Spring Has Sprung

Spring has headed into the Southwest region weaving its magic over the desert vegetation. 

Lemon Ricotta Cake

The perfect dessert to usher in spring and serve for Easter brunch. It's an Italian inspired cake made from scratch with an off the chart delicious lemony flavor and a moist texture. Lemon zest gives it an extra zing. 

Cook's Notes: The cake can be iced with a lemon glaze or topped with macerated strawberries. Recipe inspiration cookingclassy.com
Cake Ingredients:

• 1-1/3 cups flour (scoop and level to measure) 
• 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• Lemon zest from one large lemon
• 1 TB. lemon juice
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1-1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese

Lemon Icing Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 TB lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. softened butter
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• Optional added lemon zest

Cake Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch springform pan sides and bottom.
• In a bowl add flour, baking powder and salt, whisk and set aside.
• Cream sugar, lemon zest and butter until pale and fluffy. 
• Mix in eggs one at a time, adding in almond extract and beat.
• Add in half of the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Add in ricotta and mix just until combined 
• Add in last half of flour and mix just until combined. 
• Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake until cake is set and a toothpick comes clean from the center. Check at 30 minutes.
• Cool cake in pan and run knife around edges before removing ring.  

Icing Directions:

• Using a whisk mix all ingredients until smooth.
• Ice cooled cake. Optional toasting coconut and almonds together and sprinkling over icing.