Lemon and Ricotta Cake

This Lemon and Ricotta Cake is unbelievably moist and tender, thanks to creamy ricotta, and fragrant lemon zest adds a refreshing touch.

If you’ve ever been disappointed by dry, crumbly cakes, this recipe will change that. The ricotta keeps every bite soft and luscious, so you’ll never have to worry about a dry cake again!

This Lemon and Ricotta Cake sings of sunshine and the Amalfi Coast, reminding me of the incredible flavors I grew up with. Like most Italians, ricotta and lemons have always been staples in my kitchen. This delicious dessert cake is bursting with zesty lemon and delicately tender from the addition of Italian ricotta cheese.

If you love my Lemony Ricotta Cookies, Ricotta Pie, and Sicilian Cheesecake, then you’re going to adore this recipe that also champions ricotta cheese – one of my favorite ingredients to bake with. Serve it as a decadent dessert with a dollop of whipped cream and a side of fresh strawberries.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Showstopper – This Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake is effortlessly elegant and the perfect addition to your next dinner party or celebration. It is a dream dessert!
• Taste of summer – This delicious Italian cake is a taste of sunshine in every bite. The combination of tangy lemon and creamy ricotta is pure heaven. 
• Melt in the mouth – The texture of this Italian cake is perfection. The secret is all in the ricotta cheese which adds an incredible moistness and tenderness to the crumb.
• Versatile – Whether you’re serving this cake with a simple dusting of powdered sugar for afternoon tea or topping it with a dollop of whipped cream for a decadent dessert, this recipe is the one for you!

For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Ingredients

• Lemon zest and juice: I used one large lemon to get the zest and juice for this cake but you may need two lemons if they are small. If you have a super-producing lemon tree in the back year, like I have, be sure to check out my Lemon Pasta Recipe. It’s creamy and zesty!
• Butter: I prefer using unsalted so I have control over the amount of salt in my recipes. 
• Granulated sugar –  also known as regular white sugar or castor sugar. This is a staple in my pantry. 
• Vanilla extract: take care to use extract and not essence. Vanilla essence is a synthetic product and is inferior to natural vanilla extract.
• Eggs: I prefer baking with large, free-range eggs, however, use whatever you’ve got in the fridge. 
• Ricotta cheese: as I always say, this is not diet food, so please use whole milk (full fat) ricotta cheese. It is so much better! If you can’t find ricotta in the store, you can try my homemade ricotta cheese. 
• All-purpose flour: use plain all-purpose flour that contains no extra raising agents.
• Baking powder: take care to use fresh baking powder. If you’re unsure of its freshness, spoon a little into some hot water. If it’s still active it will bubble. If not, buy a fresh one so you’re not disappointed. 

Instructions

Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by lining it with parchment paper, butter the sides and dust with flour. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).

Combine lemon zest and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use fingertips to rub the lemon zest into the sugar until fragrant.

Add the unsalted butter and vanilla extract. Then beat on medium speed until creamy. One at a time, add eggs to the sugar and butter mixture.

Turn the stand mixer to low and add the ricotta. Beat on until combined. 

Sieve the flour, baking powder, and salt directly into the wet ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Add the lemon juice and mix until just combined. 

Scrape the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes.

Marcellina’s Tip: When hot, this cake is quite delicate so all it to cool before removing from the pan. I line the base of the springform pan so that the paper sticks out from the edge. Have a look at the photo above. Once you’ve removed the outer ring, you can use the paper as handles to carefully slide the warm cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Substitutions

• Butter – use salted butter if that’s all you have, just be sure not to add the extra pinch of salt. 
• Fresh lemon juice and zest –  Substitute a teaspoon of lemon extract for the lemon juice and  zest. Alternatively, use bottled lemon juice and a few drops of lemon oil instead.

Variations

• Orange and ricotta cake – use orange juice and zest instead of lemon. It’s a delicious combination!
• Chocolate – omit the lemon and add some chocolate chips to the batter for those chocolate lovers in your life.
• Almond Lemon Ricotta Cake – add a teaspoon of almond extract together with the vanilla extract.

Equipment

A stand mixer is really quite handy when making this cake and indeed, many cakes but an electric hand mixer will also work.

You’ll also need a 9-inch springform cake pan and other basic baking utensils. 

