Maple Apple Ricotta Cake

Maple Apple Ricotta Cake is a moist, tender cake that brings together creamy ricotta, sweet-tart apples, and the warm richness of maple syrup. Lightly spiced and delicately sweet, it has a soft, luscious crumb with beautifully caramelised apple notes—perfect for an elegant afternoon treat or comforting dessert.

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 12oz thinly sliced apples (approximately 2 large apples)
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • 1 stick (4oz) butter
  • 1 ½ cups (180g) AP flour
  • ½ cup (100g) sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 ½ cups (12oz) whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • Raw sugar, for garnish
  • Warm maple syrup, to drizzle

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9” cake pan and line it with a piece of parchment paper.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the 1 tablespoon of butter. Once the butter has melted, add the apples. Season with a pinch of salt. Let the apple sauté until starting to caramelize, about 5-6 minutes.
  3. Add the maple syrup and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn the heat off and transfer the apples & syrup to a bowl. Let cool slightly. Wipe out the skillet.
  4. Add the butter to the skillet and let melt over medium heat. Turn the heat to low and continue to cook for a couple of minutes until browned and fragrant. Let cool slightly.
  5. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Whisk until incorporated. In a separate bowl, crack and beat the eggs. Whisk in the ricotta cheese, browned butter, and vanilla extract.
  6. In two batches, use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until smooth (don’t over-mix). Lastly, fold in ¾ of the apples and all of the maple syrup. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Arrange the remaining apples across the cake.
  7. Bake the cake on the middle rack in the oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until just cooked through. Remove the pan from the oven and let the cake cool for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, lift the parchment paper to retrieve the cake.
  8. Cut into slices. Serve warm or at room temperature with a sprinkle of raw sugar and a drizzle of warm maple syrup.

adapted from theoriginaldish