You’ll love this buttery and moist Lemon Ricotta Cake made with fresh lemons. Dusted with powdered sugar and topped with mascarpone cream and raspberries, it’s the perfect quick and easy lemon dessert.
Lemon + ricotta = a match made in heaven 💕 It takes a lot for me to steer away from chocolate-covered desserts, but if there’s one dessert that can make me do it, it’s this gorgeous Lemon Ricotta Cake.
With a soft, buttery texture and a rich lemon flavour, it’s my new go-to dessert. Think of it as a cross between a creamy cheesecake and lemon cake – divine!
Served with a thick mascarpone cream and fresh raspberries, I promise this easy Ricotta Cake is a total crowd-pleaser.
Why you will love this recipe
Quick and easy: It sounds impressive, but this Lemon Ricotta Cake is surprisingly easy to make with only simply ingredients – perfect for beginners!
Lemon flavour: With lemon zest and fresh lemon juice in the cake, it’s bursting with zesty lemon goodness.
Creamy texture: The ricotta in this cake helps to create a creamy *almost* cheesecake-like texture with a very moist crumb.
Make-ahead: If you want to make this for a dinner party, you can easily make it the day before for easy entertaining.
Thanks Jess, beautiful recipe. I doubled the recipe to make two layer cakes and iced it with lemon cream cheese frosting. Delish!
– Karen
Recipe testing
I’m proud of this Italian-inspired cake. It took me a little while to get it just right but it has made me fall more and more in love with lemon desserts.
Not only is it lovely and sweet, but it’s very simple to make too.
You only need a handful of ingredients, but the fresh lemons and creamy ricotta change everything. It creates a somewhat dense cake, especially when compared to my Lemon Crumb Cake or even my Lemon Pound Cake but it has a truly tender crumb.
The texture is not too wet but not dry. It is creamy like a cheesecake, but light and fresh too.
Just like in my Lemon Ricotta Cookies, I recommend using a tub of full fat store-bought ricotta.
To serve, you can simply dust the cake with powdered sugar, add a few fresh berries and a generous dollop of mascarpone cream. Heaven.
Ingredients
This Italian Lemon Cake calls for fresh lemons and storebought ricotta, but the rest of the ingredients are pantry staples.
I like to serve my cake with a simple two-ingredient mascarpone cream, but you can also just enjoy it with a simple dusting of icing sugar.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the key ingredients you’ll need, including any substitutions you can make.
- Caster sugar: Caster sugar is very fine sugar often used in baking. In this recipe, granulated sugar will also work.
- Fresh lemons: You can’t substitute fresh lemons in this recipe. We will be using both the lemon zest and the juice in the cake batter.
- Plain flour: You’ll need plain flour or all purpose flour.
- Ricotta cheese: I used Perfect Italiano Original Ricotta in this recipe. Most storebought full fat ricotta should work. If you use fresh ricotta cheese, you may just need to drain it first.
- Milk: You don’t need buttermilk for this recipe, just regular whole or full fat milk works perfectly.
- Icing sugar: Icing sugar, also known as powdered sugar or confectioners’ sugar, is what you’ll need just to decorate the cake.
- Thickened cream: You’ll need thickened cream or heavy cream for the mascarpone cream. Cream can have different names in different countries but look for a high-fat cream (at least 35% fat) that says it is suitable for whipping.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make Lemon Ricotta Cake
This easy Lemon Ricotta Cake is surprisingly easy to make. You will need an electric mixer, either a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
Here’s a quick overview of how to make it but the full instructions are included in the recipe below.
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, add butter, sugar and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Step 2: Add eggs, one at a time, beating briefly just to combine. It’s ok if your mixture looks a bit lumpy here.
Step 3: Add lemon juice, lemon zest, flour, baking powder and ricotta and beat on a low speed.
Step 4: Add milk and beat briefly until combined. Cake batter will be thick and creamy.
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Step 5: Transfer cake batter to a prepared cake pan. Bake for approximately 30 minutes.
Step 6: Leave cake to cool completely on a wire rack.
Step 7: In a large bowl, add mascarpone and thickened cream. Mix on medium speed until thick and creamy.
Step 8: Dust the top of the cake with icing sugar and serve with mascarpone cream.
Tips for making Ricotta Cake
- Grease and line: Classic Lemon Ricotta Cake has the tendency to stick to the pan, so make sure you grease your cake pan well and line the bottom AND the sides with baking or parchment paper. You could also use a springform pan if you like.
- Batter may curdle: Adding fresh lemon juice means the cake batter might look a little curdled, but it’s totally fine.
- Expect a limited rise: This cake is moist and dense, so it won’t rise as much as a regular cake. You can tell it’s ready by inserting a skewer into the centre, it should come out clean.
- Leave to cool: Leave the cake to cool completely in the cake tin as it will be quite fragile when warm. Serve cooled cake with mascarpone cream and fresh raspberries for the perfect dessert.
Frequently asked questions
You can serve this cake at room temperature or cold from the fridge. I personally love to serve it at room temperature with mascarpone cream or freshly whipped cream and a handful of fresh berries.
Yes absolutely! You can swap the lemon zest and lemon juice in this recipe for orange zest and juice.
Yes, you can fold a few fresh raspberries or blueberries into the cake batter right before baking. If you want to use frozen berries, add them frozen – do not thaw first.
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Let’s Bake
Lemon Ricotta Cake recipe
A moist and dense Lemon Ricotta Cake made with fresh lemons.
Ingredients
Lemon ricotta cake
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 150 grams (3/4 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- Zest of 2 lemons
- 140 grams (1 cup) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 250 grams (1 cup) store bought ricotta
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) full fat or whole milk
Mascarpone cream
- 240 ml (1 cup) thickened or heavy cream (see notes)
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) mascarpone
- Icing sugar or powdered sugar, optional, to serve
- Fresh raspberries, optional, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with butter and line the bottom with parchment or baking paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add butter, sugar and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined.
