Louisa's Cake

Thank you for sharing such wonderful and relevant information on your blog.
dordle

Absolutely loved trying out the new recipe from this site! The flavors were exquisite, and the presentation was a delight. I even served it with my beautiful jug and glass set, adding an extra touch of elegance to the dining experience. The step-by-step instructions were clear and easy to follow, making the dish a breeze to prepare. For the best acrylic glassware, I highly recommend visiting this site https://homentable.com/collections/acrylic-glassware . Can't wait to explore more recipes here and showcase them in my lovely dining collection. Thank you for such a wonderful culinary adventure

You can try all you want to play dordle, but the information provided is current and useful. Very engrossing!

Fantastic! Made these into blueberry “muffins”, 325’F for 30 min. ( I only had 2 eggs, I will try with 3 soon)

I have made this cake so many times I feel like I can make it from memory as the Italian Nonna, Louisa does! I make it for friends that come over to my house, for meals that I take to friends in need; everyone loves it! I lost my recipe recently, but thankfully I remembered where I originally found this wonderful recipe...one of my favorite websites....Food 52!

Sugar=218 grams
AP Flour=150 grams
Ricotta=247 grams

I continue to love this recipe after many years of making this cake. It always receives rave reviews and never disappoints! Served it this past Friday and Saturday with fresh strawberry sauce and whipped cream.

This was quite good- the flavor really does seem to be greater than the sum of the parts. Almost made it all the way without altering the recipe; at the last minute broke down and added some nutmeg (and I'd do it again). I skipped the confectioner's sugar. Also, I'd recommend sifting together the flour and baking powder before adding. It's pretty sweet, but not cloying. Easy and, even with the current wildly inflated prices on sugar, flour and ricotta, inexpensive. I made 1/2 the recipe in a 6 3/4" springform.

Good and easy. I've made it a few times for guests, served with berries and/or whipped cream, and the leftovers freeze nicely. But I find the flavor to be a bit too "egg-y." Maybe the fact that I cut down a little on sugar affects the overall flavor that would otherwise be covered up by sweetness.

I make this all the time! Perfect simple cake and makes a good snack

I’ve made this 2x before and cut the sugar as I usually find most desserts too sweet and I loved my family loved it. This time, however, did the same and I found this excessively sweet somehow. Didn’t have lemon so I used orange zest as it was what was available. And, my batter was too wet (toothpick came out clean) n the outside almost burnt. I even covered the top w foil for the last 15”. It almost took 39” but apparently wasn’t cooked enough still. It is a different oven so I’m wondering if this was 1 of the issues.

Perfect cake

This is a stunning cake. Moist, flavorful, comforting, and just the right amount of sweetness. Brava!

This cake was delicious!Honestly, so simple and not too sweet. My kind of cake. You can taste the hint of apple and lemon. Nice, light and fresh. In the summer, I will top it with some summer fruit to make it perfect. Thank you for a lovely cake recipe.

Excellent cake. A Delicious cake in terms of texture (light and moist), flavor (buttery/lemony in a subtle way), and simplicity (easy to make). I used a 9 inch springform pan, and based on some of the reviews, I chose to lower the oven temperature from 400F to 350F. It took exactly 40 minutes for the cake to be ready. A long skewer inserted in the middle of the cake came out clean. I see some reduced the sugar but I really don't see the need as the sweetness of this cake is perfect. I plan on making this cake again and again. I also added 1 tsp of vanilla extract. Others can choose to add other flavorings such as orange zest, almond extract, etc. This cake is perfect. I give it 5 stars. Oh...I forgot to say something important. I oftentime use the reverse creaming method when I make a cake so I used my food processor to mix the flour, sugar, and baking powder, and I then added the soft butter. Once the flour and butter mixture becomes sandy, you add the eggs, ricotta, vanilla, and lemon zest. Last, I added the grated apple and I mixed it into the batter with a spatula rather than letting the food processor run.

This recipe has become our go-to breakfast cake recipe.
I add more lemon zest and squeeze a little lemon juice on my grated apple but otherwise follow the recipe precisely.
Thanks for sharing this fantastic recipe.

We love, love, love this cake!

How far ahead can this delicious cake be prepared and still be yummy? Can this cake be frozen for a few days?

Many thanks-

Phenomenal. A total keeper. Thank you!

It will be great!! I often sub almond for the lemon. Delicious!

So I have made this cake and it wonderful; however, I was going to make the Double Vanilla Cake here at Food52 for my birthday tomorrow as it is my FAVORITE vanilla cake.....however, I would need to go to the store and ugh, not really in the mood. Any thoughts of how this cake might work if I replace the lemon zest with vanilla extract/paste for a more vanilla forward cake? Would it work with the apple and ricotta? Any input would be appreciated.

Delicious, fresh and not difficult! The lemon zest was the star here. You woulda thunk I put the whole lemon in there, it smells lemony and tastes lemony, but not in an overpowering way, just a fresh way. I was surprised the apple was undetectable. No apple flavor at all, I always have sweet apples in the fridge, either Fuji or Pink Ladies. Following in the footsteps of other reviewers, I did not peel the apple, but grated the skin along with the flesh without any issues in the final product. This was my first go at baking with a springform pan. I've had my 9 inch pan for years, still had the tags on it and all. I decided the glowing reviews for this recipe called for that pans maiden voyage. Like other reviewers, mine took longer than 30 minutes to bake. When it was a golden color, you could see it was still uncooked in the center. When the cake was a beautiful brown color, I did use a knife to go into the middle to make sure it was done. I was serving guests and didn't want to present a raw cake, and the powdered sugar on top hid my detective work ;) We did our best to let it cool completely before serving, but we're rule breakers. It was so delicious warm. A+ recipe!

This recipe has glowing reviews already, but I'll add my own. In short, this is the best "plain" cake I've ever made. I've had to force myself not to eat the entire cake!

As others have commented, I extended the baking time to 38 minutes - the middle was still jiggly at 25 minutes; and I will decrease the sugar next time.

Only have cottage cheese in the fridge (a nice brand). Has anyone made this with cottage cheese?

This recipe is a 10/10. In my electric oven, I had to extend the baking time to 35 min (until a knife came out clean), but it came out perfect. You want the outside to be brown, not golden.

Excellent - always perfect!

What could be used in place of apple? We have an allergy?

Made this; prolly should have read more comments, but undercooked. Even so, it was one of the best cakes! Goes on the short list for easy, best, healthy, simple desserts. I would just say use a 10" springform; I bet if I had done that instead of workhorse 9", the timing would have been perfect!

So delicious! I messed up and set the oven to 350 for the first 25 minutes, but I raised it to 400 and left it in another 15 and it was perfect.

So good!! Just made this this morning and I have a feeling I will be making this recipe many, many times in the future.

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This afternoon, I just made this in no time at all! Delicious! I used King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour per Jen A's comments, squeezed all the liquid out of the grated apple, and drained the ricotta cheese. A lovely, delicate flavor and a nice crumb, despite it being gluten free. I might add a bit of vanilla extract or almond extract next time though. Thank you for mentioning it, Jen A.! Love, love!

This is the most wonderful cake. It wasn’t too sweet. This will definitely go into heavy rotation. Thank you!!

Really delicious! we added 10 more minutes as per other reviewers' and it was PERFECT!! Will def make again!

This cake was quite delicious... reminding us of poundcake.
I did have one issue. I followed the recipe exactly, and used a 9 1/2 inch springform pan, but had to bake it for 45 minutes. Even with the extended baking time, the edges were baked well and the middle was raw. I am wondering about the apples I used. I used a honeycrisp and half of a sweetbee to get to 1 cup of grated apple. They were VERY juicy. Do you drain your apples? Should they be a bit drier, like grated carrot?

What a lovely cake, light, moist and very quick and easy to make. It's worth keeping ricotta in the fridge to provide opportunities for making this cake - warm with cream is a tasty dessert. I don't bother removing the skin from the apple - it was hardly noticeable after baking. The apple and lemon give it a light fresh taste.

I've made this cake many times and have loved it! Always a crowd pleaser. I decreased to sugar to a scant 1 cup and haven't noticed a difference. One of my favorites!

