Makes a 9 x 13 cake. Adapted from a source.
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 eggs
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups whole milk
- 3/4 cup fresh orange juice (from 3 oranges)
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 pounds fresh blueberries
- 4 teaspoons grated lemon zest (i used 3 lemons)
- 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt
- 1 1/3 cups flour
- 1 tablespoons baking powder
- 24 ounces (3 cups) ricotta
- 8 ounces mascarpone
- Carbohydrate 73.9019788813531 g
- Cholesterol 234.937600357198 mg
- Fat 37.3534208635177 g
- Fiber 2.76036682855358 g
- Protein 8.17037557284331 g
- Saturated Fat 21.6791007153824 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (390g)
- Sodium 483.682856185947 mg
- Sugar 71.1416120527995 g
- Trans Fat 3.76731639110508 g
- Calories 644 calories
Step-by-step
- Make the blueberry sauce. Put the orange juice, cornstarch, and 2/3 cup sugar in a medium saucepan and boil until translucent and thickened. Then stir in the blueberries, bring back to a bubble, and simmer 4-5 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and allow to cool.
- Make the cake. Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a 9 x 13 pan. Use a blender, food processor, or simply a whisk to blend until smooth the milk, sour cream or yogurt, melted butter, flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 4 eggs. Pour half of the batter into the greased pan and bake 10 minutes or until set.
- While the bottom layer of cake bakes, make the cheese filling. Use a whisk to blend thoroughly the ricotta, mascarpone, and salt with the remaining 2 eggs, 1/3 cup sugar, tablespoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
- When the bottom layer of cake comes out of the oven, carefully spread the cheese filling over it, completely covering the cake with an even layer of cheese filling. Then dollop the remaining batter over the cheese and gently use a spoon to spread the batter evenly. Bake 35-40 minutes until the top layer of cake is lightly golden and the filling is set. (I had to bake mine 20 extra minutes, perhaps because I did not have a 9 x 13 pan to use.) Let stand 10-15 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or chilled with blueberry sauce.
Pouring the cheese filling onto raw batter guarantees structural collapse. Bake the initial batter layer for ten minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the surface looks set before adding dairy. Skipping this structural foundation leads to a dense, unbaked dough layer trapped beneath heavy ricotta and mascarpone. Managing the sequence properly prevents sinking.
The cheese filling combines ricotta and mascarpone with eggs, citrus juice, and salt. Whisking these dairy components thoroughly incorporates air, which keeps the heavy cheese from becoming rubbery during the final 35 to 40 minute bake. Sugar draws out moisture from the citrus zest, while the acid reacts with milk proteins to firm the curd structure.
Dolloping the remaining batter over the cheese requires a light touch. Spreading viscous batter across a delicate cheese layer will tear the surface if forced. Use the back of a spoon to gently drag the batter until the cheese is covered completely.
Allowing the pan to stand for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting lets the starches and proteins finish setting. Slicing too soon causes the hot cheese and fruit juices to bleed across the plate.
The cheese filling combines ricotta and mascarpone with eggs, citrus juice, and salt. Whisking these dairy components thoroughly incorporates air, which keeps the heavy cheese from becoming rubbery during the final 35 to 40 minute bake. Sugar draws out moisture from the citrus zest, while the acid reacts with milk proteins to firm the curd structure.
Dolloping the remaining batter over the cheese requires a light touch. Spreading viscous batter across a delicate cheese layer will tear the surface if forced. Use the back of a spoon to gently drag the batter until the cheese is covered completely.
Allowing the pan to stand for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting lets the starches and proteins finish setting. Slicing too soon causes the hot cheese and fruit juices to bleed across the plate.
