Home » Seasonal Cooking » Fall » Lemon-Ricotta Pound Cake
4.8 from 60 reviews
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Flavored with lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice, this incredibly tasty and moist ricotta pound cake is the perfect treat: great with afternoon tea or for dessert. It makes a wonderful gift, too!
This pound cake is a variation of one I made over the holidays, which called for orange zest and orange liqueur. Here, lemon zest and juice have replaced the orange zest and liqueur, and the baking powder has been reduced a tad, too.
Like the orange and ricotta cake, this one is incredibly moist and delicious, and is a cinch to throw together.
**UPDATE:If you love an olive oil cake,I’ve since adapted this recipe to use olive oil in place of butter. It’s also a one-bowl job:One-Bowl Orange-Ricotta Pound Cake(Simple substitute lemon zest for the orange zest and fresh lemon juice for the orange liqueur.)
5 Favorite Quick Breads
- Mrs. Myers’s Best Banana Bread (truly the best)
- Must-Try, Super-Moist Zucchini Bread
- My Mother’s Delicious Pumpkin Bread
- Orange and Ricotta Pound Cake (with butter) OR with oil: One-Bowl Orange-Ricotta Pound Cake
- Yotam Ottolenghi’s Lemon-Semolina Cake
Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star
4.8 from 60 reviews
- Author: Alexandra Stafford
- Total Time: 1 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 large loaf or three mini loaves
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Description
Inspired by Giada De Laurentiis
** UPDATE:If you love an olive oil cake,I’ve since adapted this recipe to use olive oil in place of butter. It’s also a one-bowl job:One-Bowl Orange-Ricotta Pound Cake(Simple substitute lemon zest for the orange zest and fresh lemon juice for the orange liqueur.)**
Notes:
- Important:You must use a 9×5-inch loaf pan or10×5-inch loaf panor something larger for this recipe, or, two8×4-inch loaf pans, otherwise the batter may spill over into your oven, and the cake will not bake evenly. If you only have an 8×4-inch loaf pan, I would recommend not filling it higher than 3/4 or even halfway to be safe. You can bake off the remaining batter in smaller pans or you can wait till your first loaf is done; then bake off the remaining batter in your cooled and cleaned loaf pan.
- I often usethree mini loaf pans,because this is a great one for gifting.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks | 170 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more to grease the baking pan
- 1 1/2 cups (196 g) cake flour or all-purpose
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 (13 oz | 366 g) cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- zest of 1 to 2 lemons
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (less than 1 lemon, usually)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9- or 10 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan (see notes above!) with butter (grease it very well). In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir to blend.
- Using a mixer, cream the butter, ricotta and granulated sugar until blended, about 3 minutes — I never really go over three minutes, and it’s ok if there are some visible pieces of butter. In other words, the batter will not look entirely smooth (see photo). With the machine running, add the eggs 1 at a time. Add the vanilla, zest and lemon juice until combined. Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan(Note: Do not fill pan higher than 3/4 — save extra batter to bake off in a mini pan or muffin tin … if you fill the pan higher than 3/4 you risk the batter spilling over. See notes above.)and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan, 45 to 60 minutes (about 35 minutes for mini pans). Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
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Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe
Hannah —Reply
Hi, Alexandra !
I tried this recipe because a friend is coming over for coffee and cake tomorrow. I gave it a taste, and it’s supreme! So moist! I have a question, though… The cake rose and then lost air in the mid-area while cooling down. Is this a sign that I used too much ricotta? I am new to baking, so I don’t know exactly why cakes depress while cooling down… Can you give me some advice? Even though the nice puff is gone, the cake still is very delicious! Thank you!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Hi Hannah! It probably just needed a little more time in the oven. It’s a very moist cake, so sinking in the middle is common. How long did you bake it for? Next time I would add another 5 minutes or so.
Racki —Reply
I love this recipe! Everyone love this cake!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Great to hear, Racki!
