Description

This Orange-Ricotta Pound Cake is a moist and flavorful loaf cake that combines creamy ricotta cheese with bright orange zest and a splash of amaretto or orange liqueur. With a tender crumb and subtle citrus notes, it’s perfect for breakfast, dessert, or gifting. Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis, this recipe offers an easy, one-bowl preparation and yields a rich cake that pairs beautifully with tea or coffee.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more to grease the baking pan
1 1/2 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 orange, zested
2 tablespoons amaretto (or Cointreau or Grand Marnier)

Topping

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Grease a 9- or 10 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan thoroughly with butter to prevent sticking.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour (or all-purpose flour), baking powder, and kosher salt until well combined.
Cream Butter, Ricotta, and Sugar: Using an electric mixer, beat the room temperature butter, whole-milk ricotta cheese, and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add Eggs and Flavorings: With the mixer running, add the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Then add the pure vanilla extract, orange zest, and amaretto or your chosen orange liqueur, mixing just until combined.
Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, a little at a time, mixing gently until just incorporated. Do not overmix to avoid a dense cake.
Pour Batter Into Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, filling it no more than three-quarters full to prevent overflow during baking. You can bake extra batter separately in mini pans or muffin tins.
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Mini pans may take about 35 minutes.
Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve: Before serving, optionally dust the cooled cake with confectioners’ sugar for an elegant finishing touch.

Notes

Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis.
If you prefer olive oil cake, try substituting olive oil for butter in this recipe for a one-bowl, easy variation titled One-Bowl Orange-Ricotta Pound Cake.
Use only a 9 x 5-inch or 10 x 5-inch loaf pan or larger, or two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans, to prevent batter spills and uneven baking.
If using an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan, do not fill higher than 3/4 full, or even halfway to be safe; bake remaining batter separately in mini pans or after the first loaf is done.
Three mini loaf pans work well for gifting and smaller portions.
Ensure butter and ricotta are at room temperature for best creaming results.
Storage: Wrap cooled cake tightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (about 1/12 of recipe)
Calories: 320
Sugar: 22g
Sodium: 210mg
Fat: 18g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Unsaturated Fat: 6g
Trans Fat: 0.3g
Carbohydrates: 35g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 6g
Cholesterol: 110mg