National Library Week Day 1: Orange-Ricotta Pound Cake Bundt and Cookbook Giveaway

Orange-Ricotta Pound Cake Bundt with Marmalade Glaze

Bust out your library card and celebrate National Library Week with me! This is the 2nd annual celebration on the Food Librarian blog. Sometimes, I just gotta put the Librarian in the Food Librarian!

I know you are probably reading this on your own computer, but did you know that nearly 1/3 of the U.S. population over the age of 14 used the library's internet computers? As more companies only allow online applications (even if the job doesn't use computers), free internet access at the public library is one of our essential services.

I hope you take some time out this week to celebrate libraries and the library staff. Libraries are special places where you can find a book, DVD, music, story time, job announcements, research assistance, and free internet access. Stop by to enjoy a seminar, join a knitting group, or get help learning about your genealogy.

This is the Librarian Action Figure (modeled after real-life librarian and author Nancy Pearl).
Don't laugh. How many other occupations have their own action figure?!
Sadly though, the only action this librarian does is raise her arm to Shush. Sigh.

Of course I start the week with a Bundt. No. Big. Surprise. I now live close to a Bristol Farms (California grocery store that is really pretty and really expensive). Last winter I picked up their free magazine. And what caught my eye? Oh, yes, the Bundt on the Cover.

This bundt is easy to make and uses ricotta cheese. It is the first time I'm using ricotta in baking, and not a lasagna.

Glazed with orange marmalade and filled with orange zest, this bundt is a winner. The recipe is from Lauren Chattman's book: Cake Keeper Cakes: 100 Simple Recipes for Extraordinary Bundt Cakes, Pound Cakes, Snacking Cakes and Other Good-To-The-Last-Crumb Treats... and you can win it!

I'm having 5 days of giveaways during National Library Week!

To celebrate Day 1 of National Library Week, I'm giving away the following to one lucky winner:
a. Lauren Chattman's book: Cake Keeper Cakes: 100 Simple Recipes for Extraordinary Bundt Cakes, Pound Cakes, Snacking Cakes and Other Good-To-The-Last-Crumb Treats
b. Chef Set Page Tags

Get the book that has this yummy recipe. I just ordered it from Amazon and bought an extra copy for YOU!

Chef Set Page Tags (purchased from Girl of All Work) Aren't these the cutest flags ever? You can decorate your cookbook with these post-it notes.

To enter the Day 1 Giveaway, simply leave a comment below (one entry per person) and I'll pick the winner from a hat (aka Random). Deadline: Monday, April 19, 2010 at midnight PDT. If your comment isn't linked to a blog where I can find you, please leave your email. Shipping to U.S. addresses only. Librarian action figure not included.

Good luck with the giveaway and come back tomorrow as we continue to celebrate National Library Week! - mary the food librarian

Recipe: Orange-Ricotta Pound Cake with Marmalade Glaze
Click here for printable recipe

Adapted from Lauren Chattman's book, Cake Keeper Cakes: 100 Simple Recipes for Extraordinary Bundt Cakes, Pound Cakes, Snacking Cakes and Other Good-To-The-Last-Crumb Treats
Find out if your library has it here.

In the headnote, Laren Chattman says grapefruit zest and marmalade can be substituted
Cake:
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
3 large eggs, room temp
1/4 cup fresh orange juice (for me, that was one orange)
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 t orange zest (I used the zest of two oranges)

Glaze:
1/2 c orange marmalade (I bought mine at Trader Joe's)
2 t water

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prep a 12-cup Bundt pan. (This is a big cake...Bristol Farm's magazine used the Bavaria Nordic Ware Bundt pan but that is a 10-cup pan. I didn't want to bake it in two pans so I used the original, classic 12-cup Bundt.)
2. Combine together: flour, baking powder and soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
3. With the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar at medium-high until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
4. Add ricotta cheese and beat until smooth.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Scrap down sides of batter after each egg.
6. Beat in orange juice, vanilla and orange zest.
7. With mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture. Scrap down the sides a few times. After the last addition, mix for 30 seconds on medium speed...but don't overmix.
8. Pour batter into greased and floured (I use Pam with Flour spray) Bundt pan. Bake on the middle rack until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. It took my cake 55 minutes at 325 degrees. The instructions say "about 1 hour and 10 minutes" so please check early.
9. Cool cake in the pan for 15 minutes than depan onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before applying glaze.
10. For the glaze, heat the marmalade and water in a saucepan until everything is liquid. Brush it over the cake - I used a brush to coat the entire cake, but you can also just place on top and let it run down the sides. Let glaze cool before serving.
11. Like her book suggests, keep the cake in the Cake Keeper! Since I bring mine to work, it is gone by the afternoon.