Big fan of kumquats? Not even sure what they really are? If you like oranges, and pretty much any citrus fruits, you'll be pretty happy with this ricotta cake with kumquat marmalade.
When making this cake, I wasn't super familiar with kumquats. I knew they were basically very tiny oranges, but I wasn't sure if I'd ever had one on its own. Claire Saffitz's new cookbook, Dessert Person, has a recipe for a ricotta cake with kumquat marmalade that looks pretty tasty. The kumquats are this bright yellow-orange color and look great as a cake topper. Since they are a winter fruit, it was the best time to give this cake a try.
The ricotta cake is a perfect vehicle for any fruit topping. The cake is great on its own but doesn't have any distinct flavors so the marmalade sweetens it up. The cake is a mixture of all kinds of textures. It's somehow light and fluffy, but also kinda creamy from the ricotta. Claire's recipe uses a food processor to get a super smooth whipped ricotta base, but getting my food processor down at the time was just a process and I decided to skip it. I don't think it made a true difference in the end product, but it probably would have made the cake even lighter.
Ricotta Cake with Kumquat Marmalade Recipe
On their own kumquats are kind of tangy and tart. In the marmalade, they sweeten up quite a bit and lose the sour flavor. If you have some extra, I would save it and use it as a spread on some toast. Kumquats are a winter citrus fruit, so if you find yourself wanting to make this cake in July, just go with what fruit is in season. The marmalade is basically just cooking down the fruit with some sugar and lemon juice, so pretty much anything seasonal can be subbed in. Strawberries, peaches, plums, or figs would be a great option.
This is one of those good cake recipes you want to have around because it can be put together rather quickly, and pretty much anything can be thrown on top. Some ice cream works, too, if you run out of fruit!
Ingredients For Ricotta Cake with Kumquat Marmalade
For the cake:
- Whole-milk ricotta
- Heavy cream
- Eggs
- Lemon zest
- Vanilla extract
- Salt
- All-purpose flour
For the marmalade:
- Kumquats
- Lemon juice
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
How To Make Ricotta Cake With Kumquat Marmalade
- Prepare: Preheat the oven to 375 and prepare a 9-inch springform pan. Butter or oil the button of the pan, but leave the sides clean. Line the bottom with parchment and set it to the side.
- Wet Ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or in a medium-sized bowl with a hand mixer, mix the ricotta and heavy cream together until the mixture is very thick, about 1 minute. This can be done in a food processor as well. Add the egg yolks, lemon zest, vanilla, salt, and sugar into the cheese mixture, making sure to scrape down the bowl.
- Dry Ingredients: Slowly add in the flour to the cheese mixture and mix to combine. The batter will be very thick. If using your mixer, place the mixture in a large bowl and set it to the side.
- Whip The Eggs: Clean the stand mixer and whip the egg whites using a whisk attachment or use a hand mixer to mix the egg whites. Beat the eggs until they start to form soft peaks. As the soft peaks begin to develop, add in the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Continue to whip the eggs until they are about four times the size and have very stiff peaks, about 2-4 minutes after the sugar is added.
- Fold: Fold the whipped egg whites in the ricotta mixture using a flat spatula. Do this gently, so as to not let the air out of the eggs.
- Bake The Cake: Place the cake mixture into the pan and smooth it down with a spatula. Bake the cake for 40-45 minutes, or until the edges start to turn golden brown. It may look a little jiggly or underdone in the middle, but that is okay.
- Marmalade: While the cake is cooling, make the marmalade. In a saucepan at medium heat, add the kumquats, lemon juice, sugar, vanilla, and water. Cook the mixture for 15-20 minutes until the mixture comes to a thick consistency and the kumquats look almost clear. Let the mixture fully cool.
- Serve The Cake: When the cake and the marmalade have cooled, add the marmalade to the top of the cake. Serve at room temperature.
How To Store Ricotta Cake with Kumquat Marmalade
Refrigerate the cake, as it is very soft. Store the cake in an airtight container, where it should last between 3-4 days.
Store the kumquat marmalade separately, so the cake will not get soggy.
FAQs
Of course! Go with whatever fruit is in season and make a jammy marmalade out of it.
Yes! If you have any extras of the cake, place them in the fridge. Since the cake has dairy in it, it should be refrigerated when stored. The cake however can be left out at room temperature for about 4-5 hours.
Yes! You can make the cake before making the kumquat marmalade. Make the cake the day before and top it with the marmalade when ready to eat.
Check out the recipe below, and let me know what topping you are using!
Ricotta Cake with Kumquat Marmalade
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 375°F and prepare a 9-inch springform pan. Butter the bottom of the pan, but not the sides, and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or in a medium-sized bowl with a hand mixer, mix the ricotta cheese and heavy cream together until very thick. Mix for about 1 minute until the mixture is super thick but smooth. (This can also be done in a food processor)
- Add in the 5 egg yolks, lemon zest, vanilla, salt, and 1 cup sugar to the cheese mixture. Mix together until smooth, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until just combined. It should look like a thicker batter. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
- Clean your stand mixer (if that's what you were using) and whip the egg whites using a whisk attachment or use a hand mixer to whip the egg whites. Beat the egg whites on a medium-low speed to start and then increase the speed to form soft peaks. When soft peaks begin to form in the egg whites, add in the remaining tablespoon of sugar. Continue whipping the eggs until they have quadrupled in size and have stiff peaks. This should take about 2-4 minutes after adding in the sugar. They should be kinda shiny as well.
- Fold the egg whites into the ricotta batter mixture using a flat spatula. Gently fold in the mixture as to not let out all of the air in the eggs.
- Fill the prepared pan with batter and make sure it has a smooth finish on top. Place in the oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until the edges start to go a golden brown. The cake will probably still look underdone when it's done because of the type of cake that it is. It will still be a little wobbly in the middle. Let it cool completely, where it will fall down in the middle, which is what you want to happen!
- While the cake is cooling make the marmalade. In a saucepan, add the cut kumquats, lemon juice, sugar, vanilla, and 2 tablespoon water to a boil. Once at a boil, let the mixture simmer at medium-low heat until it comes to a thick consistency like syrup and the kumquats look mostly translucent. This should take about 15-20 minutes. Let it cool when done.
- When everything is completely cool, take the cake out of the pan and place the marmalade on top of the cake. The cake will last 3-4 days in an airtight container.
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