- Add lemon juice, lemon zest, flour, baking powder and ricotta and beat on a low speed. Add milk and beat briefly until combined. Cake batter may be lumpy and curdled but this is totally fine.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pan and place in the oven for approximately 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave cake to cool completely in cake pan.
- Add cream and mascarpone to a mixing bowl and beat using an electric mixer for a couple of minutes or until thickened.
- To serve, dust cake with icing sugar. Cut into small slices and serve with mascarpone cream and fresh raspberries.
Notes
Ricotta cheese: I used Perfect Italiano Original Ricotta in this recipe. Most storebought full fat ricotta should work. If you use fresh ricotta cheese, you may just need to drain it first.
Icing sugar: Icing sugar, also known as powdered sugar or confectioners’ sugar, is used to decorate the cake.
Thickened cream: You’ll need thickened cream or heavy cream for the mascarpone cream. Cream can have different names in different countries but look for a high-fat cream (at least 35% fat) that says it is suitable for whipping.
Mascarpone cream: If you don’t have access to mascarpone cream, you can simply leave it out and decorate the cake with whipped cream.
Storage: Keep leftover Lemon Ricotta Cake in an airtight container in the fridge. You can bring it to room temperature to serve.
Make-ahead: You can freeze the cake. Wrap it carefully in plastic wrap and keep it in an airtight container.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size: 1 slice Calories: 433 Sugar: 23.5 g Sodium: 64.4 mg Fat: 28.6 g Carbohydrates: 36.9 g Protein: 7.8 g Cholesterol: 136 mg
Hi, I’m Jess, the creator of Sweetest Menu and the author of Something Sweet. A self-taught baker and published recipe writer who can’t stop making easy and delicious baking recipes.
Laura says
I am planning to make this cake next month for my Mum’s birthday. I want to get it right. Would you recommend a standard cake tin or a springform tin? Also, I want to make it the afternoon before to serve the next night after dinner. Is the best storing method to allow the cake to cool completely in the tin and then store in an air tight container on the kitchen benchtop or in the fridge? Any help is greatly appreciated!! 🙂
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Laura, I usually just use a regular pan but a springform pan is a great idea, especially if you are a bit nervous about the pan exit. I would pop it in the fridge overnight and then bring it back to room temperature before serving. I hope your mum loves it!
Laura says
I made this last week! It took a lot longer in the oven though, I cooked it for the 30 mins at 160 fan-forced and it was still liquid in the centre but was getting very browned on top. I tented it with some al foil then I cooked it for a further 8 mins, checked, then another 9 mins and checked again and then cooked for another 10 mins. I cooled completely in the pan as directions stated. Just a normal tin pan (not springform) but I used some strips of baking paper under the lining to help get it out. I served it the next evening with the cream and raspberries. People said it was very nice. Thank you for replying to my comment and the tips. It made me feel more confident giving it a go.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Laura, thanks for your feedback on this one. I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it. I always expect there to be some cook time variation as each oven is different but if it was almost double, I wonder if there was something else going on. Could it have been the ricotta you used? Was it a storebought kind or the kind from the deli with more liquid?
Jazz says
Made this for the second time today. I remember having no issues with cooking time 5 years ago, but today I used a glass dish and it took 40+ mins. Just a friendly tip it would be nice to include the type of cake pan used (glass vs aluminum vs ceramic) for the times mentioned in your recipe 🙂
The taste is amazing!
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so glad you loved it Jazz! Thank you for your feedback. I definitely only use aluminium pans for my baking but that’s a good idea to note that more clearly.
Antoinette Savill says
Can I freeze the lemon ricotta cake?
Jessica Holmes says
Yes absolutely!
Home baker says
Could you please tell me how deep your 8inch pan is that you use for your cakes thank you a home baker
Jessica Holmes says
Hi, mine are 2-inches deep. I hope that helps!
Jen says
Can I add blueberries without impacting the texture?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Jen, I haven’t tried but I wouldn’t add too many, otherwise I think it will make the texture a bit soggy.
Kate says
Thanks Jess, beautiful recipe. I doubled the recipe to make two layer cakes and iced it with lemon cream cheese frosting. Delish!
Jessica Holmes says
Wow that sounds incredible Kate! Thank you sharing.
Evo says
Sadly the kids got to most of this before I could really dive in they loved it so much. A stunning, simple cake. The texture is fantastic with the ricotta which I doubled. Worked a treat.
Jessica Holmes says
Oh that’s wonderful Evo!
Courtney says
Delicious! Easy recipe to follow, not to sweet and exactly how you describe, halfway between a cheesecake and lemon cake. Might make a berry coulis to drizzle over the dollop of mascarpone cream.
Jessica Holmes says
Yes! So glad you enjoyed it. A berry coulis would go so well!
Nikki says
I made this but it sunk all around the cake. It looks like it didn’t bake despite baking it for 40mins, to the point that it began to brown on top. Over temperature is fine. What could have caused this?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Nikki, I’m sorry to hear that. That sounds very odd to me! Did you want to email me a photo? Any chance of mis-measuring an ingredients? What type of ricotta did you use?
CAtherine says
I had the exact same problem. It also took longer to cook and was perfect when it came out of the oven but then sank. The result was the cake was quite dense but still delicious. I wondered if maybe I should have cooked on 180 not 160, even though I have fan oven.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Catherine, thanks for your feedback! It can be common to have a little bit of sinking with fruit cakes, particularly if they’re not fully cooked through. Let me know how you go at the higher temperature?