This particular Lemon Ricotta Cake recipe isn’t super sweet, so you can enjoy it with your morning cup of coffee or as a dessert. This lemon ricotta cake recipe has a subtle but lovely lemon flavor and can be topped with a simple dusting of powdered sugar or lemon icing.
Creating This Easy Lemon Cake
I had some of my favorite people coming over with their kiddos Monday morning for story time and a play date. I always like to bake a little something for the mamas to nosh on since we don’t usually get a leisurely breakfast in the morning.
I tried a little variation on a recipe I made last week — everyone loved it. I love feeding my friends!
There was maybe 1/6th of the cake left after the five of us were through with it. Just enough for a piece for hubby for dessert last night and a piece for me for breakfast this morning!
This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.
Tools Needed to Prepare this Lemon Ricotta Cake
You’ll need a few different tools to prepare this easy lemon ricotta cake. Here’s what I recommend having on hand before beginning getting started:
- Measuring Cups and Spoons – to measure the ingredients for this moist lemon ricotta cake.
- Mixing Bowl – you’ll want a medium bowl to combine the dry ingredients in.
- Wire Whisk – to mix the dry ingredients as well as to prepare the lemon icing that goes on top of the cake.
- Stand Mixer – for best results, I recommend preparing the cake batter in a stand mixer.
- Silicone Spatula – spatulas are helpful for scraping down the sides as you prepare the cake recipe.
- Bundt Cake Pan – I like to bake this delicious lemon ricotta cake in a bundt pan.
- Cooling Rack – a wire cooling rack is ideal for letting the cake cool.
Lemon Ricotta Cake Ingredients
Although I made this lemon bundt cake from scratch, I kept the ingredients list as short and sweet as possible. This is a simple dessert, but it’s so tasty!
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Butter
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Ricotta cheese
- Lemon juice and zest
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
How to Make Lemon Ricotta Cake
I’ve given detailed instructions in the recipe card below on how to make this lemon ricotta cake recipe, but here’s an overview:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and sides of abundt pan.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest; set aside.
- In another bowl, beat together the sugar and butter until fluffy.
- To the butter mixture, add the vanilla and eggs then stir in the lemon juice.
- Beat 1/4 of the flour mixture and ricotta cheese at a time alternately into the sugar mixture.
- Spread batter into pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool 30 minutes in pan on wire rack, then remove the cake from the pan to finish cooling.
- Dust cooled cake with powdered sugar.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Tips for Making the Best Ricotta Cake
- Soften the butter— If you forgot to set the butter out in advance, here are some tips to get room temperature butter quickly.
- Room temperature eggs— eggs that have been brought to room temperature are best for baking this cake. Check out these tips for bringing eggs to room temperature quickly.
- Use fresh lemon juice and fresh lemon zest— fresh lemons have so much more flavor than bottled!
- Slowly add the flour— add the flour slowly and in smaller increments while mixing at low speed. This helps the flour incorporate well and prevents a big mess all over the kitchen.
- Place parchment paper under the cake while icing— you want those gorgeous drips of icing on your ricotta cake. To protect your counters, place the wire rack with the cake on it on top of a large sheet of parchment paper.
Lemon Ricotta Cake FAQ
Got questions about how to make this lemon bundt cake recipe?Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions.Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
What Size Bundt Pan Should I Use?
I used a 12-cup bundt pan to make this easy lemon bundt cake recipe. This is the bundt pan that I have.
Can I Bake this Lemon Bundt Cake in Mini Pans?
If you’d like to use mini bundt pans, you definitely can. I haven’t personally done so with this exact recipe, so you’ll need to keep an eye on them while they bake.
And, don’t fill the prepared pans more than 3/4 of the way full with the lemon ricotta cake batter.
How Much Lemon Juice Is Needed?
You’ll need the juice of three lemons. I typically get about 1/4 cup of juice from each lemon using my favorite citrus juicer.
Can this Lemon Bundt Cake Be Frozen?
Yes, this moist lemon bundt cake freezes and thaws well. If possible, I recommend freezing the cake (whole or in slices) without the powdered sugar on top.
When Should this Lemon Ricotta Cake Be Served?
