I often try to convince people that I don’t have a sweet tooth. I honestly do not know why I do that. Because I do. I have a savory tooth and a sweet tooth. In fact each of my teeth have their own particular preferences of sweet and salty foods. No, I am not kidding. If I offer the wrong one, they are quick to point out the mistake by giving me a sharp twinge. Yes, I know. It shouldn’t happen. But, there it is!
Anyway, I have many sweet teeth that like Cake. Actually, I LOVE cake. And, it pains me that this simple pleasure is hard to come by. Oddly, cake is one thing that I find that bakeries don’t do very well. Most cakes in cake shops are the fanciful version and rather overly sweet and mounded with buttercream. Yes, I know it is a cultural thing. But, what is a girl to do when she just wants some rightly-sweet cake with her coffee/tea. You know the kind that you don’t fall into but one you can eat while reading a book and sipping a beverage all at the same time. Yes, the afternoon tea kind.
Well, bake it herself of course!
So here we are. I decided, I’ll make myself an easy cake that needs no adornment save a light dusting of powdered sugar, like fairy dust and lasts a few days, so I don’t have to bake anew every other day.
I present to you an honest and honestly good cake, good for tea and other enchanted moments, good and moist and yeah, I’ll put it out there.. good for your waistline!
An Honestly Good Tea Cake
A FSK Classic Ricotta Cake
1 cup fresh ricotta
1 scant cup unrefined sugar
1 cup flour
1 stick of butter, browned
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
pinch of salt
If you haven’t already, gently brown the butter and reserve. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip together the ricotta and sugar till light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, and, cooled browned butter and mix to incorporate.
Add the eggs one at the time and whip on medium till fluffy, about 5 minutes.
Take the bowl out and fold in the dry mix in two parts, mixing each time with a spatula quickly and just enough.
Pour into a prepared 8” cake pan.
Bake in an oven preheated to 350 F for 30 minutes.
Transfer to a cooling rack. Don’t leave it too long in the pan as this cake is moist and will sweat making the bottom soggy, if ignored.
In honor of tea cakes…..
VICTORIA SPONGE CAKE
A.K.A HOLY GRAIL OF TEA CAKES
COCONUT RICOTTA CAKE
A BIT MORE UNTRADITIONAL AND GLUTEN FREE
LEMON BUTTERMILK CAKE
OTHERWISE CALLED ‘CONTENTMENT’