Q1: Why is my pound cake dry or tough?

The two most common culprits are overmixing your flour and overbaking your cake. Once you have added your dry ingredients, you want to mix on a low speed only until the last streaks of flour have disappeared. Overmixing will overdevelop the gluten and result in a tough cake. Also, be sure to check your cake for doneness on the earlier side of the baking time.

Q2: Can I make this with a different kind of cheese?

It is highly not recommended. The unique, high-moisture, and relatively low-fat (compared to cream cheese) content of whole milk ricotta is the non-negotiable secret to the signature, moist and tender texture of this cake.

Q3: Can I make this in a different kind of pan?

Yes, absolutely! This recipe would also be beautiful baked in a classic 10- or 12-cup Bundt pan. You will need to increase the baking time to about 55 to 65 minutes.

Q4: Can I make this recipe non-alcoholic?

Of course! To make a delicious, non-alcoholic version, you can simply substitute the 2 tablespoons of Amaretto with about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of a pure almond extract.

Q5: Can I use a different kind of fruit for the topping?

Yes! This beautiful cake would also be fantastic with a simple macerated topping of other fresh berries, like raspberries or a mix of blueberries and blackberries, or with some beautiful, fresh peaches in the summer.

Ricotta Orange Pound Cake (with Macerated Strawberries!)

A classic and elegant recipe for a Ricotta Orange Pound Cake, served with fresh macerated strawberries. This incredibly moist and tender cake gets its rich texture from whole milk ricotta cheese and its bright, fragrant flavor from fresh orange zest and a splash of Amaretto. The simple, from-scratch batter is baked in a loaf pan until golden brown and is finished with a simple dusting of powdered sugar. The cake is served with strawberries that have been tossed in sugar to create their own light syrup.

Author: Evelyn

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 orange, zested
2 tablespoons Amaretto
Powdered sugar, for dusting
1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
Using an electric mixer, cream together the room-temperature butter, ricotta, and 1 1/2 cups of sugar for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
With the machine running, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add the vanilla, orange zest, and Amaretto and mix until combined.
On low speed, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cake is cooling, place the quartered strawberries in a small bowl with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar. Let the mixture sit to allow the strawberries to release their juices (macerate).
Once the cake is completely cool, dust it with powdered sugar using a mesh sieve.
To serve, slice the cake and top with a spoonful of the strawberries and their juices.

Notes

This is a very moist pound cake, with the ricotta cheese providing a rich, tender crumb.
Using room-temperature ingredients (butter, ricotta, eggs) is a key step that helps the batter to mix together smoothly and achieve a light, fluffy texture.
Be careful not to overmix the batter after adding the flour, as this can result in a tough cake. Mix only until the ingredients are ‘just incorporated.’
The cake is best served with the simple, fresh strawberry topping, but would also be delicious on its own.

Find it online: https://cookupjoy.com/ricotta-orange-pound-cake/