Lemon Ricotta Cake
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This light and fluffy lemon ricotta cake features the best golden crumb! Plenty of fresh lemon zest and juice infuse the golden cake with citrus, and a lemon syrup brushed over the baked cake amplifies the flavor, making this cake a must for lemon lovers.
Perfect for dessert or an anytime sweet, this effortless lemon ricotta cake is a nod to warm afternoons along the Italian coast. Bright and buttery, serve with fresh berries and stone fruit for a delicious taste of summer!
Lemon Ricotta Cake Ingredients
For this easy lemon cake, you’ll need mostly pantry staples:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder, baking soda, and salt
- Granulated sugar
- Fresh lemon zest and juice
- Unsalted butter
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Whole milk ricotta cheese
The perfect lemon ricotta cake:
- Bring butter, eggs, and ricotta to room temperature before beginning.
- Use whole milk ricotta cheese for the perfect light and fluffy texture.
- For maximum lemon flavor, combine lemon zest and sugar in a food processor and pulse for 1 minute to release aromatic oils from the zest and infuse the sugar with lemon flavor.
- Use a 10-cup bundt pan for this recipe. To prevent the cake from sticking, spray the pan generously with nonstick spray (or butter and flour the pan). Spoon the batter evenly into the pan and smooth with an offset spatula, then tap the pan sharply several times to reduce air bubbles.
- Bake cake until golden and the top springs back to the touch. A tester inserted in the center should come out with a few crumbs attached. Your baking time may vary depending on the shape of your bundt pan, so start testing for doneness after 35 minutes.
- To make individual lemon ricotta cakes, use a mini bundt pan. Depending on the size of the pan, this recipe will make 6 to 8 mini bundt cakes. Baking time will be approximately 24 to 26 minutes.
- Let the cake cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. While the cake rests, prepare the lemon syrup.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the warm cake with lemon syrup, allowing the syrup to soak into the cake. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
- Before serving, top cake with powdered sugar, fresh berries and summer fruit, lemon slices, and fresh mint.
- If you’re craving a little extra indulgence, serve slices with lemon glaze, or with a side of vanilla ice cream or lemon sorbetto!
- Make ahead: This bundt cake can be made one day in advance. Let cool completely and store at room temperature overnight. Dust with powdered sugar and top with fruit just before serving.
Lemon Ricotta Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
This light and fluffy lemon ricotta cake features the best golden crumb! Bright and buttery, serve with fresh berries and stone fruit for a delicious taste of summer.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 Tbsp fresh lemon zest
- 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Lemon Syrup
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Topping
- Powdered sugar
- Fresh berries and summer fruit
- Lemon slices and fresh mint
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 10-cup bundt pan generously with nonstick spray. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Combine sugar and lemon zest in a food processor and pulse for 1 minute; combine with butter in a large mixer bowl and beat on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add eggs one at a time; mix in vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture on low speed. Add ricotta and lemon juice, mixing just until incorporated.
- Spoon batter into prepared bundt pan and smooth with an offset spatula. Tap pan sharply to reduce air bubbles.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until cake is golden, springs back to the touch, and a tester inserted in the center comes out with a few crumbs attached. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- While the cake rests, prepare lemon syrup. Combine sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and syrup thickens, about 4 minutes. Remove lemon syrup from the heat.
- Carefully invert cake onto rack and use a pastry brush to brush top of cake evenly with lemon syrup. Let cake cool completely.
- Before serving, top cake with powdered sugar, fresh berries and summer fruit, lemon slices, and fresh mint.
Notes
Make ahead: This bundt cake can be made one day in advance. Let cool completely and store at room temperature overnight. Dust with powdered sugar and top with fruit just before serving.
Keywords: Lemon, Ricotta, Bundt Cake, Ricotta Cake, Summer Dessert
More lemon desserts to try:
Lemon Sugar Cookie Bars
Meyer Lemon Yogurt Cake
Meyer Lemon Sheet Cake
Delicious, with a tender crumb and lots of lemon flavor!
★★★★★
I’m so glad you tried this cake, thank you Trena!