I get that after that last paragraph I probably should not be starting with a pound cake recipe, but this is representative of what we would eat for dessert. Even breakfast. A sliver of cake with a generous serving of berries.
I recently spent a glorious 10 days in Italy. It was truly life changing.
Relaxing. Rejuvenating. Inspiring.
I went to Rome for 5 days with my best friend and then went on to Perugia to meet with my Mastermind group. It was the perfect mix of work and play. I was ready to come home and see my babies, but I did not want to leave Italy. I could totally be Italian.
I came home ready to get back in the kitchen. The food that we ate in the Italian countryside was so fresh, clean, and beyond anything that I was expecting. I am excited to take some of that and bring it into my own kitchen. Simple ingredients. New flavors. Perfectly sized portions. Whole foods.
For the most part, I cook like that most days. But we ate so many fruits and vegetables and I felt amazing while I was there. Even with all of the wine drinking and gelato eating. I never felt sluggish or gross. I have been home for a week and had just enough time to do laundry before we left again to spend the holiday with my family. In less than a week I fell back into some old ways of eating and am back to feeling less than great. I am adopting some of the things that I learned in Italy and making them my own.
I get that after that last paragraph that I probably should not be starting with a pound cake recipe, but this is representative of what we would eat for dessert. Even breakfast. A sliver of cake with a generous serving of berries. A simple cake with the highest quality Italian ingredients. This cake is moist, not to sweet, and a perfect ending to your day.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup room temperature butter
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese 15 ounce container
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Zest from one orange
- 1 vanilla bean seeded and scraped
- 3 eggs
- 1 3.5-ounce dark chocolate bar
How to Make Olive Oil and Ricotta Pound Cake
Step 1: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
Step 2: Beat butter, ricotta cheese, sugar, olive oil, orange zest, and vanilla bean with an electric mixer. (There will be some lumps, not to worry.)
Step 3: Add dry ingredients and beat until light, about 3 minutes.
Step 4: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Step 5: Cut the chocolate bar into small chunks.
Step 6: Fold in chocolate. I like to reserve a little to add to the top. I think that it looks pretty.
Step 7: Pour batter into two loaf pans, (mine came from King Arthur Flour) and sprinkle with the reserved chocolate.
Step 8: Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes. You can make this into 8 mini loaves, or one large loaf.
Step 9: The baking time will differ, so keep your eyes on it. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans and cool completely.
Olive Oil and Ricotta Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup room temperature butter
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese 15 ounce container
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Zest from one orange
- 1 vanilla bean seeded and scraped
- 3 eggs
- 1 3.5-ounce dark chocolate bar
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- Beat butter, ricotta cheese, sugar, olive oil, orange zest, and vanilla bean with an electric mixer. (There will be some lumps, not to worry.)
- Add dry ingredients and beat until light, about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Cut the chocolate bar into small chunks.
- Fold in chocolate. I like to reserve a little to add to the top. I think that it looks pretty.
- Pour batter into two loaf pans, (mine came from King Arthur Flour) and sprinkle with the reserved chocolate.
- Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes. You can make this into 8 mini loaves, or one large loaf.
- The baking time will differ, so keep your eyes on it. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, then remove from the pans and cool completely.
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