One of the things that living in the Midwest has done for me is give me an appreciation for the summer season. Growing up in Puerto Rico, it was ALWAYS summer, and I craved for living in a place where I could experience the seasons. The thing is, I did not expect a place where winter seemed to last forever, so by default, the other seasons are REALLY short (I don’t count Spring as a season here in Minnesota, because it only lasts like 2 weeks.
And so, this summer is one when I am truly holding on because it felt so short, even with the drought we experienced. And my favorite way to experience those last moments of the season is by taste. And to me, nothing says summer like plump blueberries and citrus everything! This cake was an adaptation from Ina Garten’s Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake from her cookbook Go To Dinners. And it has become a favorite at our home. While I love it, and for my particular taste, I adapted it by adding a combination of lemon and lime zest to brighten it up. And it is perfection. Light, airy, and with a beautiful crumbs, this is a cake that will please everyone.
Of note, while the original recipe has blueberries, I have tried it with both raspberries and blackberries, separately, and it is still as delicious. Although I have to admit, raspberries was my favorite. Also, while this is called a “breakfast cake” you can most certainly eat it any time of the day. We do! :)
Blueberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake (from Ina Garten’s Go To Dinners cookbook)
110 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup whole-milk ricotta
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (I add another tsp of lime zest)
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 cups fresh blueberries, divided
Sifted confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch round springform pan, shaking out any excess flour.
Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the ricotta, sour cream, vanilla, and lemon zest and mix well. (The batter will look curdled.)
In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the batter, mixing just until incorporated. With a rubber spatula, fold two thirds of the blueberries into the batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared springform pan and smooth the top. Scatter the remaining blueberries on the cake, pressing them lightly into the surface.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan and lightly dust the top with the confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.