Made this cake last night after reading all these reviews. Cake was a triumph. Looks like the picture, airy texture, delicate lemon flavour. I’m taking what’s left over to my in-laws today so had a little taste and can confirm it’s moist, gorgeous and flavourful on day two. A new favourite for sure.

Made this today, followed the recipe to the letter except I baked it for 35 minutes. Came out perfect! Taste delightful, I would definitely make it but with less sugar.

Made this today, followed the recipe to the letter except I baked it for 35 minutes. Came out perfect! Taste delightful, I would definitely make it but with less sugar.

Made this today with the following changes and it came out great.
1. Used king arthur's gf measure for measure blend
2. Used blend of 1tsp baking soda and 2tsp cream of tartar because I was out of backing powder.
3. No apples in the house so used 1/2-3/4 apple sauce

A lovely cake. I would likely reduce the sugar (leave out the 2 Tbsp.) and add 1/4 to 1/2 tsp vanilla or vanilla bean paste. I didn't peel the apple before grating.

This cake is delicious. I made it 2 years ago, lost the recipe AND just found it...yipee.

About to make this and just wanted to make sure it’s supposed to be 1 TABLESPOON of baking powder. Sounds like a lot to me🤔
Thanks for any advice!

This cake is fantastic just by itself, and I'm sure it'll be an incredible base for cakes I've yet to make

Made this cake for the umpteenth time yesterday. Not a crumb left.

Absolutely my new favourite cake! Thanks!

Absolutely my new favourite cake!

This is one of the best cakes I and my family have tasted. I have done it many times since I discovered the recipe, so THANK YOU for making available. I have a question: is there a recipe for this cake but for vegans? I have a family member who is a vegan and I would really like to make this cake for him. Thank you!

I can't wait to try this recipe! It looks similar to an apple cream torte I make. A cream torte is a cross between a custard, cake and dutch baby or so the recipe states. https://www.sunset.com/recipe/apple-cream-torte. The torte I make is def an apple cake though because it calls from 3 to 4 apples, not one apple like Louisa's Cake. Again, can't wait to try making Louisa's Cake. Thank you!

This cake is stunningly delicious.

Should refrigerate overnight if not eating until the next day? Thank you!

I've made this cake at least 10 times and it's lovely. I add a bit less sugar, lemon juice with the zest and cook it in an 8 inch springform pan. It takes longer to cook (about 45 minutes) but I like the taller cake. A favorite.

This cake is delightful. It is perfectly versatile. I use it a lot as a base for strawberry "shortcake." It is best when served with a homemade whipped cream (even in the morning).

I've made this cake many times. I use little chunks of apple, It's just wonderful. Everyone loves its.

Made this with a pear the first time and OMG it was unreal. I made this a second time with apples and just as amazing.

I have only just found this recipe but don't think it will be long before I try it😉. I am trying to cut out gluten in my diet, although I am not coealic. I do play around with recipes for this reason and in cake baking I find ground almonds are a good sub and I will probably use half and half almonds and flour and wondering if anyone has tried similar? My only observation is that a tablespoon of baking powder seems like a lot, and wonder if this should be 1 tsp? I think 3 tsps = 1 tbsp and my guide is a tsp to 125 g flour approx. I hope to make this soon and get back with my result.

Quite possibly the best recipe on the internet. I top mine with raspberries and it's to absolute die for. Hard not to be ever so slightly smug when you serve it because you know you have brought a light, fuss-free Italian dessert to your stateside guests. You feel like you're walking out of a Maybelline commercial from the 90s placing it on the dinner table. Maybe she's born with it? Listen, I know I'm being so extra but this cake deserves it. Oh and make it two hours before serving and dust it w/ the sugar right before. Save yourself the drama of the undercooked center the other reviewers talk about. Countertop for two hours will cure it and you'll have a SLIGHT-ly soft and nearing custardy center. I said nearing. What else can I write? How many characters left?

Love this cake so, so much. Question— has anyone used almond flour vs regular? Or done a mix of the two?

Great cake recipe to have in your back pocket. Not too sweet, yet sweet enough--and a honeycrisp apple gives it balance. It can be dressed up, or served plain...I just love it. This cake even freezes well in slices when wrapped well and placed in plastic freezer bags. My brother is a cake snob, and had no idea I served him a slice of frozen cake. I served it with gingered homegrown peach compote and bourbon vanilla ice cream--he was in heaven!
I've made it many times, and my personal favorite is with a mixture of lemon and orange zest, plus it worked great with my homemade ricotta even after I was froze (and thawed slowly in the fridge). NOTE: I do use some heavy cream and full fat buttermilk, that may be why my frozen ricotta worked.
Although this cake is denser and a little rich, it makes the best strawberries and cream layer cake--like a strawberry shortcake layer cake (or peaches, blueberries, raspberries work too).
Lastly, for those of you who live at high altitude...this recipe worked fine. I live at over 5,000 feet and the only adjustment I made is to increase the oven temp to 415F for the 1st 10 minutes, then for the rest of the time the temp down to 400F--baking time is a little shorter, but not much.

Made this today. I used a bundt pan as another reviewer suggested, oven temp at 375, baked for 30 minutes. I used a medium Honeycrisp apple, juice and all. Turned out really moist and delicate.

Update, I made this cake for a Boy Scout Ceremony yesterday and doubled the recipe. It doubles very nicely. Baked it for the same recommended time using a aprox. 13.5 inch deep dish pizza pan. BTW, the boys really seem to enjoy this cake as well as the parents.

This cake is wonderful. Perfect in its simplicity. I've made it twice now. Both times in a small, 6 cup Bundt pan (not that the springform version is bad, I just wanted to try out my new Bundt pan!). First time I made it as written. My husband loved it, said it was one of the best cakes he's ever had. I found it a little too sweet. Made it again, but swapped out the apple for ZUCCHINI! It was delicious! Not overly sweet, and still moist. I didn't squeeze the zucchini, but I did blot it on some paper towels before adding. Wonderful! Thanks for a great recipe!

This cake is a winner when ever I make it! Thank you to the author for sharing.

I made this last week, and despite it being left in the oven too long it still came out great. I'd like to try it w homemade ricotta next time.

I made the cake as instructed (no squeezing of apple gratings—which seems like a waste of delicious juice—or draining of ricotta) and added a layer of roasted Italian prune plums in the middle. Mine turned out denser than the one pictured, I'm assuming because of the added weight and moisture of the plums, but it smelled and tasted incredible. I added a little more than half the batter to the pan, sprinkled an extra tablespoon or two of flour on, then added the plums, which I'd sliced into eights and roasted at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, before covering with the remaining batter. Put the cake in for 30 minutes at 400 degrees as directed, then turned it down to 350 for an additional 10 minutes to dry out the extra moisture. Really, really good.

Has anyone made this w homemade ricotta? What about Goat milk ricotta? I love the anise idea, has anyone added rose or orange flower water to this mix?

This is the 3rd time I am baking this cake and although it has been a while I don't remember having issues with the center not done. I jumped right in at 400 degrees F and then after reading the comments lowered the temperature down to 375. At 25 mins, I popped the oven open and noticed the center was still jiggly and the the corners were brown. Put it in for another 10 mins and it was done. So yes, bake at 375 F for 35/40 mins. The only issue I had was that the center sank in a bit and that may have been because I changed the temp. 10 mins in. Also, my ricotta was not wet and the shredded apple did not have any juice (used a food processor to grate). Excellent cake, easy recipe with a few tweeks and a delicious cake! Always a winner!

My husband and I devoured this cake at dessert!!! The flavor is so addicting! I too, had issues with the center being underbaked, and I had added 15 minutes to the bake, after seeing the center jiggle at 30 minutes. Any longer than a total of 45 minutes, and the outer part would have been burnt. I agree with others, either change the temp to 375, add more time, use a thermometer and shoot for 195 degrees - or - use a removable bottom tube pan. If you don’t have these tools, use your eyes, look for absolutely no jiggle in the batter when you bump the oven rack. I also agree with comments to squeeze out the apples, drain the whey from the ricotta (use whole milk Ricotta) and have everything at room temp when putting together the batter. I will make it again soon! I love the idea in comments of adding a little anise!
I also did the old fashioned method to add flour in three additions, alternating with the ricotta, beginning and ending with flour. Lastly, fold in apples.

