When I say “breakfast cake,” I'm not thinking of an ooey gooey coffee cake that goes beautifully with a cup of coffee on a lazy Sunday, but isn't exactly the breakfast of champions. I'm thinking of a lightly sweet cake made with just a touch of butter and packed with fruit that we can feel good about eating for breakfast any day of the week. Like this raspberry ricotta gluten free breakfast cake. You feel me?
When baking “light,” the biggest pitfall to avoid is a tough cake that just isn't very tender. Both sugar and fat are tenderizers, and when you cut back on both of them you have to be careful you don't go too far. But don't worry. This cake gets the job done.
You can see for yourself that this breakfast cake is still super tender and moist, even with just a few tablespoons of butter and 1/2 cup of sugar in the whole cake. The fresh raspberries help keep the cake moist and the ricotta cheese doesn't hurt either. The trick to baking with raspberries is to keep them whole by using a light touch. If you do crush a few raspberries during preparation, though, it will only affect the appearance, not the taste. This breakfast cake would also be delightful with whole fresh blueberries or hulled and diced strawberries. And if you're looking to make it without ricotta cheese, head on over to my recipe for gluten free strawberry breakfast cake!
Raspberry Ricotta Gluten Free Breakfast Cake
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups (175 g) all purpose gluten free flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 cup (36 g) cornstarch (or try arrowroot or potato starch)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup (250 g) ricotta cheese, at room temperature
3 eggs (150 g, weighed out of shell) at room temperature, beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (125 g) fresh raspberries
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round baking pan and set it aside.
In a large bowl, place the flour, xanthan gum, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt and granulated sugar, and whisk to combine well. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the butter, ricotta cheese, eggs and vanilla, mixing to combine after each addition. The batter will be thick. Gently fold about 1/2 cup (63 g) of the raspberries (select the most firm raspberries you have) into the batter, taking care not to crush the raspberries if at all possible. If you do crush any of the berries, only the appearance, not the taste, of the cake will be affected. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread carefully into an even layer with a wet spatula. Scatter the remaining half cup of raspberries evenly over the top, pressing each gently into the batter.
Place the cake in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the cake is very lightly golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with no more than a few moist crumbs attached (about 40 minutes). Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve. Freeze any leftover slices tightly wrapped in freezer-safe wrap and defrost overnight at room temperature.
Adapted heavily from 600 acres and my Strawberry Breakfast Cake.
Alexis S says
Nicole, do you use whole milk ricotta or a lower fat version? I am pretty sure a restaurant we ate at Friday night used your recipe. They even used the same name for it. :-)
Nicole Hunn says
First of all, no way, Alexis, that’s totally my recipe! Thank you so much for the photo. Next time you go, ask them ;) No shame in their saying yes.
I have used both part skim and whole milk, and no surprise I much prefer the whole milk ricotta, but they both work.
Alexis says
I am definitely using the whole milk then! Thank you! :-)
leftocracy says
Any idea on the carb count? I’m diabetic.
Nicole Hunn says
No idea, leftocracy! I don’t provide nutrition info like that, generally. Feel free to plug the recipe into your favorite online nutrition calculator!
Michelle says
I love ricotta in baked goods, because it adds a little protein and a very nice, fluffy texture. I’ll bet it would also be great with the ollalieberries from my vine. Thanks for the recipe!
Carole says
Thank You, how I love raspberries !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
mbjones says
question: have marscapone on hand but no ricotta. would it make a viable substitute?
Jennifer S. says
I do not know my Italian soft cheeses very well, but I totally would try it! :)
Nicole Hunn says
Mascarpone is really much more like cream cheese than like ricotta cheese, mbjones. I think it won’t have enough moisture and will make for a tough cake. Sorry!
mbjones says
Well I just made it tonite (I’m in Kenya) and it turned out amazing with the Marscapone. Super moist. Now, my flour mix was a bit more cassava which is itself good for making things moist so some of it could be from that.