Apricot Ricotta Cake - This Italian-inspired Apricot ricotta cake is moist, soft, and almost pudding like in texture. The demerara gives a slight crunch and sweetness to the topping, the apricots provide just enough gooey sweetness, whilst the butter adds a richness that complements the cake perfectly.
Italian-Style Apricot Ricotta Cake
Ricotta cake originated in Sicily, Italy. There are many variations of this cake depending on the region it is from.
Adding fruit makes this tender, light cake even more delicious.
Moist and rich, this easy Apricot ricotta cake uses simple ingredients to bring you one very tasty dessert.
It is so easy to make with simple baking staples. Just 15 minutes prep is all you need and then the oven does the rest of the work!
What’s not to love?
This Ricotta Cake is sweet, moist and flavourful.
This beautiful cake is a perfect way to use up seasonal fruit.
What you need to make this easy Ricotta Cake Recipe
This easy Apricot cake requires simple, familiar ingredients, and it is very likely that you may already have most of the ingredients in your pantry and fridge. Here is what you need to make it:
Caster Sugar
Or Granulated Sugar or Light Brown Sugar.
Demerara Sugar
This amber coloured sugar has a mellow flavour and adds crunch to the top of the cake .
The extra sugar also adds sweetness.
Fresh Apricot
Apricots with the stone removed and halved. You can also use other fruits such as Peaches, Plums, Cherries, Raspberries, Blueberries.
Ricotta Cheese
Ricotta is what makes this cake so rich and tender. It also adds a lot of moisture.
Any regular supermarket ricotta is fine. Make sure it is full fat ricotta for a creamy, moist texture with a hint of sweetness.
Butter
I use salad Butter. You and also use Unsalted Butter and add a pinch of Salt.
Eggs
Room temperature Eggs are best. These add lift, richness and tenderness.
Self Raising Flour and Baking Powder
Or use Plain Flour/All Purpose Flour with an additional 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder.
Pinch of Salt
To balance the flavours and bring everything together.
Lemons
I like to use the zest of 2 lemons to add plenty of flavour. You could also use Orange Zest or Orange rind.
How to Make this Almond Ricotta Cake with Important Tips
Pre-heat your oven to 180°C / 360°F/Gas mark 4.
Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin/springform pan with baking paper/parchment paper.
Add Ricotta, Sugar and Lemon Zest to a large bowl or stand mixer.
Beat for 5 minutes with a wooden spoon or with the whisk attachment in a stand mixer until pale, light and fluffy.
Add the melted Butter and and continue mixing on a medium-high setting for 2 minutes.
Add Eggs one at a time beating between each addition.
Fold in the dry ingredients - Flour, Baking Powder, Salt.
TIP: Do not over-mix your cake batter. An over-mixed batter will leave you with a chewy and too dense a cake.
Pour batter into prepared pan/tin and smooth out out the surface with the back of the spoon.
Place Apricots on top of the Batter and sprinkle over he demerara sugar.
Bake for 1 hour - 1 hour 15 minutes or till golden brown and until a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean.
TIP: After 50 minutes in the oven, begin to check the doneness of the cake. Some ovens will cook faster than others. It may take up to 1 hour 15 minutes for your cake to be fully baked as the Apricots will release some juices and the amount of juice they produce will depend on how ripe they were.
Watch for the top as it starts to brown. If it is browning too much but hasn’t yet set in the middle, cover with foil and continue baking.
Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the tin for 15 minutes.
Take out of the tin, slice and serve.
Top Tips
Ricotta
If your Ricotta looks watery, drain it first. This will ensure that the batter isn’t too watery.
Do not over mix your Cake batter
An over-mixed batter will leave you with a chewy and dense cake.
Baking
Watch for the top as it starts to brown. If it is browning too much but hasn’t yet set in the middle, cover with foil and continue baking.
After 50 minutes in the oven, begin to check the doneness of the cake. Some ovens will cook faster than others. It may take up to 1 hour 15 minutes for your cake to be fully baked as the Apricots will release some juices and the amount of juice they produce will depend on how ripe they were.
Store in the Fridge
As this is a fruit and ricotta cake, any leftovers must be stored in the fridge in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap/cling film.
Variations
Other Fruit Ideas
Most Stone Fruits work well in this recipe. Berries will work too.
Try it with Peaches, Cherries, Plums.
Add Almonds
Top with flared Almonds for some texture.
How to serve
Serve with a dusting of Icing Sugar, a scoop of Ice Cream or a drizzle of Double Cream.
FAQs
Can I freeze ricotta cake?
You can usually freeze ricotta based cakes but because this cake has fruit on it, I would not recommend freeing it.
Try these amazing recipes next:
White Chocolate and Raspberry Loaf Cake
Pear, Lemon and Blackberry Cake
Rose Tres Leches Cake - Rose Milk Cake
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Apricot Ricotta Cake
Ingredients
- 250 g Ricotta
- 230 g Caster Sugar
- 2 Lemons Zest only
- 140 g Butter Melted
- 3 Eggs
- 180 g Self Raising Flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- Pinch Salt
- 5 Apricots Stone removed, cut in half
- 4 tablespoon Demerara Sugar
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 180°C / 360°F/Gas mark 4. Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin/springform pan with baking paper/parchment paper.
- Add Ricotta, Sugar and Lemon Zest to a large bowl or stand mixer. Beat for 5 minutes with a wooden spoon or with the whisk attachment in a stand mixer until pale, light and fluffy.
- Add the melted Butter and and continue mixing on a medium-high setting for 2 minutes.
- Add Eggs one at a time beating between each addition.
- Fold in the dry ingredients - Flour, Baking Powder, Salt.
- Pour batter into prepared pan/tin and smooth out out the surface with the back of the spoon.
- Place Apricots on top of the Batter and sprinkle over he demerara sugar.
- Bake for 1 hour - 1 hour 15 minutes or till golden brown and until a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Take out of the tin, slice and serve.
Patricia Cook says
I have recently started baking cakes (at the ripe old age of 71!) for my husband and friends. This has to be the best one I've discovered so far.
I took half a cake when I went to visit my friend, who is terminally ill, last week. I have just recceived an email from his wife asking if I could possible bring another one when I visit this week!
The texture is wonderful - similar to a cheesecake. I love that hint of lemon, and the crunchie top makes it perfect!
Thank you for this amazing recipe!
Safira says
Oh Patricia thank you so much for messaging me. This is probably one of the nicest messages I have ever had. I am so glad that it was well received and it feels like such an honour to be a small part of this truly heartwarming story. You made my day!