Description
Best Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake Recipe (Easy & Moist)– A delicious Italian cake with a moist and tender crumb, balanced sweetness, and a delightful citrus flavor. Trust me, this is the best recipe, resulting in a fluffy cake (not dense like many ricotta cakes!).
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta cheese, at room temperature (liquid drained)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond extract (optional)
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- Powdered sugar for dusting the top of the cake (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat the softened butter, sugar, and ricotta cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. This step is the trick to getting a light and fluffy ricotta cake.
- Add the eggs to the ricotta mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- If using, stir in the vanilla extract (or almond extract), and add the lemon zest and juice to the batter. Mix until well combined.
- In the same bowl, sift in the dry ingredients: baking powder, salt, and all-purpose flour over the top of the ricotta mixture. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the batter until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, spreading it evenly.
- Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cake has cooled, you can dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar, if desired. Slice and serve. Enjoy your Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake! Optional: serve with fresh berries and a dollop of whipped cream.
Notes
Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure that ingredients like butter, eggs, and ricotta cheese are at room temperature. This promotes better mixing and a smoother batter.
Creaming Butter, Sugar, and Ricotta: Beat the softened butter, sugar, and ricotta cheese until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step aerates the batter, resulting in a lighter texture.
Draining Ricotta: If your ricotta has excess liquid, drain it before adding it to the batter. This prevents the cake from becoming too wet.
Gentle Mixing: When adding the dry ingredients, fold them into the batter gently. Overmixing can result in a dense cake. Mix until just combined.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 40-50
- Category: Sweet
- Method: Italian
- Cuisine: Italian