Last updated on October 13th, 2024
Are you looking for a light and easy dessert to make that is sure to satisfy everyone?
Lemon ricotta cake is an Italian favorite and it can be made in a snap for any occasion – no matter the season. After heavy winter meals, a lemon ricotta cake will lighten everything up and in the summertime heat, the cake is refreshing with a dollop of whipped cream
Adding ricotta to desserts is a classic Italian tradition in the kitchen. After living in Italy for so long, I came to love this tradition as well and find almost any way to incorporate it into simple desserts.
We also eat a lot of cake for breakfast in Italy and this lemon ricotta cake is perfect the next day with a cup of coffee. It’s not too sweet and won’t weigh you down.
Tip: Use this lemon ricotta cake recipe as a base and substitute the lemon for any flavor you desire such as orange zest.
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Lemon Ricotta Cake Pronunciation
Lemon ricotta cake is called torta di ricotta e limone in Italian, pronounced tohr-tah dee ree-coht-tah eh lee-moh-neh.
Listen to the pronunciation of torta di ricotta e limone:
What Is Lemon Ricotta Cake?
Lemon Ricotta Cake is a traditional Italian dessert flavored with either cow’s or sheep’s milk ricotta and lemon. In Italy, it’s most commonly finished with a generous dusting of powdered sugar and enjoyed for either dessert, breakfast or for a snack.
It’s believed to have originated in Sicily where citrus grows extremely well but every region (and even neighborhood for that matter) seems to have their own family recipe.
The biggest regional differences are in the kind of ricotta used (cow’s, sheeps or a mix of the two) and in the flour. Most typically it’s made from regular baking flour but you will also see it made in more rustic versions with semolina, almond or semi-whole wheat.
Lemon Ricotta Cake Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter, softened (1 ½ sticks, 170 grams)
- 1 cup sugar (200 grams)
- 15 ounces (425) whole sheep’s or cow’s milk ricotta cheese
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 large lemons, zested and juiced (about 4 tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups (180 grams) flour
- powdered sugar for finishing (optional)
How To Make Lemon Ricotta Cake
ONE: Set the ricotta to drain in a drive for at least one hour prior to mixing.
TWO: Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan using butter or cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
THREE: In a medium bowl, mix the flour with the salt and baking powder. Set aside.
FOUR: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, cream the butter and sugar together until white and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the drained ricotta and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 more minutes. This step is very important.
FIVE: Mix in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between each egg addition. Add in the vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix to combine.
SIX: Add the flour mixture and turn the mixer on low. Mix until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated.
SEVEN: Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cake tests done with a toothpick.
EIGHT: Transfer to a wire wrack and let cool in the pan for about 15-20 minutes before removing. Finish cooling completely on a wire rack.
NINE: Generously dust with powdered sugar if desired and serve.
Substitutions And Variations For Lemon Ricotta Cake
- Use either cow or sheep’s milk ricotta. The flavor of sheep’s milk ricotta is slightly more gamey and grassy but it doesn’t come through in the lemon ricotta cake.
- Substitute the vanilla extract for almond extract in equal proportions.
- Gently fold in one cup of blueberries tossed in one tablespoon of flour to the final batter just before pouring into the springform pan for a blueberry lemon ricotta cake.
- Substitute orange zest for lemon zest in equal parts.
- Chocolate ricotta cake is a great alternative for chocolate lovers.
How To Serve Lemon Ricotta Cake
In Italy we eat lemon ricotta cake as is. At most, it will be dusted with powdered sugar once cooled. Italians like simple desserts that aren’t too fancy, especially everyday cakes that can be repurposed the next day for breakfast.
If you are looking for something a little more decadent, serve with slightly sweetened whipped cream, mascarpone cream mixed with sweetened whipped cream and/or berries such as strawberries, blueberries or raspberries.
