Another Cherry Cake...this one Five Star Cherry Ricotta

Cake lady here.

Posting yet another cherry cake.
I had to do it.

Since posting this cake last week on my instagram page, I have had about 80 direct messages asking for the recipe.

Many of you have already made it (because I am just so nice, I personally emailed each one of you the recipe!!!), so you know all about it. But for those of you who were patient, I am giving this special cake a special post.

My favorite cakes to date have been the pistachio cake I posted from the NY Times by Nigel Slater, and now this cake, a cherry ricotta one.

It's my usual boring cake. Never fancy.

Made with butter, eggs, orange zest and in a springform pan. What can I say?
I don't like to deviate from the means.

Washington State cherries are my favorite. They taste like what cherries SHOULD taste like! Sweet and dark red. In season now.
I had to bake another cherry cake, I am sorry.

But you will thank me later, because this one is that good.

It is my Heavenly Ricotta Cake minus the raisins.

Since coming back from Italy I have been only using Italian 00 flour, as noted in my other recipes, but if you have All Purpose flour, that's just fine.

I think the orange zest really works with fresh cherries. Lemon zest of course works too.

And what kind of ricotta cheese do I use?

I buy Trader Joe's fresh ricotta and use the whole 16 oz. container.

Ok, here is the recipe for your pinterest file, I hope you make it!

xo

Stacey's BEST Cherry Ricotta Cake (my 5 star rating):

1 1/4 cups sugar
10 tablespoons of butter (1 stick, plus 2 tbsp)
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp almond extract
3 eggs
16 oz. of fresh ricotta
zest of 1 orange
1 cup of pitted cherries (preferably Washington State)

1 1/2 cups of flour (I use Italian "00" flour)
1 tsp kosher salt
2 1/2 tsp of baking powder

Mix the sugar with butter and extracts.

Add in the eggs, one at a time, then add in the zest and ricotta cheese.

Slowly add in the dry ingredients. You don't want to overmix the batter.

Pour batter into a buttered 9" springform pan that has been lined with parchment paper and smooth with a rubber spatula.

Dot the top only with the pitted cherries.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350F, then turn the oven down to 325F and bake the cake for another 30-40 minutes (total baking time 50-60 minutes).

Let cool completely in the tin before unmolding.

I kept this in the fridge (which I usually don't) because it is warm in my kitchen in the summer. Serve at room temperature.

Enjoy!

PS I hate pitting cherries!