Description
Maple apple ricotta cake brings rustic Italian countryside charm to your dessert table. Layers of moist ricotta cake dance with caramelized apples and rich maple notes, promising a delightful escape you’ll savor with each tender bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruits and Sweeteners:
- 12 ounces (340 grams) thinly sliced apples (approx. 2 large apples)
- ½ cup (170 grams) maple syrup
- ½ cup (100 grams) sugar
- Raw sugar (for garnish)
- Warm maple syrup (for drizzling)
Dairy and Eggs:
- 1 stick (4 ounces or 113 grams) butter
- 1 tablespoon butter (for sautéing)
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ cups (12 ounces or 340 grams) whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9-inch cake pan with butter and parchment paper lining.
- Caramelize apple slices in a skillet over medium heat with butter and a touch of salt, cooking until edges turn golden and slightly crisp.
- Introduce maple syrup to the skillet, allowing the mixture to simmer briefly. Remove from heat and transfer apples and syrup to a separate bowl for cooling.
- Create brown butter by melting remaining butter in the skillet, cooking until it develops a nutty aroma and golden color. Set aside to cool.
- Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, whisking flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
- In another bowl, blend eggs with ricotta, cooled brown butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and well-incorporated.
- Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture using minimal strokes, preventing overmixing. Incorporate three-quarters of the caramelized apples and their maple syrup.
- Transfer batter to prepared cake pan, smoothing the surface evenly. Artfully arrange remaining apple slices across the top.
- Bake on the middle oven rack for 40-45 minutes, checking doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center.
- Allow cake to rest for 10 minutes after removing from oven, then carefully lift out using parchment paper.
- Serve warm or at room temperature, garnishing with raw sugar and a drizzle of additional maple syrup.
Notes
- Caramelize apples slowly to enhance their natural sweetness and develop a rich, deep flavor profile.
- Brown butter adds a nutty, complex taste that elevates the entire cake’s depth and complexity.
- Use room temperature ingredients to ensure smooth, even mixing and a more consistent cake texture.
- Avoid overmixing the batter to prevent a tough, dense cake – fold gently and minimally.
- The maple syrup creates a luxurious glaze that keeps the cake moist and adds a sophisticated sweetness.
- Serve slightly warm to experience the cake’s most tender and aromatic state, with extra maple syrup for indulgence.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 366
- Sugar: 24 g
- Sodium: 295 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg