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A combination of cake and cheesecake, this delicious Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake is a one-bowl, no-mixer recipe you can throw together in minutes!
You may have noticed that I'm kind of obsessed with one-bowl, no-mixer recipes like this Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake. I love that these cakes can be made in minutes and it's a win-win when they also elicit rave-worthy results. They're perfect for busy weekdays when you need a dessert in a hurry, as well as for dinner parties when there are a zillion other things to do to get ready.
If you're looking for a cake that's universally appealing, a lemon cake seems to always be really well received. I've been making this French Grandmothers Lemon Yogurt Cake for years and it never fails to receive wonderful reviews.
I decided a new lemon dessert was long overdue and this Lemon Ricotta Cake has been just as popular with guests around our table. It seems that even the die-hard chocolate lovers have fallen head-over-heels in love with this delicious citrusy cake.
What is a ricotta cake?
Ricotta cake is an Italian-inspired dessert that includes ricotta cheese as one of the main ingredients. Ricotta cakes can be found at every la panetteria (bakery) and supermarket throughout Italy. Although there are lots of variations, depending on the region, ricotta cake is a universally beloved Italian dessert.
Ricotta cake is similar to pound cake in that it's denser than a traditional cake, while at the same time being incredibly moist, soft and buttery. To me, the texture is halfway between cake and cheesecake. It cuts into wedges nicely with clean, sharp edges. My lemon ricotta cake isn't super sweet, making the layer of lemon buttercream icing a perfect pairing.
Which flowers are edible?
A super easy way to decorate cakes? Edible flowers! Yes, there are lots of edible flowers including pansies, hibiscus, dandelions, lavender, honeysuckle, roses, nasturtium and violets. I was thrilled to discover recently that primroses are also edible. I'm pretty sure that if you look up the definition of "cheerful" you might just see a picture of a bouquet or bed of primroses. They come in the most delightful colors and add a lovely touch of cheer! The leaves are also edible and can be used in salads and other savory dishes in addition to desserts.
This easy lemon ricotta cake will be perfect for Easter, Mother's Day or any occasion coming up. Pin it now so it will be right there when you need it!
Café Tips for making this Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake
- Don't overmix this cake batter to ensure a tender crumb. When you add the dry ingredients, mix with a sturdy spatula just until the flour mixture is incorporated.
- I like to use an 8-inch cake pan for this cake. You can use a 9-inch pan, in a pinch, but the resulting cake will not be as tall. I love these Oxo Good Grips non-stick cake pans as well as the other bakeware in that series. That being said, my 8-inch pan is 2 inches high (the OXO pan mentioned above). If you have a lower pan, you may want to use a 9-inch so it doesn't overflow.
- It's important to line your cake pan with parchment paper for easy removal. I LOVE these pre-cut parchment paper rounds. They're not expensive, save time and a pack will last forever.
- This recipe calls for finely grated lemon zest. Best way to do this? A zester-grater is a super easy way to zest citrus fruit. It also works well for hard cheese, chocolate, ginger and garlic. Zester-graters do get dull with frequent use. If you find yours isn't working that well it may need to be replaced. I replace mine every 2-3 years.
- In addition to lemon zest, there is vanilla and a small amount of almond extract in this cake. The combination might sound odd but it is wonderful. The small amount of almond extract adds a delicious "fine" European flavor.
- This lemon ricotta can be made in advance and refrigerated, but it tastes best served at room temperature.
- The lemon buttercream is a delicious final touch for this lemon ricotta cake but if you're in a hurry or don't care for icing, a simple sprinkle of powdered sugar is also delicious.
- To ice this cake with the buttercream, an angled icing spatula is super handy. I plop all of the icing onto the top of the cake and then spread it to the outer edges and down over the sides with the angled spatula.
- I prefer using whole milk ricotta.
A combination of cake and cheesecake, this delicious Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake is a one-bowl, no-mixer recipe that you can throw together in minutes.
- ½ cup butter 4 ounces
- 1 ½ cups ricotta
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest from 2 medium size lemons
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 ½ tablespoons half & half (or whole milk)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Preheat oven to 375˚F. Spray an 8-inch round pan with baking spray, then rub all over with a paper towel to evenly coat pan with spray. Line the pan with parchment paper. Spray lightly again, making sure to coat bottom and sides of the pan. Set aside.
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Melt butter in a medium-size microwave-safe bowl (on high power for 45-60 seconds). Remove from microwave and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Add sugar, eggs, lemon zest and extracts. Whisk together until well blended. Add ricotta and stir until light and fluffy (about 30 seconds).
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Sprinkle flour, baking powder, and salt over the top of the ricotta mixture and stir just until all the flour is incorporated.
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Transfer batter to prepared pan and smooth the top with a knife or spatula. Place in preheated oven and immediately lower temperature to 350˚F. Bake for 38-42 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched on the top and/or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The top will be lightly golden. The top may crack slightly, that’s okay.
