Ina Garten’s Fig and Ricotta Cake Recipe Is One She’s Made Time and Time Again—Here’s How To Make It
Plus, why she uses a springform pan instead of a cake pan when preparing this recipe
We turn to Ina Garten for the best dessert recipes—but what sweet treats does the Barefoot Contessa herself enjoy whipping up in the kitchen? Well, the TV host and cookbook author once spilled the beans to another famous anchor, Katie Couric, and our mouths are already watering. She noted that her fig and ricotta cake is one of her favorite recipes to whip up thanks to its combination of flavors. The recipe comes from her 2018 cookbook, Cook Like a Pro, and is a cinch to prepare. Read on to learn more about this cake and how to make it at home.
The scoop on Ina Garten’s fig and ricotta cake
During an October 2018 taping of Couric’s show on Facebook, Getting There, Garten revealed that her all-time favorite recipe from any of her cookbooks is her fig and ricotta cake. Couric even comes over to Garten’s house—bearing chocolate pecan scones from Cook Like a Pro— so the pair could cook the fruit cake together (that recipe is also available in her book).
“I’ve made this so many times it’s crazy,” Garten joked. When Couric asks why Garten is so drawn to this one particular recipe, the cook replied, “I think there’s something about the ricotta, and the lemon and vanilla; they’re all great flavors together.” (Of course, you’re not limited to just figs. Any fruit will do, Garten said, so pick your favorite!)
Best type of pan for baking the fig and ricotta cake
In her recipe, Garten bakes the cake in a springform pan instead of a regular cake pan. This is because a springform pan has a latch on its side, which makes it easier to remove the cake from the pan once it’s baked and cooled. She also coats the pan with butter and flour so the cake doesn’t stick. The bottom line: Your springform pan is good to use for other cakes beyond homemade cheesecake.
Garten’s delicious fig and ricotta cake recipe
This recipe (sourced from Garten’s website) is the ultimate light and fluffy fruit cake to enjoy with crème fraîche or whipped cream for a touch of richness.
Fig and Ricotta Cake
Ingredients:
- 10 tbsp (1¼ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup fresh whole milk ricotta, at room temperature
- 2 tbsp sour cream
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp grated lemon zest
- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 8 large (or 12 medium) fresh figs, stems removed, quartered through the stem
- 1 tbsp turbinado sugar, such as Sugar in the Raw
- Crème fraîche, for serving
Directions:
- Yield: 8 servings
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round springform pan, tapping out excess flour.
- Place butter and granulated sugar in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment and beat on medium speed 3 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula. With mixer on medium low, add eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl and mixing until smooth. Add ricotta, sour cream, vanilla and lemon zest and mix until combined. (Note: Don’t worry; the ricotta will make it look lumpy.)
- In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. With mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to batter, mixing just until combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Arrange figs on cake, cut sides up, in snug but not overlapping concentric circles. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar and bake 35 to 45 minutes, until top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Allow cake to cool in pan on a baking rack 15 to 20 minutes, transfer to cake plate and serve warm with crème fraîche on side.
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Woman's World does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.