I saw this recipe on a FB cooking page (NYT), and I really wish I had gone to the recipe and read the comments first. The middle was not cooked in the amount of time shown; I wound up putting it back in the oven for 10 minutes, but of course, that never really works. Author/website, you HAVE to correct this recipe. This cake was supposed to be served at a get together, and now I have nothing to bring and no time to make something else. I am not thrilled.

I made this great cake for the second time today. Like many others, my center wasn’t cooked thru the first time. This time, I squeezed the juice from the grated apple. It still took 15 extra minutes to cook completely. I bet I’m supposed to squeeze the liquid from the ricotta as well? I’m pretty new to baking. It still tasted perfect. Great texture and subtle flavor. I served it with fresh blueberries on the top, drizzled with a simple raspberry sauce and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Wish I could post a pic! It was beautiful, if I do say so myself. ;)

I made this for Easter and while it was very good, I kept wondering how it would be with some anise seeds. So I sprinkled a bit on my cake slice just to try it out. Yes. Next time anise seeds will be in the cake. Another variation to try for anyone who likes that flavor.

Just tried it with blueberries in a muffin pan. Delish!

This cake is amazing by itself, and has remained so through all the hare-brained variations I’ve put it through. Up next, folding whipped cream into the batter for a higher rise and lighter texture! This turned out heavenly with some fresh pomegranate seeds on top. https://food52.com/blog/23706-whipped-cream-in-cakes-one-ingredient-hack-change-the-way-you-bake

I make this a lot, using a spring-form pan, and cooking it at 375 for 45 mins. This allows it to be crustier on top and still very moist inside. I've also used applesauce if I don't have a green apple, and dried orange zest powder if I am out of lemons. All in all, a great cake!

Been dying to make this for a while. Now: springform vs bundt pan. Concerned about a squishy middle, intrigued by increase chance of crusty edge. Has anyone tried it??

I had to stop myself from eating it all. I feel like it could do with a bit more zest and apples, though, and didn't use as much of the sugar. But it is easy and so good.

I may have posted this here before but can't find it. The first time I made this I used a brand name ricotta from the supermarket. The second and all subsequent times, I used local homemade ricotta from our local Italian grocery. The difference was amazing. It tasted better and had a better texture.

I am VERY new to baking. This cake is easy and delicious. I stored it in the fridge. Is it OK to sit in on the counter in a cake dome on a pedestal?

Wonderful recipe! Thank you for the sharing it with us. I made a few tweaks given a few suggestions posted here. My best takeaways were, a little less sugar is best and longer baking. I used a whole Gala apple and 1/4 of a Fuji apple. Since they were both on the sweeter side, I reduced a tablespoon of sugar in batter. Also, I turned down my oven to 350F for additional 20 mins. The cake was golden, crunchy and delicious!

What a lovely cake! I made it late this morning for a Thanksgiving luncheon at at 2:00. Many compliments. It was gone so quickly I never had a chance to try it! I’ll make another tonight for dessert.
After reading all the comments, I did some things differently—one by accident. I used two Granny Smith apples instead of one. No one complained or even noticed there were apples in it. LOL. I added 1 tsp. vanilla because I think it adds to the taste in baked goods. I also added 1 scant tsp. Cinnamon. The jury is out on that. I also squeezed a 1/8 fresh lemon into the apples more out of concern they would turn brown. I also drained the juice from the apples.
I preheated my oven for 45 minutes so it was really at400 degrees. I didn’t open the oven door for 35 min. The cake had minor jiggling and was a lovely brown color. I lost the crunchiness, I think, due to the extra apple. I have adventures in driving and cooking

Love this - the texture is like a lighter, coarser pound cake crumb. The flavor similar to Italian Ricotta cheesecake. After reading the comments I choose to bake it in a angel food tube pan with removable bottom. The center opening allowed heat to reach the middle and bake the cake through perfectly. Also - more crust!!! always a bonus. I put parchment paper on the base before spraying with baker's release spray (instead of butter and flour) and it lifted out easily. Thanks for sharing.

This is the second time I’ve made this cake and while it was delicious both times (though I might use a bit less sugar next time), the middle of the cake continued to be underdone. This time I let it bake for 400 for 30 minutes and then let it sit inside the oven while it was cooling down for another 10 minutes. What am I doing wrong?

I had problems baking this at 400 F (the center was not cooked). I had the best results using an aluminum cake pan wrapped with a (silicone) baking strip, and baking at 375 F for 35-40 minutes (just enough time that a toothpick came out clean). The top was a very dark golden brown and the center was cooked.

Made this last night subbing out orange zest for the lemon (to go with an orange thread running throughout the dinner) and added a couple of teaspoons of honey to the batter at the end of the mixing process. It was sooooo delicious - everyone gobbled it up with homemade vanilla ice cream on the side. Yum!

Well kids, leave it to Beaver here; the oven went on and in went this cake with our outside temperature running at about 80°F outside, which for us here in AZ is cool. Since I was going to use my Cuisinart food processor, (sorry for the plug) for shredding the apple, I figured I must just as well construct the whole batter in the machine, which I did. Worked superbly, and since I once worked for the company doing demonstrations of the machine, I was fimilar with how the recipes need to be adjusted slightly during the mixing process. Nevertheless, it turned out quite easy and the final product looks gorgeous, all puffy brown and moist. My concerns over the baking temperature were somewhat unfounded and my total baking time was about 33 minutes. Yum, serve it with ice cream, plain or some mixed berries?

Opps, that's oven not overn; sorry!

Interesting, had this recipe sitting in my MacG database for some time. Finally we are cool enough (I live in AZ) to turn on an overn. When I first read the baking temperature I noted that I thought it was high and since my oven tends to run hot, I checked in Food52 and only two people had any "issues" due to the 400°F temperature. Lots of good feedback, I'll up date my reactions after I've finally made the cake. Good luck to me!
JB

I've just made this cake and I adored its beautiful simplicity. A kind of elegant roughness.
Many thanks to Louisa who kindly shared this recipe and thanks to the community and its valuable comments. Best wishes from Mexico City! Grazie mille Louisa!

400 degrees for 30 minutes. Didn't test for doneness. Unfortunately, the center didn't cook. Perfectly dark top, so I'm not sure how much longer I could've gone anyway. Next time, I'm definitely toothpick testing the center. Love the cake. As my apples waited to get put in, there was a TON of watery juice from the apples that I drained before adding the apples. Anyone add the apples along with their juice? Thanks.

I have made this cake several times in Florida but for the first time at my house in Santa Fe and it is sinking a bit in the center...had to take it out after 20 minutes but the tester came out clean. Any thoughts?

Love this cake so much. Works perfectly every time and is super simple to make. I've let it sit on the counter for a few days and it still tastes great. Has anyone tried freezing it? If so, how did it go?

Delicious! I served it with a rhubarb compote and it was heaven.
A huge hit with my guests who took leftovers home for breakfast.

Has anyone tried to make this a layer cake with light whipped cream or something?

This is over the top amazing! Wonderful flavor. We used a 6 inch springform pan (didn't have a 9). The batter rose up and over the top, it was actually pretty. We paired it with Roasted Strawberries (unbelievably easy) and a dollop of Mascarpone Whipped Frosting by inpatskitchen (Food 52 recipe also).

OMG, finally made this and am eating my second slice. All I changed was I added some lemon juice to the bowl with the grated apple, half a lemon. I like things pretty lemony. Also, followed the advice about room temperature eggs and butter. cooked it for 35 minutes in a 9 inch springform and Wow, oh wow. The double vanilla cake is still my favorite at Food52, but this is a very close second.

So delicious and easy. Will definitely be making again and again!

This cake is incredible!

Fantastic cake,so easy to make!

Made this last night...so easy and soooo good. Not a last minute cake as you do need to make sure that the wet ingredients are room temp, but given it is no fail and 15 minutes to prepare, it will definitely be on my go to list from now on...actually going to have a piece for breakfast now.

