hide in book. bake a cake.

Yesterday after work, I came home, made a pot of tea, and started reading.  You could call it hiding in a book because I was tired but did not want to do anything I needed or should do.  I was not tired enough to take a nap.  Reading was lovely.

But . . . I had come across a recipe from Orangette yesterday that was for an everyday cake.  What Americans call everyday cake is really the only type of cake I can truly say I like.  A cake that can stand on its own without frosting.  A cake that you can drizzle a bit of frosting on if you wish or spread with a cream cheese frosting.  A cake that may actually be better the next day.  A cake that takes to a bit of toasting so it is hot through with crisp blackened bits (I like those but the rest of my family does not).

This everyday cake Molly wrote about had ricotta cheese and raspberries in it.  Which made me go "hmmmm."  It sounded a lot like my blackberry buckle, which also is what I consider an everyday cake.

I had to give it a try.  It is lighter then my blackberry buckle which is based on an Italian vanilla cake (which I have never posted the wheat version of.  Oh well!  Another tweak to a recipe needed).  I walked to the grocery that has recently opened near us, picked up supplies,  and gave it a try.  It is a lovely everyday cake, especially with a cup of tea and a book to hide in. 

Be aware, I baked it after during dinner yesterday.  There is half left at this point today between two people.

ricotta raspberry cake (or everyday cake)

Note:  adapted from Molly over at Orangette.  I took her suggestion on a recipe tweak and tweaked my own for my own taste.

1/2 cup butter, salted and room temperature

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

12 oz fresh or frozen raspberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cover the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper.  Butter paper and pan.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together.  Mix in eggs and vanilla.  Mix in ricotta.  Fold in flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda. 

At this point, I mixed in the berries.  Next time, I will not.  Put the batter in the pan.  Drop the berries over.  Sprinkle with sugar if you wish.

Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes.  With the fruit, baking time will be highly variable.

Tea.  Book.  Enjoy.

There is a lemon blueberry cake a friend from work tried.  There may be more cake in my future.