Consider finishing your cooled lemon ricotta cake with a simple lemon glaze if you have a sweet tooth. Whisk 2 to 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice with about 1 cup of powdered sugar until you get the ideal consistency.
Holiday Desserts: Try making lemon ricotta cake for Thanksgiving or Christmas!
How To Eat Lemon Ricotta Cake
An everyday cake such as lemon ricotta cake would be eaten in various situations in Italy:
- for breakfast at home with a coffee beverage
- for seconda colazione or morning snack for kids
- for merenda or afternoon snack
- for dessert
If you are eating this at the table such as at breakfast or for dessert, you would use a fork but when kids eat lemon ricotta cake as a snack, they will eat it with their hands.
Notes and Tips For Making Lemon Ricotta Cake
- Always drain the ricotta in a sieve over a bowl for at least 1 hour before using in any recipe, allowing any extra moisture to drain out.
- Any shape of pan works well for this lemon ricotta cake. Try a square, rectangle or even bundt cake. Let cool completely before removing from other pans that are not springform.
- Line your pan with parchment paper for easy cake removal and fast cleanup.
- Be sure all your ingredients are at room temperature, which makes for a smoother consistency.
- Be careful not to zest the pith, or white part of the lemon which is bitter.
- Be sure to cream the butter and sugar very well until light and fluffy. This is key to making a super light cake.
- It’s normal for the batter to curdle when you add the lemon juice. Not to worry, it should come back together after you add the remaining ingredients.
Lemon Ricotta Cake
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter softened (1 ½ sticks, 170 grams)
- 1 cup sugar (200 g)
- 15 oz whole sheep’s or cow’s milk ricotta cheese (425 g)
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 large lemons zested and juiced (about 4 tablespoons)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups flour (180 g)
- powdered sugar for finishing optional
Instructions
- Set the ricotta to drain in a drive for at least one hour prior to mixing.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan using butter or cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix the flour with the salt and baking powder. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until white and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the drained ricotta and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 more minutes. This step is very important.
- Mix in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl between each egg addition. Add in the vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix to combine.
- Add the flour mixture and turn the mixer on low. Mix until just combined, scraping the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the cake tests done with a toothpick.
- Transfer to a wire wrack and let cool in the pan for about 15-20 minutes before removing. Finish cooling completely on a wire rack.
- Generously dust with powdered sugar if desired and serve.
Notes
- Always drain the ricotta in a sieve over a bowl for at least 1 hour before using in any recipe, allowing any extra moisture to drain out.
- Any shape of pan works well for this lemon ricotta cake. Try a square, rectangle or even bundt cake. Let cool completely before removing from other pans that are not springform.
- Line your pan with parchment paper for easy cake removal and fast cleanup.
- Be sure all your ingredients are at room temperature, which makes for a smoother consistency.
- Be careful not to zest the pith, or white part of the lemon which is bitter.
- Be sure to cream the butter and sugar very well until light and fluffy. This is key to making a super light cake.
- It’s normal for the batter to curdle when you add the lemon juice. Not to worry, it should come back together after you add the remaining ingredients.
Lemon Ricotta Cake Recipe FAQ
If you can, full fat ricotta cheese is much better because it creates the right texture. If you can’t or prefer not to, you can use part-skim but it will compromise the flavor and the texture ever so slightly. As a general rule, always use full-fat dairy products in desserts if you can.
Yes, you can absolutely use this cake base to make a layered cake. Simply divide the batter into two equal sized pans and fill with your favorite vanilla frosting. Be sure to reduce the baking time and always test with a toothpick in the center of the cake.
Yes, you can make this cake a day before serving as long as you wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it sealed in a ziplock bag. After 24 hours, I find the texture begins to change so it’s best to keep this cake made within one day of serving.
Yes, you can but be sure to cool it completely before freezing. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then seal it in a large, ziplock bag for up to three months. I like to also freeze it in individually wrapped slices to defrost at any moment for a go-to single portion dessert!