Oh, my gosh, I just made this again to rave reviews and then had to share the recipe with a friend from Maine and another from Pennsylvania. This time I made a Driscoll's Raspberry sauce and whipped cream to "gild the lily!" It was divine!

where has this recipe been all my life? how did i miss this? the only reason i found it was i saw a tweet about the 'most saved recipe ever" on food52.
i have made it twice. it is so easy. it is so incredibly delicious. it is elegant to look at just sitting there with powdered sugar clinging on top.
oh my goodness, what a find!

This cake is amazing. I serve with a dollop if homemade whipped cream and fresh berries. For some reason, I’ve noticed the cake tastes even better the next day - it gets more moist.

Thank you for sharing this flavorful and delicious cake, Jennifer. We enjoyed the first piece warm-yum!

I brought this to a gathering after a large memorial service for a beloved artist. It was the only dessert. The texture of this cake is very moist but holds together very solidly. Instead of wedges, I cut off two edges and cut the rest into neat squares. Like the loaves & fishes, it fed a lot of people. It was the kind of cake you could hold in your hand and eat, nice for buffet-style serving.

A lovely, simple but memorable cake. Buttery lemon flavor, pillowy moist crumb. Had made it the afternoon prior, left it out on counter. Mine sank in the middle while cooling but that moister, custardy bit was actually a bonus in the end. Served it dusted with confectioner's sugar with a side topping of whipped heavy cream mixed with Greek yogurt (I whip my cream 75% of the way, add 25% Greek yogurt, vanilla & sugar and continue whipping) + raspberries. Four of us polished off the cake at lunch. Will be making this again.

I made this this weekend and it was amazing! My oven actually took the entire 30 minutes and came out perfect! Such a light and easy dessert!

So I had a problem with this cake starting to burn. What did I do wrong. Had to take it out at 23 minutes! 400 degrees and the oven is fine.

Made this lovely cake earlier in the week, it is terrific. Followed recommendations below to have ricotta, butter and eggs at room temp before starting. Also grated a Granny Smith and then squeezed it in a paper towel to remove some moisture.

I really would like to cook this beauty. Is it possible to have the ingredients measured in grams? Many thanks

Did nobody notice that the lady's name on her apron is Loesia instead Louisa?

This was a breeze to make and a joy to devour. I brought to a dinner party and everyone loved it!

My son and I just made this lovely cake after I got home from work. The aroma in the house is lovely and the cake Simply Delicious. We took items directly from the fridge and used them, grated two Gala apples and added them without straining, poured the batter into a buttered and floured bundt pan and popped it in the oven. It came out perfectly. After Cooling we frosted it with pomegranate juice flavored whipped cream and it was Sublime

The comments on this thread are very helpful. Can't wait to try this!

I made this cake twice already, it is delicious! Thanks for the tips below, it came out perfectly cooked each and every time by:

* Ensuring everything is at room temp (incl eggs, and ricotta -- see below)
* Strained the ricotta from the whey that may have accumulated (straining also ensure that ricotta comes up to RT)
* Straining the juice from the apples (I have used Honeycrisp and Granny Smith, both turned out great).
* Creaming the butter, egg, and ricotta well (I use stand mixer, with whip attachment, for several minutes until the batter turns really white)

I also use 8x8 baking pan, spreading the batter thicker toward the side rather than having it level all over. I bake it 400 F in convection oven for 25 minutes, and finish it with a few minutes of broiler setting to brown the top if needs to. The middle will still jiggle, but when a toothpick inserted comes out clean, the cake will continue to solidify/cook on the countertop.

I was so happy with this cake. It was simple and turned out perfectly. I grated the apple in the food processor and there wasn't juice like other commenters have mentioned. My daughter renamed it Mrs. Winter's Ricotta Lemon Cake, yum. I'm thinking about adding a tiny bit of spice to it next week and keeping as it for the summer!

This cake is amazing. Simple enough for a snacking cake and special enough for holidays. Made it for Christmas dessert and it was a hit.

Thanks for reminding me about this cake! I made it back in 2011 and it was delicious!
http://www.staceysnacksonline.com/2011/06/louisas-cake.html

i make a french yogurt cake that is almost identical. i add mixed berries sometimes.

I made this the other day and everyone who tried it loved it! (Including a picky Italian mother) It was denser than I expected which didn't bother me, though I wonder what I did to get that result. I may have not creamed the butter/sugar enough? I used a honeycrisp apple and included the juice in the batter. I baked it for 25 minutes and it jiggled far too much so I let it bake for another 15 minutes. It browned on the sides but not the top. I see some people commented that they made sure all their ingredients were room temperature, while my ricotta and eggs were cold. I'm going to try it like that and without the apple juices to see what happens.
Regardless, it was delicious. I tried it with some apple cider jam I had but the jam overpowered it a bit. I'd probably prefer it with fresh berries but plain is honestly perfect.

I made this cake twice now. The first time I didn't have any ricotta, so I simply added a splash of milk and separated the egg whites from the yolks. I beat the egg whites and added them to the dough as the last step, which made it very airy and thick. After trying the original recipe, I have to say I preferred the previous version without ricotta. It's much lighter and you can really taste the apple. I'd recommend you to try it!

Delicious. I wouldn't call mine airy and light, but I think I creamed the butter and sugar a little too much, not to mention my ricotta was plain old store brand and a little older. I also grabbed whatever apple was on top of the haul from the orchard - no clue what sort it was - and I found it wasn't very noticeable in flavor. The lemon outshines it a bit. Choose your apple type carefully!

I couldn't find my spring form pan and my round pan looked a little small, so I ended up baking it in a pie plate. It popped right out when I flipped it, so all was well.

All that being said, it still tastes great. Today is the second day and I think the flavors are even nicer today. I'll definitely make it more and work out the kinks in my kitchen.

What a lovely cake! I made this delicious cake for a family birthday dinner yesterday and it was a huge hit. My MIL is Italian and just loved the cake. My oven died while making this cake! I had to finish it in my neighbor's oven and did bake longer than the recipe calls for. Despite all these obstacles, this little cake was still a show stopper. I'm not a big frosting fan, so the sprinkle of powdered sugar was perfect. Love this cake.

I was so excited to make this cake especially after reading all the positive comments. My cake turned out heavy and dense about as far from "ethereal" as possible. Any suggestions as to what went wrong?

I somehow missed the initial posting of this recipe. Made it today. It's cooling right now and looks beautiful. I followed the recipe exactly as written. Here's my question: This is not the first time I've noticed a recipe calling for a springform pan, yet when I look at the pics it is actually baked in a high sided regular cake pan. What's the reason for this? I find it strange that you call for one thing in the recipe, but actually bake it in a different type of pan. As I said, this isn't the first time I've seen you do this. I'm very curious.

Thank you, I've been enjoying making, and sharing this cake, since it was first posted. It is the perfect light, but rich, sweet, but not too sweet, delight. It is cooling on the counter now.

I made this cake two weeks ago, and I adored it. It is different, moist, delicious. I had to stop myself from making it the moment we finished it. You can see it here http://comidadeconforto.blogspot.pt/2017/09/louisas-cake-bolo-de-ricotta-e-limao.html

I'm always on the hunt for another perfect cake to add to my recipe stash and this one is definitely a keeper. Subtle balanced flavors and just enough creaminess make it so good. I baked this on a convection bake setting and ended up laying a piece of foil over the top for the last 5 minutes or so as the cake had already browned nicely on top by then.

Just made this cake. I changed the flour to cake flour & the sugar to caster sugar. Absolutely LOVE LOVE this cake. My lil cousin is a picky eater & she absolutely loved this cake. She ate 2 pieces. WOW!!! Definitely making again. Topped it with fresh peaches. Thinking using huckleberries next time.

I made a gluten free version subbing in mochiko rice flour, potato starch, and a bit of tapioca starch. It came out great. Planning to try a version with oat flour next.

This is my go-to cake for something simple and delicious. I've served it with blackberry topping - a favorite!

After this being in my saved recipes for a while, I finally made it. I have to say, it came out looking exactly like the picture (I followed the recipe exactly, though I had to bake it about 10 minutes longer). Taste is both buttery and lemon-zesty, and texture tends a bit toward cheesecake. I'd like to substitute cornmeal for 1/4 cup flour next time and see how it turns out.

