An apricot ricotta cake that is almost too beautiful to eat and one more important travel tip for your next trip to Italy.

Plus, a bit of This & That.

A Cake For The Season

I knew the moment I saw a photo of this cake on Vika’s Instagram that we all needed it in our lives. Vika is one of my foodie soul mates, a person who cares deeply about supporting local producers, sourcing high-quality ingredients, and making simple, delicious food. Uncomplicated cooking at its best.

Luckily, she agreed to share her Apricot Ricotta Cake with us this week, so here you go, you lucky ducks!

Apricot Ricotta Cake

By: Vika Finkel

Every Friday I go to the local market in Chieri, a small town in the north of Italy. For me, it’s the ultimate seasonal compass, telling me exactly what I should be eating this week, what feels right. I always bump into people I know. Francesca, who lives nearby and brings in crates of vegetables still smelling of earth. Marco, who’s all about the patate nuove, those small, buttery new potatoes. And Federica, with her family’s stall packed with produce from Sicily full of southern brightness like apricots, tomatoes, lemons, and peppers in a riot of orange, yellow, and red.

This time, it was the apricots that got me. The kind you only see for a few short weeks, rich in color and soft to the touch. Quick tip: never buy fruit in the first two weeks it appears at the market. Wait for the ones that soaked up all the sun as they taste better, and the price softens too. Then I spotted Luca with his usual lineup of cheeses from the mountains. His ricotta looked perfect, cool, fresh, exactly what those apricots needed. Later, I found out that Ricotta Apricot cake is originally from Sicily.

So here it is, something simple, seasonal, and exactly what that morning felt like.

APRICOT RICOTTA CAKE

• 3 large eggs (or 4 medium)

• ½ cup + 1 tablespoon (120 g) granulated sugar or slightly less depending on how sweet your fruit is

• 1 ¼ cups (300 g) fresh ricotta cheese

• 6 tablespoons (90 g) melted butter or 5 tablespoons olive oil

• Zest of 1 lemon or 2 if you like a brighter, citrusy kick

• 1 ¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour

• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

• Pinch of sea salt

• 6 ripe apricots, pits removed and sliced into thick wedges or more if you like more fruit

• ½ cup fresh blueberries

• Brown sugar (optional, for topping)

• Garnish with a sprinkling of fresh herbs if you like, like thyme, marjoram, or oregano

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9x13 inch baking pan or baking sheet with parchment paper or grease it with a light layer of olive oil.

Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a standing mixer and beat until light and fluffy, around 4-5 minutes.

In another bowl, combine the ricotta, melted butter, and lemon zest. Next, gently fold the egg mixture into the ricotta mixture.

In a separate medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, spreading it out carefully into an even layer. Top with cut fruit and sprinkle a bit of brown sugar on top.

Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Garnish with a sprinkling of fresh herbs if you like and enjoy!

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Maybe The Most Important Travel Tip