Ina Garten Ricotta Blueberry Cake Recipe
Dreaming of Ina Garten's moist Ricotta Blueberry Cake? It's tender, tangy and bursting with berries. This Ina Garten Ricotta Blueberry Cake recipe captures her bakery-style magic perfectly.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour – tender structure
- 1 cup granulated sugar – perfect sweetness
- 2 teaspoons baking powder – lift magic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt – flavor balance
- 3 large eggs – binding power
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese – moist secret
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted – rich tenderness
- Zest of 2 lemons – bright citrus burst
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice – tangy lift
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract – warm aroma
- 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries – juicy stars
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar for berries – prevents sinking
- Powdered sugar for dusting – pretty finish
Instructions
Prep Pan and Oven
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease 9-inch springform pan. Line bottom with parchment. Butter sides well. This prevents sticking. Fresh blueberries ready nearby. Pan prepped in 2 minutes. Oven heats perfectly.
Mix Dry Ingredients
- Whisk flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Break up lumps. Even mix now. Dry base ready. Takes 1 minute. Smells bakery-fresh already. Simple start.
Beat Wet Ingredients
- In separate bowl, beat eggs, ricotta, melted butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Use electric mixer 2 minutes. Creamy batter forms. Ricotta smooths beautifully. Wet mix perfect.
Combine Batter
- Pour wet into dry ingredients. Stir gently with spatula until just combined. Lumps okay. Don't overmix. Batter thick and spoonable. Folding technique keeps cake tender. Ready for berries.
Prep and Fold Blueberries
- Toss blueberries with 2 tablespoons sugar in small bowl. Fold half into batter gently. Save rest for top. Spoon batter into pan. Smooth top. Scatter remaining berries. Press lightly.
Bake to Golden Perfection
- Bake 45-50 minutes. Edges golden, center springs back. Toothpick comes clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove springform. Finish cooling on rack. Your Ina Garten Ricotta Blueberry Cake recipe done. Dust with powdered sugar.
Notes
- Room temp ricotta blends smoother.
- Fresh lemon zest makes biggest difference.
- Don't skip berry sugar – stops sinking.
- Variation: Add almond extract for nutty twist.
- Variation: Swap blueberries for raspberries.
- Pro tip: Melt butter slowly to avoid separation.
- Test doneness at 45 minutes.