Wow! So moist and delicious! I took a large slice to my neighbor to share with her husband and young son - she polished off the whole thing in about 3 minutes! Lol.

Very nice and have made it for my morning tea group tomorrow, only Hubby had a first taste and he approved so had to have a second helping. I'll sure be making this one again soon. thanks for posting this one

I made it last night. Served it with lemon curd (and slugged in a bit of vanilla too) - fantastic. Some comments from my experience are: it fluffed up a lot more than the photo in the recipe, but it also took 10-15 minutes longer than the recipe suggested. The old wooden skewer test the best indicator. definitely made it into the regular cake rotation.

I just made this cake last week when I found myself with extra ricotta. It was a perfect snacking cake throughout the week. I could not locate my springform pan so used a 9 inch regular cake pan and once cooled, it plopped out just fine. I think a dollop of cream or a bit of warm jam would have made it even better! Will keep recipe to make again. Thanks!

I've made this cake more than 10 times and it's always a crowd pleaser. It's now a staple for all family events. I serve with vanilla bean ice cream that's topped with olive oil and a sprinkle of maldon.

This cake is a stunner. Impressed all who ate it. Served with a tart rhubarb compote that truly made it shine. Thank you

All the family loved it! Even if the cake was a little fudgy at the bottom. Has anyone encountered that problem? It's not the first time this has happened to me when baking with ricotta. Could it be the ricotta? The variety widely for sale here is quite creamy and maybe contains more moisture than other brands? Doesn't matter, though, the cake was a winner anyway!

It is so interesting to follow all the comments on this cake and mostly all complimentary and positive. This has become one of my favorites and fun to make. I have made a strawberry sauce and a raspberry sauce to spoon over it and all of my friends love it.

This was a wonderful cake, especially considering how easy it is and the small amount of ingredients. It will be my new go-to cake for when I have guests over.

This was amazing. Everyone loved it and it was super easy. I used a granny smith grated it and then pulsed it a few times with my stick blender. My cake was a little giggly in the middle when it came out of the oven but I was patient and let it rest and cool and everything settled into place perfectly. MAKE THIS CAKE!!

this is now the official "perfect cake" in my home. easy to make, ethereal texture, wonderful flavor. I cut down the amount of sugar, as I always do with desserts. Also, i have to cook it about 3 minutes longer than recommended: make sure it is slightly golden AND pulling away from the sides as per instructions. absolutely wonderful cake!

Gorgeous cake. I just made the recipe as written, but had to use a tube pan because I couldn't find my springform pan. My apple turned brown quickly - it was one of the crunchy pink varieties - but I didn't mind. It still came out wonderful, and was done at 27 min.

Which type of apple is best for this recipe?

Unfortunately my cake did quite look like the picture? My cake wasn't fluffy and brown, as shown in the picture . In fact I thought it was very disappointing, not something to brag about.

Louisa=Luisa Italian/Spanish spelling

I made this cake twice already and am an inexperienced lousy cook and it came out lovely. A go to recipe. SCORE!

I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but I must admit that this recipe does not set people up for success. For example, why are we measuring butter in tablespoons? Nobody should measure butter in tablespoons unless it's melted--it's just not practical! Also, baking a cake in a 400 degree oven for the entire duration is a recipe for disaster, especially if it is baked in a vessel as thin as a spring form pan. This cake does not need to be baked at such a high temperature! Lastly, the recipe does not mention in what order we are to add the wet and the dry ingredients--it just says to slowly add everything. Are we slowly adding everything in intervals? Do we sift the dry ingredients together first before adding them in? What end result are we trying to achieve? Should we be trying to encourage a bit of gluten development or are we minimizing it in this instance? I'm not trying to be overly critical--it's just that these ingredients are expensive and time-consuming to produce (like freshly-made ricotta cheese) and it would be such a shame to have them go to waste when just a few revisions to the recipe could have such a glorious impact on the end result!

So yeah, started making it and then realized I didn't have an apple, or applesauce. No appley anything. No worries, it still tasted fine. Not squishy, as some have noted, baked in a ceramic dish. Second day, getting a wee bit dry, drizzle with some Saba. If you don't have this, get some, it's delicious! Unaged, cooked grape must. Mmmm.

Made this cake with store bought ricotta last night. It turned out beautifully.
Sprinkled the top with raw cane sugar flavoured with grapefruit (before baking).
The cake was moist and flavourful. Will definitely be making this again as it is so quick to prepare.

I made this cake a few weeks ago, using some questionable self rising flour because that's all I had on hand. It was delicious, though slightly deflated. I baked at 400 for probably closer to 40-45 minutes, ended up with a nice brown crust all around, still moist. Kept it room temp for a few days, then wrapped up the leftover pieces to freeze; I just had a piece from the freezer, still delicious, which reminded me to comment!

At the risk of sounding like one of "those" people who change the recipes -- this would qualify as an emergency hack... I didn't have an apple, so I used a 1/4 cup of apple sauce. Pleased to report it came out OK. I did add about 5 minutes to the bake time. I'm guessing this cake could withstand even the most ham-handed hacks and still be pretty good. Rod (below) is onto something with the broiler... I usually put the leftover/day old cake under the broiler for a minute to caramelize the top and edges. Gives it a nice, subtle crunch which makes a nice difference.

This is an outstanding recipe. I followed the directions exactly and didn't have the sagging center problem that others report. I did flash it under a broiler (very watchfully) just to carmelize the top a little. Because I had made a batch of Mandarin Orange Marmalade earlier that day, I whipped up some marmalade butter-cream and piped that around the top. Really took it over the top.

Excellent. Leftovers next day, I reheated a slice in the microwave 15 seconds and it was even better. Very buttery.

try tapping the cake pan with the batter before putting it in the oven. That helps prevent the deflating, also, check your expiration on your baking powder. That also may have an effect! I am wondering, what kind of apple does everyone use and when you grate it, then mix with the mixer the apple gets all crushed up, are you suppose to fold in the apple? a bit confusing. Also I am assuming not to squeeze out the liquid from the apple?

I also have made this cake twice and the center sinks a lot. I am not a novice. Any ideas??

I have made this cake twice now and everyone loves it! But I have a problem. After I take it out of the oven, it deflates in the middle and turns all moist and loses the cake texture. It tastes wonderful but it looks nothing like in the picture. What am I doing wrong?

Kim Sue,room temp will work,even for a few days.

How do you store this cake? i just made one and want to bring it to work tomorrow. Refrigerator or covered at room temp?

I always have trouble with my fan assisted oven. Every cake I bake following the instructions it comes out very dry. I do know that for fan assisted ovens you should reduce the temperature, but can anyone advice if they did bake this cake in a fan asssted oven, what temperature was the oven set on? Thanks 😀

My boyfriend proposed to me after I made him this cake. No joke. We now call it engagement cake and we make it all of the time! I think even without the strong emotional attachment this would still be one of my favorite cakes to make.

Marghet,the honey glaze would work fine. This cake is a little pale,so between the glaze and the baked apples it will be delicious.

I am tempted to make this for Rosh Hashanah since there's apple in the recipe. Was debating brushing on a honey glaze (honey + hot water) after it comes out and topping with apples baked with butter + cinnamon. Or making a honey + sugar icing. Wanted to throw this out there to see if it sounded good or anyone had advice!

Can this be frozen?

I had only half cup fresh part skimmed ricotta from my blue apron dinner. I added half cup low fat yogurt because that was I had. Used Granny Smith Apple. 1.5 regular size lemon zest. It came out so good! Makes me wonder if I can make it with yogurt instead of ricotta cheese which I don't have regularly in my refrigerator.

Bonus: This cake is delicious even when you forget to put in the 1 T of baking powder!

Has anyone baked this at a high altitude? I would like to hear suggestions for adjustments at 5000 ft elevation.

Made this cake a few weekends ago and it was amazing!!
Everyone who got a slice loved it; thank you!!

This would be simple if it didn't require making fresh ricotta. Has anyone made this with the store bought stuff?

