A Cake for your Mom

lemon ricotta pound cake + macerated strawberries + ricotta whipped cream + vanilla olive oil

Happy almost Mother’s Day!

Here’s a cake to make for your mom that makes me think of my mom. Even though she lives far away and I won’t get to share this cake with her in person, I made this cake with her in mind.

If there’s one flavor my mom loves, it’s citrus. She likes light, bright desserts and will always choose anything on a menu with the word “lemon” in the title. So I made a simple, sweet lemon ricotta pound cake, topped with elderflower macerated strawberries, a dollop of ricotta whipped cream, and a drizzle of vanilla olive oil. It feels fancy and put together, but it really couldn’t be simpler. Enjoy and tell your mom that you love her!

lemon ricotta pound cake with berries

makes one 9x5” loaf cake

Ingredients:

for the lemon ricotta pound cake (recipe adapted from Thalia Ho’s Wild Sweetness)

3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 vanilla bean, scraped

1 1/2 cup (190 g) all purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tso kosher salt

3 large eggs

1/3 cup (85 g) whole milk ricotta cheese

for the macerated berries

2 cups fresh strawberries, diced

2 tbsp granulated sugar

2 tbsp St. Germain Elderflower Liquor

for the vanilla olive oil

1 vanilla bean, scraped

1/2 cup olive oil

for the ricotta whipped cream

1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tbsp powdered sugar, sifted

Procedure:

to make the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F and line a 9x5” loaf pan with parchment paper.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the softened butter, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla bean paste. Cream for 2-3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

3. While the butter and sugar is creaming, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

4. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta and lemon juice and set aside.

5. Add the eggs to the bowl of the stand mixer one at a time, mixing after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

6. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by half of the ricotta. Add in another 1/3 of the flour, then the remaining ricotta, and finally, the last of the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined and no flour streaks remain.

7. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the cake is set. Cool completely.

to macerate the berries:

1. Combine the chopped strawberries, elderflower liquor, and sugar in a bowl. Stir and let macerate for at least 30 minutes.

to make the vanilla olive oil:

1. Scrape the paste out of the vanilla bean and place it in a jar. Add the empty vanilla bean pods and the olive oil. Shake well.

to make the ricotta whipped cream:

1. Combine ricotta, heavy cream, and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Whip vigorously using a whisk until soft peaks form.

to serve:

1. Place a dollop of whipped ricotta on a plate and top with a slice of cake. Top with strawberries and a drizzle of vanilla olive oil.

Everything but the ricotta whipped cream can be made ahead of time so there’s very minimal preparation before serving.

P.S. I also get to celebrate my very first Mother’s Day this weekend as a mom and it felt only fitting that Marco helped me test this cake recipe last week. He’s already a great sous chef. ;)