Rita —Reply
I made 4 minis and baked for 40 min in the middle of the oven. Came out perfect!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Great to hear, Rita! Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes 🙂 🙂 🙂
Laura Carpey —Reply
I made this last weekend and actually doubled the recipe with some additions and substitutions. Pound cake #1: added 2T of poppyseeds for a little crunch. Pound cake #2: subbed 3 large peaches, peeled and diced in place of the lemon juice and zest, and added 1tsp almond extract along with the vanilla. Topped the batter with sliced almonds. Both cakes were outstanding…moist, delicious, perfect! This will be my “go-to” pound cake recipe from now on. The variations are endless!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Wonderful to hear this, Laura! Both variations sound outstanding. Thanks so much for writing and sharing your notes… so helpful for others wanting to make substitutions/additions.
Ida Patterson —Reply
This is one of the loaf cakes I keep in my freezer for when I have unexpected company or for when my husband and I think we need a treat. The only thing is I bake it in a large loaf pan. It takes about 90 minutes to bake. Everyone I have served this to loves it! I sprinkle with powdered sugar and it looks fresh from a bakery only it taste so much better. Wish I had found this recipe sooner.
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
So nice to hear this, Ida! This is one of my all-time favorites as well. Love your powdered sugar serving idea, too!
Courtney —Reply
Delicious! Will definitely be making again
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Great to hear, Courtney!
Beverly Bianco —Reply
Made today. Looks and smells delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Great to hear, Beverly 🙂 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much for writing.
Kelli —Reply
Can this recipe be made in a Bundt pan…. I have 10 cup and 16 cup ?
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Hi! I would double it and use the 10-cup pan.
Laura —Reply
Have made this loaf multiple times in both regular and mini loaf pans and it’s wonderful! My go to recipe recently. The only change is I add the lemon zest to the sugar to infuse the flavour. I’m no expert, but I’ve come across this technique in a few recipes using citrus zest.
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
It is such a good technique! I should really re-write the recipe to include that step. Thank you so much for writing!
Amy —Reply
Made this lemon ricotta pound cake and it was so moist and delicious, not overly sweet! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. Will definitely be making this again!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Great to hear, Amy! Thanks for writing 🙂
Steph M.T. —Reply
This. Recipe. Is. SO. Good.
My family doesn’t really have a major sweet tooth and are not really chocolate fans so I thought this would be a good dessert for us for the holidays. Everyone loved it! I probably overcooked it by about 5 minutes, but people actually liked that the outside was a little crispy and the middle slices were still incredibly moist.I’m going to make it again for New Year’s Eve and probably add a raspberry jam for extra fun.
This is going to be my new go-to dessert recipe when I want to give a gift to someone.
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
So nice to read all of this, Steph! I actually love a crispy exterior, too. Raspberry jam sounds divine. Happy happy 2023 to you!
Grace —Reply
Ali, can I use a Bundt pan for this? Or is it too little batter? Thank you!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
I would double the recipe for a Bundt pan. Good luck!
Lois K —Reply
So glad I finally got around to trying this recipe! It’s a fabulous recipe and I will make it again and again! Thank you so much. There is no need for me to try any other lemon cake recipes!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Great to hear, Lois! Thanks so much for writing 🙂 🙂 🙂
Debi Munn —Reply
I am rating this purely upon reading your recipe, Ali. Hope you and readers don’t mind. Just wanted to clarify b/f asking my question:
Ali, have you made w the butter and the OVOO versions? If so, how would you describe the differences in the cakes? Which do you prefer?
I will be making soon!
Thank you 🙏
Debi
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Hi Debi! I love both versions. If you use oil, the cake is very moist, which I love and prefer. If you use butter, the cake is less moist, but still very delicious. Some people prefer the texture of a butter-based cake — they find the oil-based cakes too oily/greasy. A butter-based cake is a little sturdier. You can’t go wrong either way… just a matter of preference 🙂
Paula Sorensen —Reply
If ai use olive oil instead of butter is it 4/4 cup?
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Hi! 3/4 cup oil.
Mary —Reply
How much Olive Oil for butter substitute?
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
I use 3/4 cup olive oil. Here’s my orange-ricotta olive oil cake: One-Bowl, Orange-Ricotta Pound Cake
Dalya —Reply
Hi Ali,
This recipe sounds great!
