Lemon Ricotta Cake

The lemon flavor really shines in this cake and the ricotta and butter give it a rich flavor. The texture of the cake is a bit of a cross between a cheesecake and a butter cake. It is dense, yet light, creamy, and aerated. It is difficult to describe but so easy to eat.

4.64 from 11 votes

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 50

Servings: to 12 siices

Calories: 444kcal

Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

1-½ cups all-purpose flour
1-½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs room temperature
1 cup sugar
8 tablespoons butter melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon lemon oil optional, see notes
zest of 2 lemons
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1-½ cups whole milk ricotta

Raspberry Sauce

4 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy cream chilled
2 to 3 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

For the Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk or sift the flour mixture until there are no lumps.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugar. Beat on high speed for 7 to 10 minutes until almost tripled in size. The mixture will get very light yellow, thick and fluffy.
Turn the mixer to low speed and add the melted butter, vanilla, lemon oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix on low just until well blended.
Place the ricotta in a bowl and pour about 1/3 of the egg mixture into the ricotta. Stir well to loosen the ricotta and thin it out. Pour the thinned-out ricotta mixture into the mixing bowl with the egg mixture. Use a wide spatula to fold the batter until well blended.
Add the flour mixture and use a spatula to fold the flour into the batter.
Spread the batter into the cake pan and bake for 38 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool completely before removing it from the pan. If you remove it while it is still warm, it tends to break easily.

For the Raspberry Sauce

Place the raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat stirring frequently for 10 to 12 minutes.
Pour the raspberry mixture into a strainer placed over a bowl. Push the raspberries through the strainer with a spoon or spatula. Discard the seeds.

For the Whipped Cream

Add the cream, sugar, and vanilla to a mixing bowl.
Whip on medium-low speed for 30 seconds then increase the speed to medium-high. Whisk until stiff peaks form, about 45 to 90 seconds (depending on your mixer).
Serve the cake with raspberry sauce and dollops of whipped cream.

Notes

Lemon oil will give the cake an extra pop of lemon flavor. It is pretty potent stuff and 1/2 teaspoon or just a drop more is all you need. Do not use lemon extract or it will have an artificial flavor and do not use extra lemon juice as it will add too much liquid to the cake.
You can store the raspberry sauce for 7 days in the fridge or for 6 months in the freezer.
Let the eggs come to room temperature or even let them sit in warm water for a few minutes so they are slightly warmer than room temperature. Warm eggs will beat to a higher volume than cold eggs.
Make sure the cream is chilled when you make the whipped cream. It also helps to stick the mixing bowl in the freezer for a few minutes before you begin making the whipped cream. Cream whips to a higher volume when it is cold.
This cake tastes great cold or warm. Store in a sealed container on the counter for 2 days, in the fridge for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

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