Easy Lemon Ricotta Cake Recipe with One-Bowl Simplicity

Lemon Ricotta Cake Introduction

Lemon Ricotta Cake with ricotta, fresh lemon zest and juice, olive oil, and pantry staples baked into a soft one-bowl cake dusted with powdered sugar.

I make this lemon ricotta cake every spring. I know lemons are technically in season during winter, but once the weather starts warming up I always start craving lemon desserts again, and this is usually the first one I bake.

This lemon ricotta cake is the kind of cake I like keeping around the house. It’s simple, mixed in one bowl, and doesn’t need frosting or anything extra.

The ricotta keeps it really soft, and the lemon gives it that bright flavor that just feels right this time of year. I usually just dust the top with powdered sugar and slice it up with coffee.

Lemon Ricotta Cake Ingredients

Lemons: You’ll need the zest and juice from about three small lemons. Zest the lemons before cutting them, so it’s easier.

Rubbing the zest into the sugar helps release the lemon oils and spreads the flavor evenly through the cake. See my tips on how to zest a lemon and how to juice a lemon for the batter.

No, bottled lemon juice it just won’t taste the same.

Ricotta. Whole milk ricotta works best for this cake and gives it a really soft crumb. If your ricotta looks watery, let it drain for a few minutes so the batter doesn’t get too loose.

Dry ingredients. All-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mixing the sugar with the dry ingredients helps distribute it evenly through the batter.

If needed, a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend can usually be used in place of the all-purpose flour. Use aluminum-free baking powder to avoid any chance of a metallic off-taste.

Wet ingredients. Olive oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Olive oil keeps the cake moist and tender, but use a mild olive oil so the flavor doesn’t overpower the lemon.

Let the eggs come to room temperature so they mix smoothly into the batter. If you prefer, a neutral oil like avocado oil can be used instead of olive oil.

For serving. Powdered sugar. A light dusting on top is usually all this cake needs before slicing.

How to Make Lemon Ricotta Cake

Step 1: Add the lemon zest and sugar to a large bowl. Use your fingers to massage the zest into the sugar until it’s fragrant and moist.

Step 2: Add the lemon juice, olive oil, ricotta, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth.

Step 3: Then, add the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Step 4: Whisk until combined. Be careful not to overmix!

Step 5: Pour the batter into a prepared baking pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 6: Let it cool, then remove from the pan to cool completely. Serve dusted with powdered sugar, if desired.

Equipment Needed

Mixing Bowl Set Measuring Cups and Spoons Ribbon Grater Lemon Squeezer Round 8" Cake Pan

Storage and Freezing Notes

Storage: Wrap the lemon ricotta cake tightly in plastic wrap. It’ll keep fresh at room temperature for 2-3 days.

To extend its shelf life, wrap the cake in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, place it in an airtight container, and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezing: Store the lemon ricotta cake in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Recipe Variations

Swap the citrus: This cake tastes wonderful with any citrus, so feel free to swap in lime, orange, or grapefruit. Each will bring a unique flavor to the cake.

Add crunch: Add chopped nuts like walnuts, almonds, or pistachios. You can also add a subtle crunch by adding a tablespoon or two of poppy seeds to the cake batter.

Top it with frosting: A dusting of powdered sugar is classic for a lemon ricotta cake, but you could also top it with homemade whipped cream, buttercream frosting, or cream cheese frosting.

Recipe Tips

1. Use room-temperature eggs. Eggs from the refrigerator are harder to mix with the other cold ingredients. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature, run them under warm water for a few minutes, or let them sit in a bowl of room-temperature water while you gather the rest of your ingredients.

1. Don’t overmix the batter. When combining the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, mix just until the batter is smooth and there are no more lumps. Overmixing cake batter can lead to a dense and tough texture.

Lemon Ricotta Cake Recipe

Author: Yumna Jawad

419kcal

Pinterest Facebook Share on X

Share Print

This Lemon Ricotta Cake uses ricotta, olive oil, fresh lemon zest, and simple pantry ingredients to make a soft, tender cake finished with powdered sugar.

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

1x2x3x

• ▢ Cooking spray (as needed)
• ▢ 3 small lemons (zest and juice divided)
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 2/3 cup olive oil
• ▢ 1 cup whole milk ricotta
• ▢ 3 eggs (room temperature)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• ▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ Powdered sugar (for serving.)

Method

Prevent Sleep ModePrevent Sleep Mode

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Line an 8-inch round baking pan with parchment paper, then spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Add the lemon zest and sugar to a large bowl. Use your fingers to massage the zest into the sugar until it's fragrant and moist. Whisk in the lemon juice, olive oil, ricotta, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
3. To the same bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
4. Let cool for about 20 minutes, then invert to remove from the pan and cool completely. Serve dusted with powdered sugar.

Nutrition

Calories 419kcal

Nutrition info is automatically calculated as an estimate — actual values may vary. Always check your ingredient labels for the most accurate results!

Notes

My Top Tip: Zest the lemon before you juice it. You’ll get the most fragrant oils from the zest if you do it before cutting the lemon.
Storage: Wrap the lemon ricotta cake tightly in plastic wrap. It’ll keep fresh at room temperature for 2–3 days. To extend its shelf life, wrap the cake in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, place it in an airtight container, and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Store the lemon ricotta cake in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.

Private Notes

Click here to add your own private notes.

Tried this recipe?

Let us know how it was!

FAQs