Lemon Ricotta Cake
This traditional Italian lemon ricotta cake is soft and fluffy, 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 ricotta cake 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, orange curd, or a simple berry sauce.
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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 lemon 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
No fancy equipment needed for this easy 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 lemon cake with ricotta cheese 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 bowl whisk together the ricotta with half of the sugar until light and creamy. Transfer into a container.
STEP 2. In the same bowl, whisk the eggs and remaining sugar until creamy. Then, mix in the lemon juice, zest, and ricotta until smooth.
STEP 3. Add the sifted flour and baking powder and mix until just combined. Do not overmix!
STEP 4. Pour the batter into a cake pan and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to cool, then remove the cake from the pan and serve.
Once your ricotta lemon cake is ready, sprinkle a little confectioner’s sugar on top, or make a simple lemon glaze and drizzle it all over the cake.
Baking tips
This cake recipe is simple, but these handy baking tips will help you get the best results:
- Drain the ricotta cheese over a fine-mesh sieve lined with a cheesecloth.
- Line your cake pan with parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking to the bottom and sides of the pan.
- This is optional, but for 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. To check that it's ready, insert a skewer into the centre, it should come out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely before removing the cake from the pan.
Storage tips
- Freezer: Cut the cake into slices, place them on a tray, and freeze for 30 minutes. Then, transfer the slices into ziplock bags and freeze for up to 1 month.
- Serve: Store the cake in an airtight container in a cool, dry spot in your kitchen.
- Fridge: The cake will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days.
More Italian cake recipes to try
If you loved this ricotta lemon cake, try other family-favorite Italian desserts like apple cake, pear cake, espresso cake or the famous hangover cake!
Did you try this recipe?
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Recipe
Lemon Ricotta Cake
Ingredients
- 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
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.
Nutrition
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.
Hi what size pan did you use for cake?
Ty
Hi Anna, I use a 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan. Happy baking!
Hi Ty for sharing the recipe, is the cake baked in a round or square pan?
Ty
Hi Anna, I baked it in a square pan, but I make this cake often and I usually opt for a round cake pan, 8-inch or 9-inch sized.