Hello there, friends! Thanks so much for your thoughts and prayers these past few months–your comments on my last post were so thoughtful and encouraging. I have spent a lot of time resting and recharging during this time and it was just what I needed. I’m doing much better now. So I’m back from my blogging break with a pound cake recipe to share!

I don’t use ricotta cheese very often, but I did use it for something recently and I had some extra ricotta in my fridge. I wasn’t sure what to do with it, but then I came across a recipe for Ricotta Pound Cake at Epicurious. It sounded like the perfect thing to try! I made a few small changes to the recipe and thought it tasted really good. A few things to note: The top of the loaf browns a little, and the sides of the loaf brown a lot–but the dusting of powdered sugar covers the top and the deliciousness of the slightly crispy edges are a nice contrast to the moist, buttery texture and flavor of the inside. And thankfully, the dark edges do not have a burnt taste like I thought they would. I fully expected them to, and it’s a mystery to me why the edges don’t taste burnt. My loaf also sank just very slightly in the middle–maybe because I had taken it out of the oven a little too early and put it back in–but that little indention was the perfect place to add in a few strawberries!

RICOTTA POUND CAKE by NancyC, adapted from Epicurious

Makes one 9″ loaf

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk or part skim ricotta cheese (drain any excess liquid)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar for dusting on top
• Optional: fresh strawberries for garnish

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease and flour a 9″ loaf pan.

In a medium size bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter, ricotta, and sugar until smooth. Beat eggs in one at a time, then blend in the vanilla extract.

Add the flour mixture to the butter/ricotta mixture, blending everything well.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, smoothing evenly with a spatula.

Gently whack the pan on the counter to remove air pockets. Bake at 350˚F for 46 to 50 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (you shouldn’t have to bake it more than 50 minutes). Cool in loaf pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate and let cake cool completely. When cooled, dust top of loaf with powdered sugar and add some strawberries in the center of the loaf, if desired.

If I hadn’t had that extra ricotta in my fridge, I may never have tried making this pound cake! I’m so glad I did–I love the rich buttery flavor and how the ricotta makes the cake so good and moist. Do you use ricotta in any of your dessert recipes?

Linked to Fiesta Friday, Weekend Potluck, Meal Plan Monday.