Italian ricotta cheesecake simple to make
By Julie Rothman
Special to The Baltimore Sun
Rosalind Mann of Baltimore was looking for a recipe for a ricotta cake. She was not very specific about what exactly she wanted and I received many variations on what people consider to be a ricotta cake.
Several readers sent in similar recipes that used a boxed cake mix for the foundation of the cake. I decided to give the recipe from Linda Ott of Amsterdam, N.Y., a try. She said the cake is a favorite of her family and that she is always asked for the recipe when she takes the cake anywhere.
I tested her recipe using a lemon cake mix and lemon pudding for the frosting. I decided to add a little lemon zest to the frosting to jazz it up some.
This cake is very simple to make, even for an inexperienced baker, yet it is very moist and delicious.
ITALIAN CHEESECAKE CAKE (RICOTTA CAKE)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
Prepare cake mix according to directions on the box. Pour into a prepared pan. Mix ricotta, eggs, sugar and vanilla together until smooth and pour cheese mixture evenly over cake batter. Bake for 1 hour. Allow cake to cool completely before frosting.
To make frosting, blend Cool Whip, pudding and milk until fluffy. Spread frosting on cooled cake.
Serves 10 to 12.
Per slice (based on 12 servings): 532 calories, 14 grams protein, 27 grams fat, 12 grams saturated fat, 56 grams carbohydrate, 1 gram fiber, 164 milligrams cholesterol, 452 milligrams sodium
