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Feature image for Easy Lemon Ricotta Cake showing a slice of the soft cake.
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5 from 1 vote

Easy Lemon Ricotta Cake Recipe

Creamy, light, and heavenly --- yep, that's what you're in for with every bite of this easy Lemon Ricotta Cake! Enjoy it with a cup of coffee, tea, or a glass of wine!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 10
Calories: 361kcal
Author: Neriz

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 & 1/2 stick butter (170 grams), unsalted, softened
  • 1 & 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 & 1/2 cup ricotta (425 grams), drained
  • 3 medium eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 5 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 & 1/4 cup flour

Instructions

Preparing equipment:

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
  • Grease your 8-inch cake pan with butter and dust it with flour. 
  • Set aside.

Preparing ricotta cake batter:

  • Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl and mix until creamy.
  • Add the ricotta and continue mixing for about four minutes on the mixer's high setting.  
  • Add the eggs one at a time while continually mixing.
  • Add vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
  • Sift the dry ingredients and add them into the batter: flour, salt, and baking soda.
  • Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to gently combine the dry ingredients with the rest of the batter.
  • Pour the ricotta cake batter into the prepared cake pan.
  • Use an angled spatula to level the top of the cake.
  • Place pan in the middle of the oven for 45-50 minutes or until the top turns darker.
  • Take the pan out of the oven, set it aside to cool, and gently remove the cake from the pan.
  • Serve lemon and ricotta cake with a dusting of powdered sugar, if preferred.

Notes

  • Cook's Tip #1:  Ensure that you drain all the liquid from your ricotta, so do that in advance.
  • Cook's Tip #2:  Do not rush the mixing of the ricotta with sugar and butter.  It is the key to getting that soft and fluffy texture of this cake.
  • Cook's Tip #3:  It's normal for the batter to look curdled after adding lemon juice --- so don't worry about it.
  • Cook's Tip #4:  This lemon and ricotta cake recipe is perfect for an 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 361kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 293mg | Potassium: 87mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 660IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 1mg