This Light Fresh Peach Ricotta Cake Recipe Is How to Say Goodbye to Summer by Jan Mostrom

I’m really trying to savor the last bits of summer goodness. I’m so grateful the I can still find peaches at my local farmers market. This light and airy peach ricotta cake recipe is so beautiful that its worthy of any dinner party, but easy enough to make for just yourself during the week.

I love the taste from the chunks of ripe peaches swirled throughout the cake, but the beauty really comes from the arrangement of peach slices set on top. This peach ricotta cake recipe is extra moist and airy because of the ricotta, and the zest adds just a hint of lemony flavor that enhances the sweetness of the peaches.

Here is your shopping list for this Italian-inspired dessert recipe: butter, fresh peaches (check out the health benefits of peaches), granulated sugar, a lemon for zesting, eggs, ricotta cheese, vanilla extract, kosher salt, flour (all-purpose or gluten-free), baking powder and baking soda. If you can’t find fresh peaches, you can substitute a bag of frozen peaches instead. No worries!

Serve this moist peach cake for dessert after dinner, as a sweet snack or even for breakfast or as part of a brunch spread.

Cuisine: American / Italian
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 to 60 minutes
Total Time: 60 to 70 minutes
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus more for the pan
• 2 large peaches
• 1 cup plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar (divided)
• 1 large lemon, washed 
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup whole-milk ricotta
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or gluten-free 1:1 flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Here's how to make it: 

1. Line the bottom a 8- or 9-inch round pan or springform pan with parchment. Grease the whole pan with butter and set to the side.
   
2. Slice your peaches into 1/2-inch slices. Chop about 1/4 of the slices into chunks and set to the side.
   
3. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl for your stand mixer add the 1 cup of granulated sugar and the zest from your lemon. Using clean hands, blend the zest into your sugar pinching and pressing the zest into the sugar. (Save the inside of your lemon for another use.)
   
4. Add the butter to the sugar mixture and mix on medium-high until it is light and well blended.
   
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well.
   
6. Add the ricotta, salt and vanilla. Blend again for about 1 minute.
   
7. Add the flour, baking soda and baking powder and use a rubber spatula to mix well. Make sure to scrape all the sides and bottom to combine all the ingredients.
   
8. Finally gently add the peach chunks (not the slices) and fold them into the batter.
   
9. Scrape the batter into the greased pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter to get rid of any air bubbles. Place your peach slices on top of the batter and then sprinkle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
   
10. Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the cake is a beautiful light brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with very few crumbs. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes and then transfer to a cake plate.
    
11. Cool completely before serving or store cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days.
    

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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