This easy lemon bundt cake can be served for a weekend or special occasion brunch or for dessert. Its bright flavor makes it perfect for spring!
What Should I Serve with this Ricotta Cake Recipe?
I like to serve fresh fruit with this lemon cake. It also looks gorgeous garnished with a variety of berries – raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries are our favorites!
If you don’t have fresh berries available, try garnishing it with fresh lemon slices or dried lemon slices (I’m linking to a tutorial for how to make dried orange slices, but the process is the same with lemons).
How Should I Store Leftovers?
If you have any leftover lemon ricotta cake, it should be stored under a cake dome or in an airtight container. It doesn’t need to be refrigerated, but feel free to do so.
Try this Lemon Ricotta Cake!
Next time you’re looking for an easy cake recipe, give this Lemon Ricotta Cake a try!
Did you love the tender, moist crumb that this delicious cake has? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this simple recipe for ricotta cake.
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with@goodlifeeatsand#goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your lemon bundt cake photo!
5 Stars for this Lemon Ricotta Cake
“Can I say this cake rocked! 5 stars all the way. I would not change a thing!” — Patricia
“This is delicious. I made it for a household filled with men, one of whom thinks he is a food critic. He had NOTHING negative to say and he always does. . . so, I’d say this is an unqualified success.” — Michelle
“Thanks for your wonderful ricotta cake!!! I was SO inspired, that I made 2.” — Anonymous
More Lemon Dessert Recipes:
Gluten-free Lemon Cookies made with pudding mix, cream cheese, and mixed with white chocolate pieces. Soft, chewy, and so good!
These White Chocolate Lemon Coconut Cookies are the perfect spring and summer cookie with a little tropical twist.
Another lighter cake recipe I love to enjoy with my morning cup of coffee is this Blueberry Lemon Curd Coffee Cake.
This Lemon Blueberry Bread is studded with juicy blueberries and topped with a simple lemon drizzle. This is such a simple quick bread recipe!
Free-form pies like this Berry Lemon Galette are so much easier to make since they don’t require any crimping or shaping.
Get More Recipes via Email
Did you love this recipe? Sign up to receive Good Life Eats Email Updates and never miss another recipe!
Have you ever made a ricotta cake?
Lemon Ricotta Cake
Yield: 1 bundt cake
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
This lemon ricotta cake has a delicious, light lemon flavor and tender crumb. Serve it with or without the icing.
Ingredients
For the Lemon Ricotta Cake
- 3 cups (360 grams) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
- 3/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 cup Butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 3 Eggs
- 1 1/2 cups Ricotta Cheese
- 3 Lemons, juiced and zested
For the Lemon Icing
- 1 1/2 cups (170g) Sifted Powdered Sugar
- 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
- pinch of Sea Salt
Garnishes
- Fresh Raspberries, Blackberries, and Blueberries
Instructions
To Make the Lemon Ricotta Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease the bottom and sides of a10-12 cup sized bundtcake pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. Stir until well mixed and set aside.
- Add the softened butter and the granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy, scraping the sides down periodically with a spatula.
- Then, add the eggs one at a time, beating in between each addition. After all the eggs have been added, scrape down the sides, and beat for 2 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract and lemon juice.
- Beat 1/4 of the flour mixture and ricotta cheese at a time alternately into sugar mixture on low speed till blended. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes in pan on wire rack.
- Then, place the wire rack on top of the cake. Carefully flip the pan upside down while holding both the pan and the wire rack.
- Then, place them on the counter and carefully remove the pan from the top. Let cool completely.
To Make the Lemon Icing for the Ricotta Cake
- Sift the powdered sugar and salt into a medium mixing bowl using a fine mesh sifter or strainer.
- Then, mix in the fresh lemon juice 1/2 tablespoon at a time. The glaze should be thick and barely pourable.
Icing and Garnishing the Cake
- Place the wire rack with the ricotta cake on it on top of a large sheet of parchment paper (this will catch any spills as you ice the cake).
- Transfer the icing to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, pipe the icing over the cake in a drizzle like pattern. Arrange the berries on top of the icing.
- Let the icing harden before slicing and serving.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 298Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 388mgCarbohydrates: 43gFiber: 2gSugar: 22gProtein: 7g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
