Cherry Cornmeal Ricotta Cake....just because


Christmas is long gone, and there are no more birthdays or anniversaries to celebrate this month.
It's just a boring winter day.

I feel like baking a big festive cake, just because.

I bought a bag of frozen cherries from Trader Joe's months ago, waiting for a winter baking day like this, thankful to find that bag in the back of my freezer.

This recipe is a riff on that popular Cranberry Cornmeal Ricotta Christmas Cake that I made for the holidays years ago.


I swapped out the cranberries for the frozen cherries, and added almond extract instead of vanilla.

Note: this is a BIG cake, so make certain you have the right cake tin. This works best in a 9" springform pan with minimum 3" sides.

If you have some ricotta cheese in the fridge and a bag of frozen fruit hiding in there, make this lovely cake.


Cherry Cornmeal Ricotta Cake:

2 cups flour
1 cup cornmeal
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 sticks butter (1 1/4 cup)
1 1/2 cups sugar (plus more for the top)
1 tsp salt
zest of 1 orange
2 cups ricotta cheese (I used a 16 oz. container)
1 bag of frozen cherries (do not defrost them or they will be runny in the batter)

Preheat oven to 375F.

Grease a 9" cake tin, or a cake pan with at least 3" high sides, and line the bottom with a parchment paper round.

Mix the dry ingredients and then incorporate the eggs, ricotta, butter, sugar and zest.
You can do this with a mixer, or with your muscles.


Add in the frozen cherries last.

Using a rubber spatula, plop the batter into the pan and spread to fill pan.

The baking time will depend on the size of your pan.

I baked the cake for 50 minutes at 375F, then turned the oven down to 350F for another 20 minutes.
So, an hour and 10 minutes, total. If your cake is getting too brown, cover with foil.

Let rest in the tin for about 10 minutes, then unmold the springform latch.

Make an icing with a cup of confectioner's sugar mixed w/ a tablespoon of orange juice and drizzle over the cake while still warm.

This is dense, moist and delicious cake.


Great for a celebration or just because you feel like baking........as I often do!!

xo

Comments

Debby in Tacoma said…
Well. it's my birthday on Monday and now I know what to do with that bag of polenta. Looks delish and a nice cake with the cherries for the month of February.
Stacey Snacks said…
Happy Birthday Debby! xo
Anonymous said…
Hey Ms. Snacks!

Somehow, I don't know how, I'm up and running again.

First off - I guess you give a thumbs up to those TJ cherries?

They look wonderful in your cake - but I'm confirming before I score a bag.

Also - this silliness.

My sister is on a Niagara Falls hotel mailing list and received ---

https://niagarafallshilton.com/events/dinner_inthe_dark/

What a romantic choking hazard!

Is that a scallop? Gnocchi? Mushroom? Giblet?

Yuck!
Carolyn said…
This looks so delicious, I want to make but my whole family is off sugar! A sad situation !!!
Melbourne Girl said…
Made this delicious cake today and it looks and tastes amazing! I didn't have frozen cherries and wasn't sure what size bag you used, so just threw in a drained, 680 gram jar of Morello cherries at the end. My cooking time was a little shorter...I think my oven runs a bit "hot" so all up it took me 55 minutes....and it turned out just right.

Thanks as always for your great recipes Stacey...they're always appreciated.

xx
Ciao Chow Linda said…
Another delicious cake from Ms. Snacks.
Yummy great recipe this. Love cherrys. Thanks for sharing


Simon