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Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes then invert onto a cooling rack and allow the cake to cool completely before adding the icing. When cool, transfer to a serving platter (keep flat, bottom side up) and ice with buttercream.
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While the cake is cooling, make the icing. Place butter in a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high power until melted, 30-40 seconds.
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Add all other icing ingredients and whisk together until creamy and well blended. It should be a somewhat loose but spreadable icing. If too thick add a bit more half and half. If too thin add a bit more powdered sugar.
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10. Scoop icing onto the top of the cake. Spread (with an angled spatula) to the edges and down the sides of the cake. Decorate with edible flowers, if desired. Allow icing to set before slicing. Can be refrigerated, but bring back to room temperature before serving.
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SusanPPP says
I made this cake for a party. Doubled the recipe for the cake and the icing and made it two layers. Did not change anything in the recipe and used two 9” pans. They cooked in about 30 minutes. Turned out delicious and was a big hit! I’ll definitely be making this cake again. Thank you for a great recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much for sharing your results, Susan!
sv says
Can this cake be frozen?
Chris Scheuer says
Yes, it freezes well!
Suzi foster says
My family loved this cake. I used half the amount of frosting and added extra lemon juice to it since we don’t like super sweet. I want to make this for a birthday party. Do you see any problem in doubling it to make two cakes and layering?
Chris Scheuer says
I think that would be delicious!
charli says
thinking of making this using a flour substitute (such as almond meal or coconut flour)...
Chris Scheuer says
Let us know how it comes out, Charli!
charli says
I did it!
I swapped out the flour for 1 1/4cups almond flour, and
1 1/2cups granulated sugar substitute (sucralose) instead of sugar. I also added roughly 1/2cup of sour cream.
results were a low carb, gluten-free, sugarfree and most importantly, GUILT-FREE YET DELICIOUS cake
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks SO much for sharing your results. I know this information will be very helpful to others!
Janet says
Planning on making this cake for a wedding, can it be frozen? What about layered?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Janet, yes this cake can be frozen. I haven't tried layering it. I think I'd do a practice run before the wedding 🙂
heidi says
Followed the recipe to the letter and the cake came out raw - 40 min at 350’ is not even close to being long enough to cook - when checking the cake with a toothpick it did come out clean and it did spring back in the middle - not sure how else to check doneness - very disappointing
Chris Scheuer says
Hello Heidi, I'm so sorry you wasted good ingredients, I hate it when that happens. I do wonder though if your oven temperature might be off as so many others have had great results.
One other way to test if a cake is done is to check the internal temperature with an instant thermometer. It should be 205-210˚F.
By the way, as I described in the intro, the texture of this cake is a bit more like a cheesecake/cake combination.
Nicole says
This cake is delicious. At the recommendation of those who made it before me, I added a little extra zest to the batter to ensure there was a prominent lemon flavor. Otherwise, I followed the recipe to a T. It was so moist and flavorful. It went over so we'll at the potluck dinner party I took it to that I am now including it in the variety of desserts for a wedding party.
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! So happy you and your friends have enjoyed this cake as much as we do. Thanks for taking the time to share your results, Nicole! Hope the wedding goes well!
Karen J says
This cake is perfection. No changes. Thank you for this recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Karen! I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment!
Lynette Zentenr says
Anxious to make but need to feed a larger group. Has anyone doubled the recipe and used and 8 1/2' x 11" pan? Curious on how much additional bake time. Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Lynette, I haven't tried it but you might want to just make two cakes. Then you don't have to worry about the edges getting too dark before the middle is done.
Kathi Volkmar says
Brought this to my adult nieces birthday celebration yesterday. Her husband is a professional baker. I always feel a little intimidated by that even though I'm a "very good" baker. It was a BIG hit. Most of all the birthday girl loved it! She said reminded her of a favorite cake she would always get from a restaurant in her home town in VT. I'll definitely make again.
Note: followed recipe for icing. It turned out very thin probably added 3/4 cup more sugar. Finally put in frig to set a little. Will adjust next time.
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! I love that you impressed the baker in the family! And I'm so happy it was also a hit with the birthday girl. Thanks so much for leaving a comment and also for the icing review. It seems there can be lots of variables when making icing.
Peggy Manny says
Hello from Wisconsin !! I wanted to thank you for this extremely simple recipe. I took the cake to a birthday get together and it was very well received. When people take a bite and say yummmmmm and ask for the recipe you know its a hit !! I added a few spoon fulls of the fresh lemon juice to the frosting and it was tangy and delightful. I also ordered the paper cake pan liners with the lift out tabs from Amazon...thanks for that tip, I look forward to using them again.
This cake is dense (I love that) and even more so the next day when the frosting settles in. Thanks again for this wonderful recipe !
