Easy Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake – a terrific little cake with plenty of lemon flavor and an amazing moist texture. Lightly glazed with a lemon syrup for intense lemon tang.
I promised you another recipe featuring the amazing, delicious and versatile ricotta cheese, and here it is! Whether sweet or savory, ricotta brings so much richness to our favorite recipes. Lately I have been buying a lot of ricotta cheese as I test and tweak our recipes for Raspberry Ricotta Breakfast Cake and these Light & Fluffy Ricotta Pancakes. It’s hard not to grab another tub every time I step foot in the grocery store! This is the 4th and final version of this cake recipe and it’s so good and easy to make, you’ll be looking for an excuse to share it with all your friends and family.
Instead of a thick icing or super sweet glaze, I topped this Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake with a simple syrup made from fresh lemon juice and a little sugar.
The lemon syrup is brushed on the top and sides of the warm cake. The syrup soaks into the cake and gives it a nice shiny glaze and awesome lemon bite! Once dried, the glaze is not at all sticky and in fact, this cake is almost better the next day. Like all our pound cake recipes, it freezes beautifully and is terrific served with your favorite fresh fruit.
I monkeyed with the recipe for a while finally deciding on about a 1/3 less sugar from the original recipe. Our taste testers loved each version but this final recipe was the clear winner. It bakes up beautifully showing off a golden brown exterior and super yellow interior color. You won’t be wondering where the lemon is in this cake. It’s lemon-licious inside and out!
If you have blueberry fans in your house, try adding 1 cup of fresh blueberries before baking. I adore blueberries and lemons together, and they work beautifully in this simple cake.
Enjoy a slice with a hot cup of tea in the afternoon for a wonderful treat. Lemon cakes are some of the best desserts ever, and I know you will agree after you try this one!
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A terrific little cake with plenty of lemon flavor and an amazing moist texture. Lightly glazed with an intense lemon syrup for plenty of bite and tang.
- 1 3/4 cup cake flour sifted after measuring
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup ricotta cheese room temperature
- zest of 1 lemon
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature, lightly beaten
- 1 cup fresh blueberries optional
- juice of 1-2 lemons about 1/4 cup
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly spray an 8 by 4 inch loaf pan. (You can also use a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan - reduce the time to 50-60 minutes and watch it carefully) Line the pan with a piece of parchment paper creating a sling. The paper should cover the two long sides, the bottom and have a little overhang for easy lifting.
- Sift together the cake flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside. In a small bowl combine the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and light, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and blend another 30 seconds.
- Add the beaten eggs in three additions, mixing well after each addition until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed between each addition. With the mixer on low, add one-third of the flour mixture and blend just until incorporated. Add half the ricotta mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Repeat until you have used all the flour and ricotta mixtures. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the batter pulling up from the bottom of the bowl to ensure it’s well blended.
If adding blueberries, gently fold into the batter taking care not to crush or burst the berries. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan and lightly smooth the top. Bake until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 60-70 minutes.
- While the cake bakes, prepare the lemon syrup. Combine the lemon juice and granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Heat on medium-high and stir until the sugar is dissolved and it comes to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and boil gently for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
- Remove the cake from the oven and cool for 20-30 minutes in the pan. Using the parchment paper to assist, remove the cake from the pan and transfer to a wire rack. Brush the top and sides of the cake with all the prepared lemon syrup. Continue to cool for about two hours before serving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. This cake also freezes beautifully.
If you love simple pound cakes, don’t miss our favorite recipes:
- Mini Coconut Pound Cake
- Pineapple Pound Cake
- Perfect Every Time Almond Pound Cake
- Chocolate Pound Cake
- Granny’s Pound Cake
Here are a few more amazing ricotta recipes from some of our favorite bloggers: Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Olive Oil Cake from Nutmeg Nanny; Cassata Ricotta (Sponge Cake with Ricotta) from A Family Feast; Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cheesecake from Amanda’s Cookin’; and finally don’t miss this gorgeous Lemon Ricotta Cake with Candied Lemons from Seasons and Suppers.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
Tricia
Shut the front door! This was awesome…but trust me, don’t try to make it as written in an 8 x 4 loaf pan – you’ll have more bread on the oven floor than in the pan! One big 9 x 5 or two 8 x 4s, and watch the timing – that’s everything. So good!!
Thanks Deb! I didn’t have any trouble with it being too full in an 8×4-inch pan – but thanks so much for the feedback.
This lemon cake looks absolutely amazing! I love ricotta and lemon together and I bet this cake has the most delicious appetizing aroma! Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Just stunning! I can tell how moist it is, also. Raspberries would be fabulous, too…..
Thanks Mimi and yes raspberries would be terrific. I was thinking about strawberries too. So moist and delicious.
This looks so moist and delicious, Tricia! I love lemon cakes ♥ Your yellow cake and blue dishes look so pretty together!
You are just killing me with all this ricotta. and all these gorgeous sunny photos. I am so ready for both the cake and the sun!
Mmmm, lemon. And we happen to have some ricotta on hand! This looks wonderful — my kind of dessert. Thanks!
I’m a real lemon fan and know I would enjoy this simple but delicious cake.
Well this sunny cakes tells spring has sprung! GREG
It’s still cold here Greg but I am ready for spring. Hope you’re having great weather there in LA!
I want to make this so badly. Just have to figure out how to get it gluten free. Your pics are gorgeous! I do hope I can figure it out.
Thank you Alene – I hope you can find a good substitution too. Mary from Barefeet in the Kitchen has some great gluten free recipes and I bet you can find some ideas on how to make this perfect for your family. Good luck and thank you so much!
Thank you!
Looks delish Tricia!
Thanks Monique!
You had me at lemon and blueberries, Tricia! Love this cake and want to try it! I’ve never added ricotta to a cake but it has to be moist and delicious. Bad thing is, it wouldn’t last long here! ????
Always a favorite here too Pam – thank you!
I clearly need to stock up on ricotta, you’re killing it with the recipes lately! Pound cake can sometimes be dry and I bet this solves that problem deliciously. Love your photos, as always 🙂
You’re going to love baking with ricotta Sue 🙂 Thanks!
So pretty and I’m loving the ricotta addition to this pound cake. I bet it makes for great texture and flavour. Will be trying this 🙂
Ricotta is a wonderful ingredient Jennifer – thank you!
Yum, I love the original but that blueberry version looks pretty amazing too!
I love it with blueberries too Chris – thanks!
This is so gorgeous – light and bright. The texture is just perfect when you think of what you want from a pound cake. Now I know amazing options when I have extra ricotta around.
Have a great week, Tricia!
Thanks Monica – you too!
Moist, tender and light…a perfect pound cake! I would love a couple of slices with my tea now!
Thanks Angie – it’s hard not to snack on this cake all day long!