Are butter to olive oil conversions in baking always 1:1?
Thanks!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Hi! And actually no… I think the general rule is to use 75% the amount of butter as oil. So if a recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, use 3/4 cup oil.
Dalya —
Thanks!
Diana —Reply
Fabulous, so moist !
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Great to hear, Diana!
Nan Walter —Reply
The flavor and texture of this pound cake are incomparable. For some reason I had to bake it for longer than expected—about 90 minutes; nonetheless, it was worth the wait.
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Great to hear, Nan! Thanks for writing and sharing your notes 🙂
Lois B —Reply
Has anyone tried GF flour and how did it come out?
Alexandra —Reply
Hi Alexandra,
I made the Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake cake recently and found it too sweet. 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar is 300g, not 360g. I always use metric weights when baking and didn’t catch the error at the time. Upon checking the recipe I realized the mistake. I hope you will correct the gram weight.
Thanks,
Alexandra L.Alexandra Stafford —Reply
I just updated the recipe… thanks for writing!
Ruth Cook —Reply
Definitely 5 stars. This is a go-to recipe for me. In 3 mini loaves. An octogenarian in a CCRC community, few of my friends cook or bake, they make great gifts to share. Because I like tart and want to cut on sugar consumption, I put in more lemon and less sugar. Thank you, Ali, for this recipe and so many others.
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
So nice to read all of this, Ruth. How nice of you to share with your friends. Thank you for writing and thank you for your kind words. More lemon and less sugar always sounds good to me 🙂
Bill —Reply
As others have commented, my loaf also didn’t seem to rise much using a 10x5x3 loaf pan. I tossed my old baking powder and opened a brand new bag of Bob’s Red Mill with an expiration date of 05/25, plus I tested its reaction in a cup of hot water, so that wasn’t the issue. I also baked for 60 minutes and probably should have gone longer but I was concerned with over-baking the cake. My eggs were slightly over-sized (three large is about 6.375oz and my eggs were probably closer to 7oz), but I’m not sure how much of an issue that would be. I used grocery store ricotta (will try your homemade next time), should it have been drained? Any other ideas? I may try for the closer to 90 minute bake others have mentioned. Thanks!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
I don’t think you need to drain your ricotta, and I’m not sure using homemade here would be worth it. It’s very possible your pan is just making the loaf look squatter than it would look if it were baked in a smaller pan.
Did it taste underbaked?
I do use 2.5 teaspoons of baking powder in this recipe, which is an adaptation of the one you made, so maybe that is something to try: https://alexandracooks.com/2018/12/19/one-bowl-orange-ricotta-pound-cake/
Bill —Reply
Maybe it is the fact that I used the larger pan that the cake doesn’t look quite so tall … while I am used to regular pound cake and this was a far more moist cake, I wouldn’t call it under cooked. It was quite heavy but tastes pretty darn good. Maybe I’m just being paranoid but I appreciate your hints and tips. Again … the pound cake tastes AWESOME!!!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
OK, great to hear! Yeah, it definitely is a denser/moister cake than traditional pound cakes. Thanks for sharing all of this!!
Donna —Reply
I made it and it fell apart. But it was beautiful. Will try it again
Carrie —Reply
I bought some ricotta without a real purpose in mind. Thankfully your recipe came on my Google feed before it went bad. This is recipe is a keeper! The crumb is delicate and light, while the cake is sweet but not cloyingly so. The ricotta adds a layer of richness without adding a lot more calories which is something I appreciate!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Great to hear, Carrie! Thanks for writing. I love the texture ricotta lends to these sorts of cakes, too.
Cordelia Tull —Reply
Simple and a very good cake. Was moist. Instructions were spot on. Would definitely make again. Great with coffee
Kiersten —Reply
Wow! This was amazing! So delicious and everyone loved it! I served it with strawberries and whipped cream. Definitely a keeper
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Great to hear, Kiersten! Thanks for writing 🙂
Anna —Reply
Excellent recipe, thank you!
Alexandra Stafford —Reply
Great to hear, Anna!