This cake was SO GOOD. The ricotta and citrus flavor is great, and is a perfect dessert for people that do not like overly sweet desserts. I topped it with powdered sugar and blueberries for a dinner party, and everyone loved it. However, the first time I did it in a 10in springform pan, I got the time wrong and it was too wet (then I put it in for longer and it was too dry). So the next time I did the 400 for 40 minutes (put foil on top at 30 min to prevent burning) and used a toothpick to determine when it was done to take it out to cool. I also had to reconcile that it will be a moist cake, but that doesn't mean it is underbaked.

So good! I'm not a cake person, but this is beyond delicious. The texture is a really moist crumb. I did squeeze some liquid out of my grated Apple. I also didn't have lemon on hand so I had to use lime zest. I then added a splash of almond extract. This recipe is going under my favorites!

Has anyone made it without apples? I don't have one, should I substitute apple sauce>?

Just made this & it was delicious! Super moist & delicately flavored. And most importantly VERY easy!!!! Do not have a springform pan so I chose to use a bundt pan-It came out great, just don't expect your typical bundt cake that's very puffy-this cake doesn't puff up in fact it deflates a little after you take it out of the oven-but don't worry-it's fine!!A previous poster said she doubled the recipe for bundt pan & I would agree with this if you wanted a full to the top bundt pan. I buttered it very well & dusted with flour & had no trouble with it sticking. Definitely bake til very golden brown & you see sides pulling away & be sure to cool in pan before trying to remove. This would be perfect with fruit and/or whipped cream!!!

Baked it on 375 for 35 minutes turned out amazing! Very moist and lovely with a bowl of berries. Can't wait to bake it again.

I'm baking this recipe using ?coconut sugar ?

Loved it. the lemon really popped and the cake was so great and wasn't overly sweet or anything like that.

I just made this cake for the first time, and it is absolutely divine. I baked it in an electric oven at 375 degrees for 40 minutes. I think it helped that my butter and eggs were completely at room temperature, and I was careful to cream the butter and sugar till very fluffy but not to beat the final mixture too much.

I'll admit to having a bit of an obsession with this cake. When it's perfect, it's amazing with fresh fruit in the way that only a few cakes ever really are. That said, there's a bit of a learning curve with this recipe. I've made it in three separate ovens with mixed results. Never has it finished in less than 30 minutes, and usually it's best around 40. I've played temperature and while it doesn't make a huge difference, I do opt for the 375-degrees around 40 minutes. The best gauge however is lightly touching the top to make sure it doesn't feel underdone. Or a toothpick, though that has been misleading. Each time I fear I've overbaked it, and it's still pretty moist. I would NOT go on the color. When it finishes, it's usually darker than "golden" but with a bit of powdered sugar on top, it's beautiful. If the texture isn't cakey (as many here have noted), it's undercooked. Hold out for a cake texture. It's really a wonderful cake to accompany fruit...from strawberries to cranberries. Amazing.

Help... I made this for the first time - love the taste combo, but mine came out might squishy in the center. I saw it jiggle after 30 minutes, so I left it in for 10-13 minutes longer. Very soft in the middle after letting it rest/cool for 40 minutes. Any strategies? TIA

Mine turned out closer to a cheesecake, but it was a super super delicious cheesecake that we all loved. Would definitely make this again!

I made this last night and at 25 mins my cake was wobbly, so I left it in for another 10 and WOW. It was delicious with an awesome crumb. It's sweet but not overly so, that apple melts into the cake and sweetens it a bit.

I was expecting it to be more dense, but it's not. It's just lovely! I had room temp butter and eggs and mixed the sugar/butter for awhile, and added the eggs slowly--I think making sure that those are really fluffy made a difference in the crumb. I added everything but the baking powder and flour to the sugar/egg/butter bowl, mixed again really well, and then added the dry for a quick incorporation at the end and it didn't toughen up.

I tried making the cake, going exactly off the recipe but it came out like a pound cake. Has anyone found this? I love the taste of the cake and want to make it again to find what I did wrong. Any suggestions? Has anyone tried using a water bath?

Just finished cooling a gluten free adaptation of this (using a hand whisk, no stand mixer, I might add—it was easy). The crumb might be a bit more tender than with wheat flour, but it tastes lovely and looks gorgeous with just a touch of confectioner's sugar. Plan to serve it with the rumtoph, left over from Christmas, on the side.

No,Tara,but I'll bet with a few adaptations you will get a cake with a much better crumb/crust from your Bundt pan. It will be a much thinner cake than using a cake pan,so watch the time to ensure you don't dry it out. I also would double coat the Bundt with PAM or Wilton cake release so it doesn't break coming out. Let us know how it works. I too,love this recipe!

Has anyone tried/is it possible to make this in a bundt pan? I've made this cake before and it was fantastic, but want to test out my new pan!

Most recipes for baked goods are now written in weight. Food scales are inexpensive and worth having in a kitchen. I've been cooking for 40 years but just started baking in the last 2. Most of the recipes I've used have been in weight. Many of the new cookbooks give measurements in both volume and weight. Thanks Laila for your conversion info!

For the Metric bakers... here is the conversions (I measure everything in grams)...125 g unsalted butter, 225 g granulated sugar, 150 g eggs, 160 g all purpose (plain) flour, and 250 g Ricotta

Zelda... Butter is 113 grams or 4 ounces per 8 tablespoons..which comes to 1/2 cup...if you weight your ingredients, a tablespoon is around 14 grams or 1/2 ounce...hope that helps..

And it occurs to me you may use metric units. Solid or wet, a tablespoonful is 15 ml or 15 cc, if that helps.

Zelda, here in the US, butter comes wrapped in sticks that are marked by tablespoon so it's easy to cut off whateer you need when the stick comes from the refrigerator. When I was living on a farm and churning my own, I used a rigid, rounded tablespoon measuring spoon scooped into the butter when it had softened a little, ran a knife across the top rather like evening a tablespoonful of dry ingredients, and slid the butter out.

How on earth do you measure butter in tablespoons unless it's melted?

I agree with JBF of Brooklyn... writing recipes, especially desserts, in grams or ounces helps gets uniform results. That is why reviews for all recipes are contradictory.. that is one reason I check European and other recipes first... But to comment on the texture of this cake, it is more a cheesecake than a fluffy cake, the recipe should mention what to expect in results.. Everyone in my household enjoyed this cake...

This still one of my favorite cakes and have made it now several times. I have had no trouble with it and am sorry JBF had a difficulty. It is always well received. I for one do not want the ingredients in grams.

Made this cake last night and followed JF's lead: 10 min at 400, 375 for 40 min.Used a 9" springform. The bottom layer did not cook through. Hard to believe that out of 188 comments everyone loved this cake. It was a heavy and dense cake. I must have done something very wrong! Did not work for me. And, it's time to put all ingredients in grams. PLEASE.

Read many of the reviews, felt moved to make this cake and have no regrets! It's easy, delicious and just right the way it's written. I started the oven at 400, after 10 min reduced the temp to 375. In a 9" spring form pan it took 40 minutes. Dusted with powdered sugar and served with fresh raspberries. A definite keeper of a recipe.

I made this today, following recipe as written. I did bake at 375 for 35 minutes and it was perfect. Unbelievable good. Served with fresh blueberries. So delicious. I will email this recipe to my girls that cook with me and urge them to bake this as soon as possible so they too can partake in this luscious little cake.

Made this recipe last night and it was perfect! Followed instructions exactly and the cake was perfection. Looks beautiful with just confectioner's sugar sprinkled on top, but I also made a blueberry compote to top it off. Enjoyed by all. A simple all-around delicious cake!

This is the first recipe I tried from Food52 and I must say, it's definitely a keeper. This is the best cake I ever made. The texture is smooth, fluffy and moist and the lemon and ricotta create a lovely depth of flavour. Loved it! Thank you for the recipe. I had two tiny problems though. I'm Dutch and 400 degrees fahrenheit translates as 205 degrees celsius. After 10 minutes the cake was already really starting to brown, so I turned the oven down to 383 fahrenheit/195 celcius. After 25 minutes I had to take it out, because any longer in the oven would have burned it, but after eating it, I realised it could have done with 5 min. more in the oven. It was only slightly underdone near the bottom. So next time I'm going to start with 375 degrees fahrenheit. Another thing, that is really driving me crazy, is that various Dutch cooking websites, use different measurements for 1 cup of flour. Several state 1 cup as 120 grams, some 125 and some 130. Driving me seriously nuts. Isn't there an official American Cup Measuring Institute and if not, why the hell not? :D

I'm so glad my brother sent me a link to this beautiful cake. We absolutely love it!
I followed the recipe exaclty the same except for the baking temp. and time. I preheated my oven to 190°C and baked it for 40 minutes on middle rack. Came out beautifully golden with leveled top. Simplicity at its finest.

