This traditional Italian lemon ricotta cake recipe is soft and spongy, made with simple ingredients and without butter or oil.

This one-bowl lemon ricotta cake recipe is super simple to make with the most basic ingredients.

As an added bonus, this cake is made without butter or oil!

This soft and spongy cake has a beautiful aromatic note and it’s very light, making it perfect for an afternoon snack or after-meal dessert.  

Ricotta and citrus fruit are such a classic combo in Italian desserts, and never fail to impress.

Just like my ricotta cheesecake, this lemon cake with ricotta cheese is easy to make and perfect for novice bakers!

Enjoy it on its own, or make it extra special topped or filled with Italian pastry cream (crema pasticciera), lemon curd, or a simple berry sauce.

WHAT IS RICOTTA CHEESE

Ricotta cheese is a popular Italian fresh creamy cheese.

Ricotta is so-called because it literally means "re-cooked" in Italian, and it's made with milk and whey.

It's light, creamy and fluffy, slightly sweet, and absolutely delicious.

It’s usually available in large grocery stores, and in Italian delis, where you can find great quality ricotta from the cheese counter.

You can even make homemade ricotta cheese at home!

In Sicily, we use ricotta for both savoury and sweet recipes.

From stuffed pasta or vegetarian lasagna, to the famous cannoli and cassata.

INGREDIENTS

This Italian ricotta cake is proof that you don't need many ingredients to make a delicious dessert.

In fact, you just need six ingredients! No need to add butter, milk, or oil!

• Lemon: You’ll need both the juice and the zest, I opt for organic lemons.
• Ricotta: use high-quality full-fat fresh ricotta cheese, you can even make your homemade ricotta if you like. Make sure it’s well drained.
• Sugar: You can use fine granulated sugar, caster sugar, or fine white raw sugar.
• Flour: I use regular all-purpose flour, but you can also use the Italian 00 flour.
• Eggs: go for fresh medium sized eggs, at room temperature.
• Baking powder: it will make your cake rise.
• Vanilla (optional): for extra flavour, add a scraped vanilla pod into the batter (or 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract).

SUBSTITUTIONS

• Orange: for an orange ricotta cake, substitute the lemon with orange zest and juice.
• Ricotta: you can substitute cow’s milk ricotta with sheep’s milk ricotta (a very popular alternative in Sicily).
• Flour: for a gluten-free lemon cake, you can use a store-bought gluten-free flour blend. You might need to add 2-3 tablespoons of water or milk.
• Cornstarch: for a softer texture you can substitute 30g of flour with 30g of cornstarch (in Italy we use Maizena).

EQUIPMENT

You don't need any professional equipment to make this easy ricotta cake, here are the kitchen tools I use:

• 9-inch springform cake pan - You can use a 8-inch or 9-inch (20 or 22 cm) cake pan. I usually go for a 9-inch square pan.
• Hand mixer - You can also use a stand mixer or a simple whisk.

HOW TO MAKE LEMON RICOTTA CAKE

This ricotta and lemon cake comes together in just one bowl and takes barely 10 minutes of work.

Scroll down until the end of the post for the full printable recipe.

STEP 1- In a large bowl whisk together the ricotta with half of the sugar until light and creamy. Transfer into a container.

STEP 2- In the same bowl, add the eggs and remaining sugar and whisk until you have a creamy foamy batter. Add in the lemon juice and zest and whisk until combined.

STEP 3- Slowly whisk the ricotta mixture into the eggs mixture.

STEP 4- Finally, add the sifted flour and baking powder and mix until just combined. Do not overmix!

STEP 5- Pour the batter into a cake pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 35 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake to check its doneness.

STEP 5- Remove the cake from the oven, and transfer it onto a cooling rack. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing it from the pan.

STEP 6- Sprinkle a little confectioner’s sugar on top and serve. Or make a simple lemon glaze and drizzle it all over the cake.

RECIPE FAQs

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📖 RECIPE

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Lemon Ricotta Cake

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This Italian lemon ricotta cake recipe is soft and spongy, made with simple ingredients and without butter or oil!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time35 mins

Total Time45 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Serving: 10

Calories: 252kcal

Author: Andrea Soranidis - The Petite Cook

Ingredients

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• 250 g ricotta cheese
• 200 g sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
• 250 g all purpose flour
• 3 teaspoon baking powder

For the glaze:

• 50 g powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

MetricUS Customary

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C with the fan option off. Arrange the baking tray onto the middle shelf of the oven. Line with parchment paper a 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan.
• In a large bowl whisk together the ricotta with half of the sugar until light and creamy. Transfer into a container.
• In the same bowl, add the eggs and remaining sugar and whisk until you have a creamy foamy batter. Mix in the lemon juice and zest and whisk until combined.
• Slowly incorporate the ricotta mixture into the egg mixture. Whisk in the vanilla extract if using.
• Finally, sift the flour and baking powder and slowly incorporate them into the cake batter. Whisk from the bottom to the top, until just combined. Do not overmix!
• Pour the batter into the cake pan lined and bake for 35 minutes. Insert a tootpick into the middle of the cake to check its doneness.
• Remove the cake from the oven, and transfer it on a cooling rack. Allow the cake to cool completely before removing it from the pan.
• Sprinkle a little confectioner’s sugar on top and serve. Or make a simple lemon glaze and drizzle it all over the cake.

For the glaze:

• Mix the glaze ingredients until you have a thick but spreadable glaze. Drizzle it over the top of the lemon ricotta cake and serve.

Video

Notes

• Drain the ricotta cheese over a fine-mesh sieve lined with a cheesecloth.
• Not necessary, but if you want a lighter texture you can add the eggs in two steps. First add the yolks, then whip the eggs whites until soft peaks form and fold them into the batter.
• This cake has a spongy but a bit denser texture, so it won’t rise as much as a regular cake. For a softer texture, substitute 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch.
• Let the cake cool completely before removing the cake from the pan.

How to store this Italian ricotta cake?

Store the cake in an air-tight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. You can keep it at room temperature during the colder months or store it in the fridge. It will keep well for up to 3 days.

Can I freeze this cake?

This cake has spongy soft texture that might change when frozen and then thawed.

If you’d like to freeze it, cut it into individual slices, place them on a tray and freeze for 30 minutes, then transfer them into individual ziplock bags.

You can safely store the slices in the freezer for up to 1 month.

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Nutrition

Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 168mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 183IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 2mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.