Peach Basil Ricotta Cake – Because Summer Deserves a Proper Send-Off

It shouldn’t come as any surprise that I love reading recipes. Like, really love them. I can read cookbooks like novels—curled up in bed, cup of tea in hand, flipping through pages and muttering things like, “Oh yes… tell me more about your caramel drizzle.” I also have a deep, committed relationship with other food blogs. I’ll happily scroll through paragraph after paragraph about someone’s trip to Italy just to get to the part where they tell me to cream butter and sugar.

So when I saw that Two Cups Flour made a classic Italian ricotta cake with fresh peaches and basil, I had to try it. I mean—hello? My basil plant is basically a small tree now, casting shade over the oregano and intimidating the thyme. And fresh peaches? Well, if I don’t buy them, they just sit there in the produce department looking gorgeous and slightly smug. And being in Colorado means that it's not just peaches, it's Palisade peaches (And one of these days I am going to go to the Palisade Peach festival, mark my words)!  It felt like destiny.

Of course, living at high altitude means a few tweaks were necessary (less baking soda so it doesn’t puff up and collapse like a deflated bouncy castle, and a slight bump in oven temp so it bakes through before drying out). And when I say “tweaks,” I mean I felt like a mad scientist in my kitchen, except instead of lightning bolts and bubbling potions, I had peach juice running down my arm and a basil leaf stuck to my elbow.

The result? Boom—summer in cake form.

Now, full confession: these late-summer days are dwindling, and I’ll admit that I’ve already had some pumpkin spice coffee. Don’t judge me. August and Autumn sound alike, so I’m claiming a free pass. And with the kids heading back to school on Monday (how?? wasn’t it just June?), I’m forcing myself to slow down, inhale the peachy-basil aroma, and remember that we still have a little summer left.

So, let’s eat cake. Join me, won’t you?

Peach Basil Ricotta Cake

Serves: 8–10 | Prep time: 20 minutes | Bake time: 45–50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ¼ tsp baking soda (slightly less than usual if you’re at high altitude)

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

• 3 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped fine (plus extra for garnish)

• 2 ripe peaches, thinly sliced

• Powdered sugar for dusting

High Altitude Tweaks (if you’re 5,000+ ft above sea level):

• Reduce baking soda to a scant ¼ tsp

• Increase oven temperature to 355°F instead of 350°F

• Keep a close eye on baking time—check at 40 minutes

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (or 365°F if at altitude). Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy—about 2–3 minutes. (Pretend you’re in a cooking show montage, hair perfect, kitchen spotless. Ignore reality.)

4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in the ricotta cheese and vanilla until smooth and creamy.

5. Fold in the chopped basil, feeling very gourmet and slightly smug about your homegrown produce.

6. Gently fold in the dry ingredients until just combined—don’t overmix.

7. Pour the batter into your prepared pan and arrange the peach slices on top in any design you like. Rustic? Fancy spiral? Chaos pile? You do you.

8. Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the peaches start browning too quickly, tent with foil.

9. Cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Dust with powdered sugar, garnish with more basil if you’re feeling extra, and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Final Notes:

• This cake is moist (sorry, I know some of you hate that word) thanks to the ricotta, so it’s just as good the next day.

• The basil isn’t overpowering—it’s more of a whisper of freshness that makes you look sophisticated without trying.

• Coffee or tea is mandatory. Preferably while sitting somewhere with a late-summer breeze and pretending you’re in Tuscany.

So there you have it—Peach Basil Ricotta Cake. A love letter to the final weeks of summer, a soft protest against the school year starting too soon, and a perfectly valid excuse to have cake for breakfast.