Description
This Maple Apple Ricotta Cake is a moist, flavorful dessert perfect for fall, featuring tender apples, creamy ricotta cheese, and a rich maple syrup sweetness. The cake combines warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg with fresh apple slices drizzled in maple syrup, baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
Fruit & Topping
- 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup (for topping)
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9-inch round cake pan to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until evenly combined.
- Cream Butter and Sweeteners: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with the pure maple syrup and packed light brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, creating a creamy base for the cake batter.
- Add Eggs and Flavorings: Beat in the eggs one at a time to ensure full incorporation, then stir in the vanilla extract and the whole milk ricotta cheese until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually fold the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the batter and keeping the cake tender.
- Prepare Apples: Toss the peeled, cored, and thinly sliced apples with lemon juice to prevent browning and add a subtle citrus brightness.
- Assemble the Cake: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared cake pan, then arrange the apple slices on top in overlapping circular patterns for an elegant presentation.
- Top with Maple Syrup: Drizzle the 2 tablespoons of maple syrup over the arranged apples to enhance sweetness and create a glossy finish.
- Bake: Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, indicating the cake is fully cooked.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes to set before transferring it to a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar if desired before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use firm apples such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith for the best texture and flavor.
- For extra maple flavor, substitute maple sugar for the brown sugar in the batter.
- This cake remains moist for several days when stored tightly covered at room temperature.
