Strawberry and Ricotta Cake

I’m not usually a very fancy baker. When it comes to desserts, I definitely lean rustic. A jam-filled crostata is my go-to, especially when I’m having friends over in Umbria. But when I wrote The Italian Table I realized I’d need a few sweets that pushed me out of my comfort zone.

One of my favorites from that book is the fruit-topped cake I discovered at Masseria Potenti in Puglia, which I couldn’t get enough of while I was there. Their version was piled with figs, and I truly think it’s the kind of cake you can eat all day long. At Masseria Potenti they even serve it for breakfast (because in Italy, cake in the morning is totally normal). I personally love it in the afternoon with an espresso, or after dinner with whipped cream or gelato.

The original recipe calls for just a touch of milk in the batter, but I’ve also come to love Ina Garten’s richer take, made with a full cup of ricotta. Since I happened to have ricotta in the fridge this week, that’s the one I went with. And while hers uses figs, I swapped in strawberries. Honestly? I think I might like this version even better.

You can also use almost any soft, juicy fruit: plums, peaches, even kiwis. Get creative and let me know how it turns out.

Strawberry and Ricotta Cake Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes
Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 ¼ sticks (140 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup fresh whole-milk ricotta
• 2 tablespoons whole-fat plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• grated lemon zest (from one lemon)
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12-14 large strawberries, stems removed and cut in half
• 2 tablespoons light brown granulated sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.
2. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan.
3. Using a stand mixer (optional, but it makes things easier), cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each one in.
4. Next, add and stir in the ricotta, yogurt, vanilla, and lemon zest.
5. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gently fold into the wet mixture. Don’t overmix.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level it out with a spoon. Place the strawberries on top, cut side up, pressing them in slightly. Sprinkle the cake with the brown sugar.
7. Bake for 40 minutes.
8. Let cool, remove from the pan, and serve with whipped cream or crème fraîche.

This recipe is adapted from one by Ina Garten.

If you don’t have any ricotta, there is a similar recipe in my book The Italian Table, which uses milk instead.