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.
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.
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.
More lemon recipes
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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.
Lauren says
This looks amazing! Could I somehow incorporate blueberries into the cake?
Jessica Holmes says
Absolutely! You can fold some fresh blueberries into the batter right before baking, or if you are using frozen ones, add them frozen (don’t thaw). Delish!
Cindy says
Hello…. Just beginning to make this. Can I make the mascarpone cream the day ahead?
Jessica Holmes says
Yes you can!
Linda says
Can I make this recipe using lemon curd? What substitutions do I need to make? Thanks.
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Linda, I haven’t tried this recipe with lemon curd I’m sorry. I recommend trying it as is if you can! It would be divine served with a dollop of lemon curd though!
Terry says
I don’t have an electric mixer and made this using hand mixing and a wisk, and may have undercooked it a little, but it was delicious and easy to make.
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Terry.
Barbara says
The recipe sounds wonderful! Does it freeze well? Thanks
Jessica Holmes says
Yes you can!
Lara says
Fab recipe. One of my favourites. I add 2 lots of ricotta, no milk, replace flour with rice flour. Makes a wonderful cheesecake.
Jessica Holmes says
Oh wow, sounds amazing Lara!
Janet says
Have made twice over Christmas. Really delicious and easy to make
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so happy to hear that Janet!
Plamena says
I normally make chocolate ricotta cake every time i have ricotta but decided to have this one a go and oh my word it was fantastic! Thank you for the recipe, it will definitely become one of our family’s firm favourites!
Jessica Holmes says
Ohh love hearing that! So glad you enjoyed it!
Ann Guillermo says
Absolutely one of the most popular things I bake! The recipe is perfect as is… my teen son has even learned to make it on his own because he loves it so much.
I do add extra zest because we like a stronger lemon flavor. Highly recommended recipe!
Jessica Holmes says
Aww that makes me so happy to hear that Ann! Thank you for your very kind review!
Sonja says
Hi Can I substitute the flour for Almond flour ?
Seems a straight forward recipe to make the swap …..
Just love a lemony cake 🍰
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Sonja, I haven’t tried this one with almond flour before so I can’t say. If you do try it, let me know how you go!
Jade says
First time I made it it was delicious, looked exactly as picture fluffy and moist. Any time I’ve tried it after that it’s not fluffy it’s dense and wet, I am following recipe to a t not sure what is going wrong… 😔
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Jade, did you make any changes compared to the first time? A different ricotta maybe? Or perhaps you just slightly under baked it the second time?
Jade says
The same ricotta! Do you think I should bake it longer? I will give it another try, or perhaps is there a ricotta brand you recommend?
Jessica Holmes says
You could try that if you felt it was a bit undercooked the second time? I usually use Perfect Italiano ricotta in the tub.
Elif says
This is my favourite lemon cake recipe! I have made this to many of my guests in summer and everyone loved it. It looks so beautiful with final addition of fresh raspberries and caster sugar.
Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so glad to hear that Elif! Thank you for the lovely feedback.
Sue says
I made this today WOW absolutely everything I dreamed of and more it was so damn good ! I doubled the ricotta !!!
I also made a lemon curd to go with it absolute heaven thanks for such a wonderful recipe
Jessica Holmes says
So glad you loved it Sue! Ohh yes, it would be amazing served with lemon curd!
Nessa says
Twas delicious! I needed a fresher lemon but that’s a me problem. The recipe was very easy to follow and putting it together took like no time at all
Jessica Holmes says
Fabulous! So glad you enjoyed it Nessa!
Virginia (Brooklyn. NY) says
Eventhough I used half ricotta and half milk/regular sugar/nine inch pan, the cake was delicious. Not too sweet/perfect lemony taste.
I use the 1/4 cup too.
Thank you.
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Virginia!