My Grandma's 'Company Cake' Is the Easiest Way to Impress Guests

Growing up living with my Italian grandparents, it wasn't uncommon for friends and family to stop by unexpectedly, especially in the summer evenings when it stayed light out for hours. I have many memories of great-aunts and uncles arriving after dinner and sitting out on the back porch of my grandparent's house; talking and laughing, drinking espresso, and of course, snacking on what my grandma called "company cake."

This was the quick, one-bowl cake she'd immediately start whipping up the second the doorbell rang — she knew she could have it in the oven in under 10 minutes.

At its core, it's a basic but delicious ricotta cake made of pantry staples. This sweet, cozy dessert is like a blank canvas that can be easily customized based on what you have on hand. Even without any adornments, this cake has a moist crumb and light flavor that tastes magically warm from the oven.

You'll notice this cake uses oil instead of butter. While butter brings a lot of flavor to the party, it's solid at room temperature, which leads to a drier cake that may impart a film on the roof of your mouth once the cake is cooled. Many Italian cakes are made with oil — often olive oil; this brings a uniquely rich flavor, and since oil is a liquid at room temperature, a more moist cake that will keep its fresh-out-of-the-oven texture for longer. Vegetable oil can be substituted here, but the flavor won't be quite as robust.

How to Make Grandma's Company Cake

Ingredients:

2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour

¾ cup (150g) sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup whole milk ricotta

3 eggs

½ cup good quality olive oil (or vegetable oil)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix to combine.

Create a well in the flour mixture and add the ricotta, eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix to combine (some lumps are ok); make sure not to over-mix.

Pour into greased baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes in a bundt pan and 45-55 for a loaf pan.

Variations

You can really get creative with this cake since the recipe is so flexible. My grandmother's favorite additions were adding in lemon or orange zest (or both). If stone fruits are in season, add a layer of slices across the top of this cake before baking — ripe plums and apricots work best. Very juicy fruits like peaches or nectarines tend to waterlog the cake, so save them for another dish.

My grandma was also known to pick a few figs off of the tree in the backyard and scatter halves on top as well. If you have extracts like anise, almond, or Fiori di Sicilia, they go great here. Start with ½ tsp and increase based on your taste. If you use almond extract, try adding a handful of slivered almonds on top of the batter before baking. You can also bake this cake as is and add flavor with toppings after baking. In the summer months, fresh berries and whipped cream can't be beat.

Related:

• The Secret Ingredient Behind Your Grandma's Best Recipes
• 10 Ways To Bake Ricotta Into Cookies
• 20+ Loaf Cake Recipes That Are Simply Irresistible