Orange and Ricotta Pound Cake

There is something wonderfully traditional about making pound cake. Pound cakes are simple to make, tasty, and a great canvas for additional flavor. You can serve it the most simple of ways - with a few strawberries and powdered sugar - or dress it up with chocolate or citrus glazes, fresh fruit coulis or homemade ice cream. This recipe caught my eye because it uses ricotta in the batter. Ricotta is a great way to ensure that a cake stays moist and gives that extra something to such a simple recipe.

Orange and Ricotta Pound Cake (adapted from Giada de Laurentiis)
1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature, plus more to grease the baking pan
1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 1 tablespoon
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 orange, zested
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
Powdered sugar, for dusting

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 combine.

Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, ricotta, and 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 Grand Marnier until combined. Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just incorporated. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake is beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Using a mesh sieve, dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar. Enjoy!