Name: Ricotta Cake with Raspberries and Lemon
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 65 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese; 3 eggs; 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; Zest and juice of 1 lemon (regular or Meyer); 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted and cooled, plus more for the pan); 3/4 cup fresh raspberries; Powdered sugar

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Moist and subtly sweet, this ricotta cake features fresh raspberries and lemon for a punch of tart flavor.

sliced ricotta cake with raspberries and lemon on a gray cake plate

I know everyone gets excited about layer cakes with lots of frosting (and do love my snickerdoodle cake), but I think there is something to be said for simple cakes.

Snacking cakes are all the rage lately, and it’s not hard to see why. These cakes are easier to make (often using only one bowl) and are perfectly suited for slicing off a piece in the afternoon.

Ricotta cakes originated in Italy, and I’m thankful they’ve been turning up more and more all over. They are moist and lightly sweet and definitely not fussy.

Because it’s so easy to make, you can throw it together while prepping another meal that uses ricotta, such as stuffed shells with chicken.

It’s a great way to use up any extra ricotta you might have left over, whether you buy it at the store or make ricotta at home!

Ingredients for ricotta cake

Full list of ingredients including quantities is located in the recipe card.

You’ll need:

All-purpose flour
Granulated sugar
Baking powder
Ricotta cheese – I recommend whole milk ricotta cheese, not low fat.
Large eggs – It’s helpful to have room temperature eggs, but if you forget to take them out in advance, don’t worry!
Vanilla extract
Lemon – Grab a whole lemon because you’ll need both zest and juice!
Unsalted butter – Melt the butter and let it cool before adding to the batter to prevent curdling.
Fresh raspberries

If you are making flour substitutions, be mindful that the texture of the finished cake might not be the same. Pastry flour is a good substitute for the AP flour here.

sliced ricotta cake with raspberries and lemon on a gray cake plate with a slice off to the side on a black plate

how to make ricotta cake

Making ricotta cake is simple. I mix by hand, but you can use a stand mixer or hand mixer if you prefer.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan and dust the bottom and sides with powdered sugar.

Stir the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt together in one bowl. In a large bowl, mix together ricotta, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl for even mixing. At this point, the cake batter will not be completely smooth, and will have a few lumps similar to muffin batter.

Stir in the melted butter. Adding this at the end rather than with the other wet ingredients helps the cake be soft and dense, yet flavorful.

It helps inhibit gluten development, so while the cake doesn’t get tall and airy, the denser structure lets it hold onto its moisture more, allowing the cake to last longer.

Fold in the raspberries, taking care to not crush them.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. If you like, press a few more fresh berries into the top of the batter.

Bake the cake for about 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

slice of ricotta cake with raspberries and lemon on a a plate with a fork and cake slicer

what can you use in place of a springform pan?

A springform pan is a cake pan that comes in two parts: the removable bottom and the side that attaches to it with a lockable spring.

If you don’t have a springform pan, this cake can be made in another pan. A 9-inch round cake pan or 9×9 square cake pan will work. Make sure to butter the sides and bottom well to be able to remove the cake.

how do I store ricotta cake?

Ricotta cake does not need to be refrigerated if you plan to eat it within a few days.

Simply store it in a cake keeper, or cover the serving plate with plastic wrap, and the cake will keep moist.

You can also freeze the cake, either in slices or whole. To freeze, let it cool completely, then wrap the cake or slices in foil and place in a freezer bag.

To thaw frozen cake, place in the refrigerator overnight.

close up of sliced ricotta cake with raspberries and lemon on a gray cake plate

If you’re looking for other ricotta desserts, try my strawberry mint ricotta tart.

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