Delicious delicioud delicious. Wish I had read the comments first, as I had to bake mine longer, too, but worried about it. I skipped the lemon zest, too often I find it interferes in the taste for me. My only disappointment: I had hoped this would be an apple cake, an apple-TASTING cake, and it wasn't. Would really like a recipe for one, to take advantage of the season.

I made this with just 1 stick of butter and 3/4 c. sugar, also using fresh made ricotta. I used a shredded gala apple that wasn't too juicy but grated on a plate and included any liquid.
Baked at 400 for 35 minutes which was the perfect amount of time. This is a fantastic cake, so tender. 5 year old devoured as well!

OMG if you have any doubts anout whether to try this cake, Don't!! It is the modern version of my Swiss grandmother's pound cake. Lighter but with substance and depth. Highly revommemd!

I followed earlier recommendations to bake at 375...Waited until toothpick removed clean. About 45 minutes. Sprinkled powdered sugar on top? Honestly, folks it doesn't get much better than this...Enjoy!

I am an experienced baker but always looking for simple cake recipes to whip up quickly.
This cake fits the bill. I did make a few changes and it turned out beautifully.
Creamed the butter and 3/4 cup sugar and eggs then I added zest and juice of 1 lemon and apple and ricotta and 1 tsp vanilla bean powder (I dry out my used up whole scrapped out vanilla beans and grind them in a coffee grinder to make a powder) then beat all till combined and fluffy (may sepaarte a little at this point and that's ok then I added all the dry ingredients all at once and beat on low for a minute or two then I strred in 1/2 cup sliced almonds and poured in pan the topped with another 1/2 cup sliced almonds. Like most others I did bake it a little longer at the 400 degrees, In an 11" springform pan lined with parchment on the bottom. At the 30 minute mark I lay a piece of foil loosely on top of the cake to prevent it from burning. Turned out golden all over even the almonds were toasted. Very tasty little coffee cake. I finished it with a sprinkle of icing sugar to decorate.

I made this last night and it is delicious! And I love the texture. I only had about 7 Tbsp of butter so I added two Tbsp of coconut oil. And I used two apples and squeezed out a lot of the juice. Thanks to all the commenters for giving me the courage to tweak a recipe when I don't have exactly what I need. The cake was fantastic.

This cake is fantastic. It is exactly what I want during the week or anytime really and so moist! I especially like the addition of the apples. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and voila, done. Thanks for sharing.

I've made this thrice! Knock-out every time. Thank you very much.

This cake was great. Perfectly moist and very easy to make. Everyone loved it.

I made this cake last night and it was fabulous! Served it with sliced peaches and blueberries. Am thinking that pitted bing cherries and peaches would be delicious, also. I too had to bake this 10-15 minutes longer.

This is fantastic and easy. With three guys in the house it barely lasted 24 hours, but it looks like it keeps well.

This is a wonderful and simple cake. So easy and soooo good!
It took almost 2 apples to grate one cup of apples. Loved it!!

Beautiful cake.. I made mine in an 8 inch springform and my cake is 2 inches high. two changes only that does not compromise the original recipe. 1) added 2 grated apples with the juice. 2) baked at 375 for 37-40 minutes on middle rack. I did not open the oven until after the 35 minutes to avoid it sinking in the middle. I got golden color all around and a leveled top. For those adding vanilla, it really takes away from the original Italian cake, the lemon zest is enough to take care of any egg smell. A winner

Baked it for about 30 minutes and it was set. I used two grated apples and squeezed out the excess liquid...wonder if that's why the cake baked faster than other posters reported. Cake is golden but not as brown as the photo. I added a teaspoon of vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon of orange flower water. Will let you know how it tastes!

My husband declared this one of his favorite cakes, ever. I followed reco's to cook for 40 min at 375, reduce sugar to just a smidge under 1 cup, added a TBSP of aged rum--perfection. Also, Bellwether Farms makes an amazing whole jersey milk ricotta. Worth seeking out!

I made this over the weekend and also found it light and delicious! I will echo others' comments, though, that I needed to bake mine a bit longer than 25-30 minutes (more like 35-40) in order for the middle to set and a tester to come out clean. And, after doing so, the bottom and sides of the cake were a little browner than ideal. Next time, I might try baking it for a little longer but at 350 or 375 (or dropping the temperature halfway through).

Oh wow, this is such a gorgeous cake recipe. It's light, moist and has a tight crumb. It's perfect for any kind of setting you'd use a teacake for.

I've made this cake three times now, but mine never turns out like the picture above. The bottom 1/3 seems denser, and looks almost underdone. I feel like it could be a little more fluffier/taller like in the picture. Not sure what's wrong with it. Other than that, it tastes fantastic. Just trying to see if I can improve texture.

What a great recipe! I made this cake tonight, and after adjusting the time as suggested by the other reviewers, it turned out perfect! It's super moist and has a great texture. Will definitely make this again!

perfect. this is like a cross between a lemon bar and a cheesecake without the bad qualities of either - no hyper dense or silky sickness of the cheesecake, no saccharine gloopy teeth-coating punch of a lemon bar.

This recipe spoke to me and so I ventured and baked the cake ... the consistency was good -( despite the fact that I only used 1 teaspoon of the baking powder ) used gala ( local apples ) and somewhat the apples flavor was hidden ... the lemon zest was somewhat hidden as well. As far as the sugar ( sweetened ) for my taste and husband's taste it was overly sweetened - so will give it a chance again - but will make the following changes : Less sugar - will use the tablespoon of baking powder- more apples and lemon zest - and a pinch of vanilla and dark rum ... :)! these last 2 ingredients are part of the French apple cake - that whips in minutes and its delicious ... Just my humble feedback

What a fantastic, easy cake. Gorgeous texture. Wonder if you could somehow turn it into a chocolate cake?

I used the part skim milk ricotta cheese and the cake came out delicious! Next time I'll try it with whole milk ricotta and see if it comes as the same, texturewise.

This was amazing! I used fat free ricotta and it was very good, very moist. Served with a coulis made from pluots.

Delicious but mine fell in the center after baking for 40 min (I would have baked longer but I banged the pan when taking it out, causing the fall). I think I must have overbeaten the egg mixture before adding the flour & ricotta. The middle of the cake is still wonderful -- seems undercooked but it's not. It's kind of a pudding texture.

Has anyone tried making it with part skim ricotta?

I made this cake yesterday and it was so so good! I love how moist and sweet the apples make it, and the lemon zest is just the right amount to give the cake a bright taste. The only topping I used was a dusting of powdered sugar and that was perfect. Will definitely make again soon!

I made this cake but had to bake it for like 50 minutes and it came out perfect!!
Just like the picture. Lol. So delicious!

Shehias,yes,simply test your cake with a toothpick as you near the end of baking time to see when it comes out clean. This batter is moist anyway with the grated apples ,so using a regular 8 or 9 inch pan is simply a matter of depth of batter in whichever pan size you choose. Ps,it doesn't rise a whole lot so there should be no fear of overflowing whichever you make...ch

Can this be done in a regular cake pan?

Made this and it was really good. But it wasn't as fluffy as it looks in the photos. And the only thing I did differently was use brown sugar and my ricotta was fresh but the kind you buy from wholefoods that has a month long expiration date. Any advice as to what I may be doing wrong?

My husband has made this cake to serve to company or for dinners we're invited to. Every single time anyone tastes it, they want the recipe. It's simple appearance is deceptive. It's one of our favorite recipes. I wish that Louisa was a regular contributor, either via her friend Jennifer or on her own. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.

Has anyone tried adding a tsp of vanilla flavoring?

