I was intrigued to read that superstar baker Dorie Greenspan is working on a book on simple cakes. Simple cakes are the best! You can have a nice slice for breakfast without feeling like you’ve gone off the rails, then another piece in mid-afternoon with a cup of tea. A little sliver before bed with a wee dram of Madeira? Oh, yeah.
This tender, citrusy yogurt cake is a personal favorite; look no further if you’re hunting for an Easter dessert. It loves berries but it’s not berry season so…citrus compote. And once you’ve tasted ricotta cream, you may never make plain whipped cream again.
Absinthe’s Golden Yogurt Cake with Ricotta Cream
I got this recipe from Absinthe restaurant in San Francisco, but I have modified it slightly since first publishing it in Yogurt: Sweet and Savory Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner (Ten Speed Press). I’ve added some almond flavor and a pinch of baking soda for better leavening. The luscious ricotta cream is adapted from Dolce Italiano by Gina DePalma (W. W. Norton).
1 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
⅜ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
½ cup vegetable oil
1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon, Meyer lemon or orange zest
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
⅜ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 ¼ cups sugar
Ricotta Cream:
1 ¼ cups whole-milk ricotta
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon, optional
Preheat an oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with 2-inch sides. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Dust the sides with flour, shaking out the excess.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, oil, zest, vanilla and almond extracts and salt.
In a stand mixer fitted with a whip, beat the eggs on medium speed until frothy. Add the sugar gradually. Raise the speed to medium-high and whip until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is thick and pale, stopping the machine to scrape down the sides of the bowl at least once. Lower the mixer speed and add the yogurt mixture. Mix until blended, then reduce the mixer speed to low, add the dry ingredients gradually and beat just until blended.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly. Bake on a center rack until the surface is golden brown and firm to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then unmold and finish cooling, top side up, on a rack.
To make the Ricotta Cream: Press the ricotta through a sieve using a flexible spatula. In a stand mixer or by hand, whisk the cream, sugar and vanilla to soft peaks, then add the ricotta and continue whisking until the mixture is as firm as you like. I prefer it soft, not stiff.
Slice the cake into wedges and serve with a dollop of Ricotta Cream.
Makes one 9-inch cake