How to Make Apple Ricotta Cake

After commenting on missolive’s hub about apple dump cake, she asked me a question. You see, I said that her apple dump cake was a much easier recipe than my apple ricotta cake. A couple of days later missolive remembered what I said. In sum, missolive’s last response was, “Hey, didn’t you say something about an apple ricotta cake? Care to share?” My first instinct was to say “No” and run and hide…not really. But I did want to be evasive.

I love missolive, but making the cake is a little time consuming and has several categories of steps. As I told her, I might make a hub about it, but I don’t have any pictures. That seemed too cowardly. So, instead I elaborated some more. I added that I don’t always like making the recipe because I end up having to make like three cakes because everyone wants more than his or her fair share.

But there was something else driving my hesitation besides time. This was not a recipe handed down to me or found in a book. This recipe resulted from years of trying to recreate a cake that I only tasted one time and became addicted to.

Granny Smith
-Moderately sweet; crisp
Fuji
-Sweet and juicy; firm
Rome Beauty
-Mildly tart; crisp

I remember it like it was yesterday. I was a high school teacher, and it was a dessert potluck day. Everyone brought in his or her most sinfully delicious baked good in his or her repertoire. I was silly and tried to bring something healthier—homemade granola bars. But my closest colleague, an Italian woman, brought in an apple ricotta cake. One taste and I was hooked. Of course I asked for the recipe. All she said was, “It’s real easy. Get a box of cake, get a container of ricotta cheese, sauté some apples and put a streusel topping on.” Of course I had no clue the proportions or what the apples were sautéd in, and so on. So, I spent the year trying to recreate the recipe to the best of my ability. I have a respectable version that can probably rival the original, but my family and friends cannot get enough of it.

1 Pound of Apples = 2 large, 3 medium, or 4-5 small

So, I present to you years of tweaking for a cake that my dad says, “Girl, you put your foot in this cake!”, that my sister will drive across two towns for, and that my mom will beg for me to drive to her so she can eat it all in one sitting—apple ricotta cake á la Stephanie.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup flour
• 1 stick butter (8 Tbsp)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp sugar

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients to a bowl.
2. Cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles course peas.
3. Place in refrigerator to chill.

Ingredients:

• 3 apples
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. Peel, core and dice apples.
2. Start to melt butter is a saucepan.
3. Add apples, sugar, and cinnamon.
4. Let cool in the pan.

Ingredients:

• 1 box yellow cake mix (get the company’s moist version)
• 1 8 oz. container ricotta cheese (regular or part-skim)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or the temperature listed for your box of cake mix.
2. Prepare the cake mix as listed on box.
3. Add ricotta cheese and incorporate well with electric hand beater.
4. Grease an 11 ¾ x 9 3/8 x 2 5/16 roaster/baker foil pan (the size that you would make baked macaroni or lasagna in). I like the kind with the plastic lid.
5. Pour half the batter into the foil pan.
6. Drop in half of the apple mixture so it is placed randomly, but evenly, throughout the batter in pan.
7. Spread apples with spoon for better distribution.
8. Pour in second half of batter.
9. Drop in second half of apple mixture with the same directions as the first half.
10. Top with streusel topping from the fridge.
11. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

There you have it, apple ricotta cake—a great dessert addition for the holiday season or anytime. I promise you and your family will love it! The labor is certainly one of love, but well worth it. But not making the cake from scratch certainly helps.