Caramelised orange ricotta cake

I have made lemon ricotta cake a couple of times before but this time I really wanted to change up the flavour and therefore made an orange ricotta cake. I didn’t fancy a plain ricotta sponge so I added some caramelized oranges slices to add extra fruitiness.

Looks like a very summery dessert but I thought as we seem to be having our last rays of an Indian summer here in the UK it would be perfect. I toned down the butter content as the ricotta really makes the cake seriously moist. I’m enjoying baking with fruit at the moment, this way I feel like I’m getting some of my 5 a day fruit portions lol!

Keep an eye out as more fruit make a special appearance in my recipes. I hope you enjoy this sweet and sour dessert!

INGREDIENTS

125g softened butter
150g caster sugar
Zest of 2 oranges
3 eggs separated
250g ricotta cheese
125g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
Splash of milk

For cake topping
2 oranges sliced with no peel
40g brown muscavado sugar
25g butter

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 180°c/fan 160°c/gas mark 4

• Beat sugar and butter until fluffy, mix in the ricotta, zest and yolks. Fold in the flour and baking powder and splash of milk (2 to 3 tbsp)

• Whisk egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the orange ricotta batter

• grease a cake tin approx 20cm and cover the base with the sugar add the butter and place in the oven for 8-10 minutes until your left with a lovely dark brown caramel syrup

• Lay the orange slices on the caramel syrup, then gently pour in the cake mixture on top of it

• Bake in the oven for 40-45 or until a skewer poked into the centre of the cake comes out clean

• Leave in the tin to cool for 30 minutes and then slowly invert onto a plate. You may wish to serve the cake warm with a little vanilla ice cream!

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