Made it for a party over the weekend and topped it with fresh blueberries. Got multiple requests for the recipe!

Very Yummy. Added a little lemon essence to the batter. Made a fresh strawberry sauce for the topping. Very light and summery dessert. Will make again

Very moist cake. It reminds me of my neighbor's mother's sour cream cake. I topped it with a fresh blackberry topping. My husband went back for a second slice. I added this recipe to my cake file. I definitely will be making this again through the summer with a variety of fruit toppings. Delicious, quick and easy!

I made this today and it is great. It is very light and fluffy. I baked at 350 for 40 minutes and it's perfectly done. I made my own ricotta and I have about a cup left over, and I think I'll put some on top of my next slice.

Love this cake. I follow the recipe to a T and it turns out wonderfully each time. When I ask my Italian boyfriend what sweet I should make he usually replies, "The Nonna Cake!" Thank you, SML Office!

I think that this cake' beauty is it's simplicity - I would not add anything. All I do is light dusting with powdered sugar. But everyone's taste buds are different. The fun of baking is in experimentation, right? What is the worst that is going to happen? I am sure that in any case this will be really really good and there is always the chance that your experimentation will render something fantastic.

Could this recipe be used to make petits fours, or do you think the addition of petits fours icing would overwhelm the flavor?

I absolutely love this recipe. I just finished make this wonderful cake and it is delicious. I only added 3/4 of a cup of sugar instead of the whole cup the recipe asked for. The cake is so moist it almost feels like a cheesecake only better:) Thanks for this recipe.

It was only a couple of months old, but I did buy an off brand... I'll buy the good stuff and try it!

It sounds like your baking powder wasn't fresh http://www.thekitchn.com/baking-tricks-how-to-tell-if-b-111759

Renee B... It was tasty, but it was really flat. I am going to try it again.... I must have done something wrong. Is it really one Tablespoon of baking powder?? I did use that amount...

I just made this....it came out flat as a pancake.....:(

any substitute for ricotta cheese? Ricotta not available in my country.

I used a 10" springform pan, and I, too, found it wildly underdone at the given time, quivering in the middle like a custard. I ended up with around 40 minutes and while it pulled from the edges and a toothpick came out clean, it was still a tad underdone. Nevertheless, I, too, love it and will make it again. And I'll cut parchment or waxed paper to cover the bottom of the pan so it comes out more cleanly.

I just made this after reading all of the comments, and it was wonderful! I set the oven to 350 and left it in for another 10-15 minutes. When I took it out of the spring form pan, it felt warm and soggy on the bottom, and a bit sugary. However, when it cooled, it was moist and delicious. I did cut the sugar down to one-cup and I grated some fresh nutmeg into the flour mixture. All and all, a simple, lovely dessert.

I sure wish that SML Office would post more recipes. This a favorite of ours—and friends and family too. It's modest appearance belies the wonderful texture and flavor. Thanks for sharing, please share more!

Pure Heaven.

Again I ask - is there something special about unsalted butter?
Could you not use salted butter & omit the pinch of salt?

Absolute perfection in its simplicity! I made it exactly as instructed and loved it and, what's more, my husband who usually does not eat sweets, ate a big piece while still warm. Planning to make it tomorrow for brunch while lazying about the house.

Brilliant. I made it as directed. Excellent. Used less sugar - probably 1/4 cup less. followed a previous post with grating the lemon and apple into the ricotta to prep ahead. Will make again.

This is probably the best cake I have ever made, we devoured it at the kitchen table right out of the oven and it was gone by evening. This time round I subbed half of the butter for unsweetened home made apple sauce, used 2 tbs less sugar and added 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut in place of 1/4 cup of the flour. Love love love this cake, in all of its mild variations. Thanks so much for posting this recipe.

I made this on tuesday and it was so soft and light, like an angel ( as my boyfriends grandmother said as she tasted it and swooned) well I beaned, thank you for such a tasty and easy recipe! Next day it was denser but sweet and delicious in a great way, can't wait to make this again.

Sorry- I meant mix the lemon zest, ricotta and apple together (right away, during prep) and sift flour, salt and baking powder (also right away, during prep) then alternate adding in Step 5.

I also had to drop the temperature down to 350 after it browned too quickly. Next time I make it (because I will, it was excellent) I might try just baking it on 350 the whole time. Also, Step 5 is a little oddly phrased (slowly mix in wet and dry ingredients together). So I mixed in the apple first, then alternated ricotta and flour. Not sure if it makes a difference- maybe next time I will just mix the apple into the ricotta right away (during prep) so less chance of it browning.

I made this today and ran into a couple of problems.

1. I took the cake out of the oven at 30 mins and the inside was still soft, so I put it in again at 350 (as per someone else's suggestion in the comments) and it was done after about 10-15 additional minutes.

2. I am a poor college student and used a regular cake pan rather than a spring form pan. I let the cake cool in the pan according to directions, but when I tried to take it out, the middle of the cake fell out and went to pieces. So I will definitely use a spring form pan next time.

Other than that, this is such a delicious cake and very straightforward to prepare!

Simple but definitely something. It was amazing, thank you for the recipe.

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.

This is a wondeful cake and simple to make. I followed the recipe exactly and it came out perfectly. Thank you!

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.

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.

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!

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!

this is a gorgeous, GORGEOUS cake

Made this for our annual family ski trip. It was a huge success!!! Everyone absolutely loved it. Thank you.

Best cake ever! Delicious!

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.

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.

What a lovely and heavenly cake! I made it yesterday for dessert and it was just awsome!

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".

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.

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 :-)

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"

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.

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.

Should fresh ricotta be drained a bit first please?

My boyfriend has loved it

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!!!

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.com/2011/05/18/orange-and-apple-ricotta-cake/

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.

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!

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!

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!

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.

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).

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.

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!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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!

made this cake for Easter, a HUGE hit. HUGE. amazing recipe.

This cake is so light and delicate. Thanks for this really wonderful recipe.

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.

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.

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!

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!

This is one super cake. I'll think of that pic of Louisa every time I make it, which will be often!

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!

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!

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.

What a lovely cake.

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.

Just made it -- it's a lovely, rich, moist lemony cake. So easy to make.

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?

I brought this cake to work today for a potluck and everyone enjoyed it and asked for the recipe! Very nice.

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.

Congratulations on your win! I'm very excited to try this cake.

Congratulations. I like how it is so easy and delicious to make it!

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

Congrats and thanks for the recipe!

congrats on your win! this takes me back (or so i wish) to our trips to Italy, thanks for the story!

Congratulations! Looking forward to trying this soon.

Have saved this recipe to make soon. Congrats!

Oh, I'm so happy for you! Your cake and its story are simply lovely!

Congratulations on the win!!

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!

Love times infinity.

Congrats on being a finalist!

Ahhh, the quintessential Italian dessert . . .fruit and cheese!! Just love this recipe, and am thrilled to see it as a finalist. ;o)

great

Congrats!! I think we should both win.... The perfect fresh ricotta meal!!!!

Congratulations - I am baking this today!

Congrats! What a lovely cake.

Such an elegant recipe. Congrats!

What a beautiful cake - sounds like a dessert that's right up my alley! Congrats!

Congrats!

Congratulations... you got my vote..

This is just what I was looking for for Saturday's dessert course! Thank you and congrats!!

Looks like a perfect ending to a Sunday afternoon meal.

I wish that you would update your profile to tell us about yourself... I am not excited about voting for an "office".

Perfect! and so Italian. It's not an overpowering sweet cake. This would be great with fresh fruit.

This looks like the perfect dessert to make for tonight! Congrats on making the finalist round.

Congratulations! I'm so happy to see this lovely cake as a finalist.

I am so glad this is a finalist! Congrats to you on a lovely recipe!

I had a feeling....congratulations!

Congrats! Love that the cake is good for breakfast as well as dessert.

This cake rocks the casbah - please let me join you the next time you visit Louisa!! It is moist and lovely.

This sounds really great!

Wow! And what a lovely story behind the cake.

Sounds perfect!

Sound delicious!

Sounds amazing.

sounds delicious!

What a sweet story! The cake looks lovely, too!

Love