakfast this morning. One son asked if next time I make it without the lemon zest and I think I'll do that and maybe add vanilla bean instead? Anyway, bravo.
about 2 years ago pauljoseph
What a lovely cake.
about 2 years ago dshush
This cake is super quick and easy to make and is wonderful!! Made it 3 days ago and it's still moist (without me wrapping it up very well). Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
about 2 years ago CalcuttaChow
Just made it -- it's a lovely, rich, moist lemony cake. So easy to make.
about 2 years ago Ascender
Would this cake be sturdy enough to survive a care package? I'm thinking of making it for my daughter's birthday and sending it to her at University. I'd send it Priority Mail, but it will still take 2-3 days in transit. Should I freeze it before sending?
about 2 years ago SML Office
No freezing neccessary. 2-3 days should be fine. Perhaps send it in the springform pan as a gift. A standard springform is so useful!
about 2 years ago nannydeb
I brought this cake to work today for a potluck and everyone enjoyed it and asked for the recipe! Very nice.
about 2 years ago TXDjinn
This cake was lovely - made it over the weekend and it disappeared as I served it with homemade vanilla pudding on the side.
Is there a prefered type of apple to use? I had some Fuji's lying around and included them but there was almost no flavour.
about 2 years ago SML Office
Apple type not important. The cake does not have an apple flavor at all. The apple compliments the ricotta and keeps the whole cake moist. Almost like zucchini in chocolate-zucchini cake.
about 2 years ago fiveandspice
Emily is a trusted source on Scandinavian Cuisine.
Congratulations on your win! I'm very excited to try this cake.
about 2 years ago FrancesRenHuang
Congratulations. I like how it is so easy and delicious to make it!
about 2 years ago SML Office
So happy the cake won and for all the kind words. I plan on seeing Louisa at Easter and thinking of working with her in the kitchen and testing/developing more. -Jennifer
about 2 years ago lapadia
Congrats and thanks for the recipe!
about 2 years ago lorigoldsby
congrats on your win! this takes me back (or so i wish) to our trips to Italy, thanks for the story!
about 2 years ago gingerroot
Congratulations! Looking forward to trying this soon.
about 2 years ago healthierkitchen
Have saved this recipe to make soon. Congrats!
about 2 years ago boulangere
Cynthia is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Oh, I'm so happy for you! Your cake and its story are simply lovely!
about 2 years ago mrslarkin
Mrs. Larkin is a trusted source on Baking.
Congratulations on the win!!
about 2 years ago Waverly
I made Louisa's cake tonight. It was delicious. Moist, lemony, buttery....I am so happy to have the recipe. Thank you and congratulations on being a finalist!
about 2 years ago SML Office
Waverly,
This is the most exciting news—I'm so happy.
about 2 years ago Lisa Wagner
Love times infinity.
about 2 years ago Sagegreen
Congrats on being a finalist!
about 2 years ago AntoniaJames
AntoniaJames is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
Ahhh, the quintessential Italian dessert . . .fruit and cheese!! Just love this recipe, and am thrilled to see it as a finalist. ;o)
about 2 years ago Andre
great
about 2 years ago Aliwaks
Congrats!! I think we should both win.... The perfect fresh ricotta meal!!!!
about 2 years ago TasteFood
Congratulations - I am baking this today!
about 2 years ago TasteFood
I just baked this today. It's lovely. I only had 1/2 cup of ricotta, so I added 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, which may have contributed to the moist texture.
about 2 years ago SML Office
What a great idea substituting mascarpone. This makes me want to make Tiramisu, pronto.
about 2 years ago gingerroot
Congrats! What a lovely cake.
about 2 years ago Midge
Such an elegant recipe. Congrats!
about 2 years ago lastnightsdinner
What a beautiful cake - sounds like a dessert that's right up my alley! Congrats!
about 2 years ago lastnightsdinner
And more congrats for your win!
about 2 years ago Bevi
Congrats!
about 2 years ago Panfusine
Congratulations... you got my vote..
about 2 years ago wanderash
This is just what I was looking for for Saturday's dessert course! Thank you and congrats!!
about 2 years ago cheese1227
Looks like a perfect ending to a Sunday afternoon meal.
about 2 years ago dymnyno
I wish that you would update your profile to tell us about yourself... I am not excited about voting for an "office".
about 2 years ago SML Office
Good advice, will do!
about 2 years ago dymnyno
Perfect! and so Italian. It's not an overpowering sweet cake. This would be great with fresh fruit.
about 2 years ago TheWimpyVegetarian
This looks like the perfect dessert to make for tonight! Congrats on making the finalist round.
about 2 years ago fiveandspice
Emily is a trusted source on Scandinavian Cuisine.
Congratulations! I'm so happy to see this lovely cake as a finalist.
about 2 years ago mrslarkin
Mrs. Larkin is a trusted source on Baking.
I am so glad this is a finalist! Congrats to you on a lovely recipe!
about 2 years ago drbabs
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
I had a feeling....congratulations!
about 2 years ago hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour is a trusted home cook.
Congrats! Love that the cake is good for breakfast as well as dessert.
about 2 years ago Mindalita
This cake rocks the casbah - please let me join you the next time you visit Louisa!! It is moist and lovely.
about 2 years ago mrslarkin
Mrs. Larkin is a trusted source on Baking.
This sounds really great!
about 2 years ago fiveandspice
Emily is a trusted source on Scandinavian Cuisine.
Wow! And what a lovely story behind the cake.
about 2 years ago Sagegreen
Sounds perfect!
about 2 years ago nogaga
Sound delicious!
about 2 years ago jen_c
Sounds amazing.
about 2 years ago healthierkitchen
sounds delicious!
about 2 years ago boulangere
Cynthia is a trusted source on Bread/Baking.
What a sweet story! The cake looks lovely, too!
about 2 years ago drbabs
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Love