Mango Ricotta Cake – Recipe!

Simple cakes made in one pan, or snack cakes, as they have been calling them for years, are the perfect treat on any given day.  What makes these cakes so delicious is that they are super moist and don’t require frosting.  Fruit or other added ingredients, and in this case, Ricotta cheese, are the culprits of good flavor, and create a sensational texture.

There are so many reasons why I adore this cake, starting with the fact that it’s made in one bowl.  Everything is mixed together including the fruit, and poured into a prepared cake pan.  Yep, it’s that simple.  I saved a few chunks of mango for the top and placed them on right before baking, but that was pretty much it.  I did dust the cake with some powdered sugar, but that’s not even necessary, if you don’t have any in your pantry.

This cake isn’t overly sweet, but it has the perfect fruity taste, and could be eaten for brunch, or with a cup of tea in the afternoon.  If frozen mangoes are hard to find, you can always substitute other frozen berries, or cherries.  I love the slight tropical flair of mangoes, and at this point in the pandemic, I could really use an island vacation, if you know what I mean.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

16 ounces Ricotta cheese

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup butter, melted

10 ounces frozen mangoes or other fruit

(Serves 6)

To Prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment and spray or brush with oil, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. Make a well in center and add eggs, ricotta, and vanilla, whisk together, then fold into flour mixture.  Drizzle butter over top and stir.
4. Add 3/4 of fruit to batter and stir.  Pour into prepared pan and top with remaining fruit.
5. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes clean.  Remove and let cool in pan for 30 minutes, before inverting onto a plate and then, inverting onto a rack to cool completely.  Dust with powdered sugar, if desired, slice and serve.  Enjoy!