Ricotta Cupcakes w/ White Chocolate Ganache
This cupcake centerpiece is a simple yet very impressive dessert to showcase when you’re hosting friends and family. Fluffy ricotta cupcakes topped with light, whipped white chocolate ganache come together in a beautiful display that instantly elevates your table. Everyone can admire it throughout the meal and look forward to the sweet treat waiting for them afterward.
And just like that, you become a legendary family host! This dessert isn’t just delicious—it’s interactive, eye-catching, and guaranteed to spark conversation. Easy to assemble and even easier to enjoy, it’s the perfect finishing touch for any gathering.
Enjoy!
Ricotta Cupcakes with White Chocolate Ganache (Centerpiece Style)
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- juice from 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup milk
For the Whipped white Chocolate Ganache:
- 3 ½ cups white chocolate
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
For the assembly:
- A tray with a depth of about 2 inches
- A firm sponge or floral foam (to fit the tray)
- toothpicks
- A few leaf twigs (fresh or artificial)
Instructions
For the cupcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 180°C / 356°F and line two cupcake trays with paper cups.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the ricotta, sugar, eggs, vanilla, orange zest, oil, lemon juice, and milk until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture and whisk just until combined. Don’t overmix the batter as this can make the cupcakes dense and though instead of light and fluffy.
- Use an ice cream scoop to fill each cupcake mold evenly, then bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and let them cool completely before frosting.
For the White Chocolate Ganache:
- Add the white chocolate, heavy cream, and softened butter to a heatproof bowl.
- Melt gently over a double boiler, stirring until smooth.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing it lightly onto the surface so it doesn’t form a skin, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or until fully chilled.
- Once cold, transfer the ganache to a stand mixer and whip on high speed for about 5 minutes, until it becomes creamy, fluffy, and holds soft peaks.
- Put the ganache in a piping bag fitted with a medium or large star tip and set aside.
Assembly:
- Place the sponge or floral foam in your tray.
- Insert toothpicks all over the surface, leaving enough room between them for the cupcakes. Be creative and create your own pattern.
- Gently press each cooled cupcake onto a toothpick so it stands upright. Arrange them in any pattern you like. This is the fun part which I like the most.
- Then Pipe a generous swirl of ganache onto each cupcake, starting at the edges and finishing in the center.
- If there are small gaps between cupcakes, tuck in a few fresh or artificial leaf twigs to give your centerpiece a lush, full look.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Related: Black Forest Cupcakes
Related: Red Velvet Cupcakes
Related: Easter Chick & Bunny Cupcakes
Related: Chocolate Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting
Related: Chocolate Cupcakes with Caramel Pecans
Good morning! Quick question on this recipe, would they do ok sitting out for the day or overnight or they they need refrigerated? I do a staff birthday dessert for a school near by and I deliver individual desserts each month in their school mail boxes for them to pick up. Just processing if these would work or not? They sound amazing and would have beautiful presentation!
Hi Kendra,
Thank you so much for your kind words.
The cupcakes themselves would be absolutely fine sitting out for the day. The only concern is the whipped white chocolate ganache since it’s made with heavy cream. If the cupcakes are kept in a cool indoor environment, they should hold up well for several hours, but I wouldn’t recommend leaving them unrefrigerated overnight for food safety reasons.
For your school mailbox setup, they could work if they’re delivered in the morning and picked up later that day, especially if the building is air-conditioned. If they’ll be sitting out for a very long period or overnight, I’d suggest either refrigerating them until pickup or using a more stable buttercream-style frosting instead of the whipped ganache.
It sounds like a wonderful tradition, by the way, and these would certainly make a beautiful presentation!
Best,
Chef’s Pencil Team
Such a fun and elegant idea for serving.:) the cupcake centerpiece looks great and works beautifully for special occasions.