I've been updating and improving my chocolate ricotta cake since I first made it and posted it a little over 4 years ago and realized I never kept up with the changes. So happy new year all, it's time to make this yummy, simple cake and celebrate 2014. I made this Saturday night and as I normally do, I've cut some calories and have a decadent little dessert that I'm excited to share with you. If you've never tried a ricotta cake, all I can say is it's creamy on the inside and just a tad crunchy on the top. It's my kind of dessert, hope you like it too.
Dark Chocolate Ricotta Cake
use a large loaf pan
2/3 cup AP flour
2/3 cup old fashioned oats ground in spice grinder or food processor
1/3 cup dark baking cocoa (I've been very pleased with Hershey's)
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter softened
1-1/2 cups Splenda no calorie sweetener (regular sugar will work as well)
15 oz part skim ricotta cheese at room temp
3 large eggs at room temp
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 tsp instant coffee diluted in 1/4 cup boiling water, then cooled
1 cup mini chocolate chips
Prep your loaf pan with cooking spray and pre heat oven to 350 degrees. Set loaf pan aside and get your dry ingredients together. In a medium size bowl sift flour, ground oats, dark cocoa, baking powder and salt. When you're sifting the oats, you'll end up with some of the hull from the grain. Discard it, it's just a tablespoon or two. Set aside your dry ingredients and let's get to the moist.
In large bowl mix butter and sugar for about 2 minutes until combined. Add the ricotta, coffee and vanilla. Now add the eggs.
Mix until your batter is a little curdled looking. Not pretty at this point, but we're getting there.
Time to add the dry ingredients. I do this in two batches and then add the chips and by mix them by hand.
Pour into prepared pan.
Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees and then lower temp to 325 and bake another 45 minutes. Let cool before removing from pan. This is a very rich cake, so I didn't glaze it or even dust it with powderd sugar, but you could certainly do that. Or a dollop of whipped cream would be nice. If you've never tried a ricotta cake before, this is a great introduction to baking with cheese. Simple and simply delicious.
Linda, I really like Hershey's Special Dark cocoa, too. I grab Ghirardelli's chocolates most often for melting but, Hershey's cocoa is great for baking. This cake looks so good, great post. Stay warm, sweetie!
ReplyDeleteHi Melissa- Thanks so much for stopping by. I love the Hershey's too, and my trainer (thin, beautiful, talented baker and never gains a pound) has told me about a few other brands that are better, but more expensive. I think Ghirardelli's might be one of them. You stay warm too. You're a doll!
ReplyDeleteLooks & sounds really good! Definitely have to make this one of these days.. Yum!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah Linda, that cake sounds fabulous and I like that it has dark cocoa as that's my favorite! And Hersey's Special Dark is wonderful! :)
ReplyDeleteLinda this cake sounds marvelous and I've been craving chocolate. This will work great for me since I'm staying away from refined sugar. Should take care of my cravings for sweet and chocolate. Going to make this today!!
ReplyDeleteDiane, I'm excited you're going to make this. The Splenda seems to work for me because I have a sweet tooth often. It's much finer than sugar, so you may get sprinkled with it when you're combining it with the softened butter. Sometimes I add the Splenda in a few steps. And sometimes I make a total mess. Hope you like it.
ReplyDeleteKim and Donna, thanks for visiting. And report back if you make this decadent cake:)