Mini Olive Oil And Ricotta Pound Cakes With Chocolate Covered Orange Peel Food

LIGHTER ORANGE RICOTTA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch baking pan very well (on bottom and both sides generously). Line bottom with round of parchment paper.
• Stir brown sugar and water together to make a thick, pasty slurry, then spread it very thinly and evenly across the bottom of the pan (I used the back of a spoon and kept smoothing the slurry over until it was nice and even).
• Arrange the orange slices on top of the brown sugar coating in bottom of the cake pan.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk the ricotta, olive oil and vanilla. Add one egg at a time and whisk to combine.
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt directly over the wet ingredients. Whisk or mix using a wooden spoon. Combine the sugar with the zest of two oranges and add that to the mixture. Mix again until batter is well combined (it may look a little thick and grainy. That's fine, but be sure it's well combined)
• Scoop batter into the prepared cake pan. Gently shake to spread evenly.
• Bake in heated oven for 45 minutes or more until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean (You should begin to check at 40 minutes or so, but this could take 1 hour to bake. You want to make sure the bottom has a nice deep caramel color but does not burn)
• Cool in the pan for 5 minutes or so. Run a thin knife around the corners to loosen the cake, then carefully invert onto serving plate. (Some of the orange slices at the bottom may get stuck in the pan, gently pull them up and arrange them on the cake if needed. But this is why a well-greased pan is important).
• Let cool completely, then cut into slices. Serve as is, or add a dollop of creme fraiche or your favorite ice-cream. Enjoy!

RICOTTA ORANGE POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with butter. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir to blend.
• Using a mixer, cream the butter, ricotta and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the machine running, add the eggs 1 at a time. Add the vanilla, orange zest and amaretto until combined. Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. To wrap, return to the pan and dust with confectioners' sugar.

ONE-BOWL RICOTTA OLIVE OIL POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9×5" loaf pan or a 10-12-cup Bundt pan (or spray with nonstick cooking spray). If using a loaf pan, line it with parchment paper, leaving about 2" of excess on each side to help you lift the cake out of the pan. If using a Bundt, sprinkle the inside of the pan with sugar, including the center cone.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, ricotta, and sour cream until combined. Add the oil and vanilla and mix until well blended. Whisk in the sugar, baking powder, salt, and zest until well combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour until just incorporated.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the spatula. Bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50-65 minutes for the loaf pan, 40-55 minutes for the Bundt, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
• Transfer to a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for at least 1 hour before unmolding and slicing.

ORANGE POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch loaf pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Cream the butter and 2 cups of the granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. With the mixer on medium speed, beat in the eggs, one at a time, and the orange zest.
• In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the orange juice, the buttermilk, and vanilla. Add the flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to the batter, beginning and ending with the flour. Divide the batter evenly between the pans, smooth the tops, and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a cake tester comes out clean.
• While the cakes bake, cook the remaining 1/2 cup of granulated sugar with the remaining 1/2 cup orange juice in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves. When the cakes are done, let them cool for 10 minutes. Take them out of the pans and place them on a baking rack set over a tray. Spoon the orange syrup over the cakes and allow the cakes to cool completely.
• To glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and orange juice in a bowl, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Add a few more drops of juice, if necessary, to make it pour easily. Pour over the top of one cake and allow the glaze to dry. Wrap well, and store in the refrigerator.

MINI OLIVE OIL CAKES WITH LEMON GLAZE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Prepare the cakes: Brush a 6- or 12-cup mini Bundt or muffin pan with the melted butter. Lightly dust with flour and shake out the excess.
• Pulse the granulated sugar and lemon zest in a blender until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, then gradually pour in the olive oil and milk, pulsing until emulsified into a thin batter, about 30 seconds. Don't overblend or the cakes will be too puffy.
• Whisk 1 cup flour, the baking powder, salt and 1 teaspoon thyme in a small bowl. Add to the blender in 2 batches, pulsing lightly until just combined; stop to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the cakes just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan and spring back when lightly touched, 28 to 30 minutes for a 6-cup Bundt pan and 22 to 25 minutes for a 12-cup Bundt or muffin pan. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then loosen the sides with a small knife and invert the cakes onto a rack.
• Meanwhile, prepare the glaze: Whisk the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and butter until smooth, adding more lemon juice if the mixture is too thick. Drizzle over the warm cakes and garnish with thyme sprigs.

RICOTTA POUND CAKE

Steps:

• 350°F (177°C).
• Place oven rack in the center position.
• Grease and flour a 9-inch loaf pan.
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl.
• In a large stand mixer bowl, cream together the butter, ricotta, and sugar, then adding eggs, one at a time, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next. Add vanilla.
• Set mixer speed to low, and gradually add the dry ingredients. Once added, allow the batter to mix for 30 seconds or so.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the batter.
• Bake the cake on the center rack for 15 minutes, then lower heat to 325°F (160°C) and bake about 25-60 minutes more, or until cake springs back from touch and has slightly pulled away from pan sides, and a toothpick comes out clean (baking time is approximate: the amount of water in the ricotta determines the baking time in the end).
• Cool the cake inside the loaf pan for 15 minutes before removing. Allow the cake to finish cooling outside the pan from then on.

RICOTTA OLIVE OIL CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Combine flour and baking powder. Beat all remaining ingredients except eggs in large bowl with mixer until blended.
• Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture until well blended.
• Pour into greased and floured 9x5-inch loaf pan.
• Bake 1 hour 20 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 min. Remove cake from pan to wire rack; cool completely.