Storage

Lemon and Ricotta Cake stores well in an airtight container for 3-4 days. If you live in a particularly humid climate, I recommend storing this cake in the refrigerator. Return to room temperature for serving.

Top tip

• Have butter and eggs at room temperature. Butter shouldn’t be melted just cool at room temperature.
• When lining the base of the springform pan, tear off a piece of parchment that will overhang the edges of the base. This makes it easier to move the cake to the wire rack for cooling.
• If the ricotta cheese has a lot of liquid in it, I recommend straining the ricotta cheese to remove the excess water.
• Take care not to overmix the batter! You’re not making bread, this is a beautiful delicate, and tender cake.
• The cake batter is quite thick but that’s correct. It will bake up lovely and light – dense but light.
• As with all baking recipes, the baking time is a guide! Everyone’s ovens are slightly different and will cook faster or slower. Check the cake at 40 minutes. Mine needed 48 minutes to cook. Use your judgment and a skewer to check if the cake is cooked. 

Measuring Tip: When measuring flour, stir the flour first to loosen then spoon the flour into the measuring cup without packing it in. Scrape the back of a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level.

FAQ

Serving Suggestions

Lemon and Ricotta Cake is the perfect way to finish off a special Italian dinner. Whether you’re serving Penne Pomodoro, Steak Pizzaiola, or Anchovy Pizza, this light and luscious dessert will complement your meal beautifully!

Related

Lemon Biscotti
Italian Lemon Cake
Lemon Pizzelle

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Lemon and Ricotta Cake Recipe

This Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake is incredibly moist and tender, with creamy ricotta and vibrant lemon zest for a refreshing, summery treat.

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Review

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings:12 people

Author: Marcellina

Ingredients

• ▢ Zest of one lemon
• ▢ 1 ½ cups (300 grams) granulated white sugar
• ▢ 6 ounces (170 grams) unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 3 eggs (at room temperature)
• ▢ 1 ½ cups (340 grams) whole milk ricotta cheese (full fat)
• ▢ 1 ¾ cups (210 grams) all-purpose plain flour
• ▢ 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice

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Instructions

• Tear off a large sheet of parchment paper so that it overhangs the base of a 9-inch springform cake pan. Clip on the ring catching the paper between the ring and the base. Butter the sides and dust with flour.
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
• Zest the lemon (just the yellow part) then squeeze the juice.
• Combine the zest and sugar in the bowl of stand mixer. Use fingertips to rub the lemon zest into the sugar until fragrant.
• Add the unsalted butter and vanilla extract. Then beat on medium speed until creamy and pale – about 5 minutes.
• Add eggs one at a time to the sugar and butter mixture.
• Turn the stand mixer to low and add the ricotta. Beat on low until well combined.
• Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt directly onto the sugar/butter/ricotta mixture using a fine mesh sieve. Alternatively, in a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together to combine and remove any lumps then add to the creamed mixture.
• Turn the stand mixer on low until the flour is just incorporated. Stop and scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl to ensure all the mixture is combined.
• At low speed, add the lemon juice and mix until just combined. Don’t over-mix.
• Scrape the cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean with a few crumbs clinging. Check at 40 minutes. My oven cooks unevenly so at 40 minutes I carefully and quickly adjust the position of the cake pan.
• When baked, allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing the outer ring. Carefully lift the cake off the base using and slide onto a wire rack to cool.
• This cake will settle as it cools. That's perfectly normal.

Notes

Substitutions

• Butter – Use salted butter if that’s all you have, but omit the extra pinch of salt
• Fresh lemon juice and zest – Swap with 1 teaspoon of lemon extract or use bottled juice with a few drops of lemon oil.

 

Tips for Success

• Use room temperature butter and eggs (butter should be soft, not melted).
• Line the springform base with overhanging parchment for easy transfer after baking.
• Strain ricotta if it contains excess liquid.
• Avoid overmixing—this cake should be tender, not dense like bread.
• The batter is thick but bakes up light yet dense.
• Baking times vary—check at 40 minutes and test with a skewer.
• When measuring flour, stir first, spoon into the cup, and level off with a knife.

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Nutritional Estimate Per Serving

Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 142mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 552IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 113mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.