Chris Scheuer says
Hello, all the way to Wisconsin. Scott and I both grew up there and have a special place in our hearts for Wisconsin! So happy you enjoyed this cake! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment!
Christina says
I made this for my Mother's birthday and it was a huge hit! I skipped the icing and topped with powdered sugar and fresh berries.
Thanks for sharing!
Chris Scheuer says
It's so versatile and you definitely have the option, since it's so good either way!
Ann Smith says
Do you use fresh ricotta from the deli section or ricotta in a tub? Can’t wait to try this cake
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Ann, just regular ricotta in a tub.
Nancy N says
I stumbled onto this recipe today, and since I had some ricotta and love lemon I decided to give it a try. I didn't have a round 8 inch pan so I used a 8 inch square glass pan. I followed your directions exactly but decreased the oven temperature to 325 since I was using glass and baked for 40 minutes. It turned out perfect, and I couldn't wait for it to cool before trying a small corner. DELICIOUS. The texture was not too dense, not too sweet, and the lemon favor was perfect. I don't think I will bother making the icing, as I love it the way it is now. It would be great with whipped cream and raspberries or strawberries. While it was baking i also read your recipe for the French yogurt lemon cake. They seem very similar, and I plan to give it a try soon. I think the glaze would be good on this recipe too. I'm glad I found your blog and look forward to trying more of your wonderful recipes.
Chris Scheuer says
Hello Nancy and welcome to The Café!
I'm so happy you enjoyed this cake, we love it too!
The French Grandmother's cake is also amazing and so easy, hope you get a chance to try it 🙂
Rita says
This cake is amazing! I made it for my Bible study group and there wasn’t a crumb left to take home! I absolutely love the texture of it. Definitely a make again.
Mandy says
I was just wondering when you add the butter because it doesn't say nobody has asked so I'm thinking you add the butter at the beginning Thanks
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Mandy, the butter is melted and cooled a bit right at the beginning of the recipe and then the other ingredients are added to it.ENJOY!
Sara Goverman says
I made the lemon ricotta cake, and while I like the flavor, I found the cake dense. I didn’t have a regular 8”pan, so I used an 8” spring form and wonder if that could have made the difference. Or, is it supposed to be dense?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Sara,
Yes, this is a more dense cake. It's somewhere between a cake and a cheesecake. I don't think your pan would make a difference since both of them were 8-inch in diameter.
Suzanne L. says
This cake is so delicious! The ricotta makes it so smooth and rich tasting. My husband doesn’t care for frosting so we just eat it plain and, oh my, it’s good! I love the fact that a mixer isn’t needed. Thanks for the wonderful recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much, Suzanne! We appreciate you sharing your results!
Stephanie Breidel-Vigil says
Are you supposed to drain the ricotta cheese before using it?
Chris Scheuer says
Nope! No need to do that. Enjoy!
Linda Jean says
This cake has a fabulous taste and texture! I had ricotta that I needed to use up so whipped up the cake - oh my! I frosted as directed, but the cake stands on its own and for my taste is plenty sweet without the frosting. My Italian mother-in-law had never heard of this type of cake, but she now happily claims it as part of her heritage. Chris, all of your recipes are "keepers" and you are my go to for simple, elegant and foolproof. I need you to put them in a cookbook, so I can stop with these slips of paper everywhere.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Linda Jean, I love that your Italian mother-in-law loves this! Thanks for your kind words, I really appreciate them. I've had a few offers for cookbooks but, at this point in my life, I just don't have the time. I want to be able to really enjoy my family, friends, etc. as well as putting my best into the blog. Maybe one day...
Lily says
Hello, this sounds amazing! Just wondering ... Should I mix the dry ingredients together first, then incorporate into the ricotta mixture? Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Lily, I know that's the classic way of doing things but, with this cake, I just sprinkle the dry ingredients over wet and stir well to combine. It saves time, dirties one less dish and works well!
Melissa says
Have you ever made this cake as cupcakes? Any thoughts or advice for adapting the recipe?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Melissa, I haven't made this as cupcakes so I would hate to advise without trying it first. If you try it, please let us know how it turns out.
wendy says
could you use part skim ricotta instead of whole milk ricotta? I have it on hand and was going to try it...
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Wendy, you could definitely use the part skim ricotta!
Susan says
Absolutely Delicious! Super quick and really elegant looking. Even the people that don’t usually like lemon desserts enjoyed this cake.
Chris Scheuer says
I love that even the non-lemon lovers enjoyed this! Thanks for sharing your results, Susan!
Missy says
I made this cake for Easter Sunday and it was huge it! So easy to make and super moist. Will certainly will be is more often. Delicious and so lemony!!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Missy! We appreciate you taking the time to share your results!
Kim F says
I made this for a dinner party and everyone loved it. I used fresh raspberries to decorate and they went very well with the cake.
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! Thanks for sharing your results, Kim! So happy everyone enjoyed it!