Deliciously Light: A 100-Calorie Blueberry Ricotta Cake Recipe:
When it comes to healthier baking, a dessert that can balance flavor with nutritional consciousness often seems an idealistic feat. That is until the 100-calorie blueberry ricotta cake waltzes in, where taste and dietary do not have to be steered in opposite directions. Light and yet savoring, this cake fits those who seek sweet indulgence that fits with their wellness goals. In this post, we explore how to make this delightful dessert, its benefits, and why it is worth adding to your baking repertoire.
Why Blueberry Ricotta Cake?
Ricotta cheese is a type of cheese that is creamy in texture with a subtle flavor. This gives way to a lower-fat option to traditional butter and cream. This will be mixed with one of the most antioxidant-rich fruits: the blueberry. The cake will be more than a treat but also healthy. Put these together and it yields a cake that is both moist and tender, cut with the delicate tang of ricotta and sweetness of fruit due to the blueberries. This is definitely a guilt-free cake as one slice contains just about 100 calories or so.
Ingredients:
For the Cake:
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen, do not thaw)
- 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional, for added brightness)
Instructions:
1. Preheat Oven: First, preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Grease an 8″ round cake pan or line it with parchment paper, ensuring it doesn’t stick.
2. Prepare the Blueberries: Rinse fresh blueberries lightly and pat them with a paper towel. Frozen blueberries should be kept in the freezer until they go into the batter, so they don’t bleed into the cake.
3. Wet Ingredients Combine: In a large bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, eggs, honey or maple syrup, applesauce, and vanilla extract. If using lemon zest, add it to the mixture and whisk until well combined and smooth.
4. Dry Ingredients: Take all the dry ingredients in another bowl by sifting the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in it. Sifting will make the dry ingredients mix well and avoid lumps in the batter.
5. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Be gentle with this step, as overmixing would result in a dense cake.
6. Fold in the Blueberries: Gently fold the blueberries into the batter. If you’re using frozen blueberries, fold them in carefully to avoid tinting the batter a bluish color.
7. Bake the Cake: Using greased cake pan, pour the batter into the pan and smoothen the top as desired. Bake in a preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The top shall be golden brown, and upon touching it lightly with your finger, it shall spring back.
8. Cool and Glaze: After baking, let the cake stay in the pan for about 10 minutes before moving it to a wire rack to cool fully. If desired, add a glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, lemon juice, or water until smooth. Pour glaze over the cooled cake for added sweetness.
Benefits of Blueberry Ricotta Cake:
Low Calorie Count: This blueberry ricotta cake boasts an impressive 100 calories per slice, making it light for most diets. Ricotta replaces butter, and the sweetener choice keeps the calorie count at bay.
Nutritional Value: The addition of ricotta cheese provides an extra source of protein and calcium, while blueberries contain vital vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Whole wheat flour contains fiber to aid digestion and adds a wholesome touch to the pastry.
Versatility: Well, this cake can be quite versatile. You can have it for a light breakfast, as a mid-afternoon snack, or even as a dessert without feeling too guilty. You might even want to try adding different nuts, seeds, or spices like cinnamon to mix things up with different flavor profiles.
Easy to Make: This recipe is quite simple because it doesn’t take much time in preparation, plus it requires only basic equipment found in the kitchen. Therefore, it is equally good for learners and professionals. Besides, all the ingredients are easy to find since they are common, so there is no need to search everywhere.
