Ricotta Cake With Lemon Glaze


I’ve made this cake a few times this summer for our farmhouse guests to rave reviews but I never managed to get a photo of it before it was given away until now. Since I promised the recipe to a number of our guests I felt I had better get it posted as soon as possible! It is quite similar in texture to another Ricotta Cake I have onsite already, but this one is baked in a bundt pan and is topped with a lemon glaze.

I am normally not one for icing on my cakes as I usually prefer a more rustic style cake and find iced cakes can often be too sweet. This easy glaze however is made simply by mixing powdered sugar with lemon juice which creates a tart, lemon flavored, and not too sweet icing for the moist cake. I find it best to drain the ricotta in a sieve over a bowl if it seems wet before I assemble the cake.

I love an extract that I buy at King Arthur flour called Fiori di Sicilia which is a blend of vanilla and lemon and is delicious. Instead, you can easily substitute 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract.

Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 

Ricotta Cake With Lemon Glaze

Ricotta Cake With Lemon Glaze

Yield: Serves 8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

A light, very moist cake with an intense lemon flavor.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 Sticks Unsalted Butter At Room Temperature (6 Ounces)
  • 8 Ounces Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
  • 1 1/2 Cups Granulated Sugar
  • 3 Large Eggs
  • 1 Teaspoon Fiore di Sicilia (See Note Above)
  • Zest of 1 Large Lemon (Save Rest For Glaze)
  • 1 1/2 Cup All-purpose Flour
  • 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

For The Lemon Glaze:

  • 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Butter and flour a bunt or ring pan.
  3. In a large mixer bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  4. Add the ricotta cheese and blend well.
  5. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each.
  6. Add the extract and lemon zest and mix until fully combined.
  7. Sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.
  8. Add the dry ingredients in two parts, mixing just until incorporated.
  9. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spoon as needed.
  10. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until the cake tester comes out clean.
  11. Let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
  12. Cool completely.
  13. Whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth and thick.
  14. Drizzle the lemon glaze over the top of the cake.
  15. Let the glaze set for 30 minutes and then cut into wedges and serve.

Did you make this recipe?

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13 Comments

  1. This is by far the best tasting cake I have ever made. Everyone in my family loves this cake. I did make one adjustment though. I use White Lily flour rather than the all purpose flour. I have made with both but just prefer the lightness of the White Lily flour. And I love your website! Thanks!

  2. My mom’s ricotta cake was always made in the “torta” style, with a lattice top. This one sounds like a nice change ~ especially with fiore di Sicilia. I happen to have a bottle in my spice cabinet. What luck! Thanks for sharing the recipe.

  3. I made this cake for Easter dessert — delicious & it baked up beautifully. I used Meyer lemons and substituted 1 1/2 teaspoons Sicilian lemon-infused olive oil and a teaspoon of vanilla extract for the fiore di Sicilia. Thanks for sharing this recipe; I look forward to trying quite a few more recipes from this site.

  4. I love your site. The recipes are delicious. I only wish we were going to Umbria too this summer. We are spending 2 weeks in Sicily going to a family reunion and seeing the sites. No time for going anywhere else

  5. This cake was very easy to make and it taste great! It was extremely moist and was melt in your mouth good. I doubled the vanilla and added lemon oil. Thanks so much for the recipe!!

  6. I made this cake today,so good! Very moist! I had to do it a little different,but know it would have been perfect as written. Had only Meyer lemons as this is the kind of lemon tree that I have,had no fiore di Sicilia,so used about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and added extra zest,for a total of zest of two lemons. also had no powdered sugar,Which is a rarity in my house,so made a syrup of lemon juice and regular sugar cooked on stove until syrupy.When the cake was cooled enough to put on a cake plate,I poked holes in the top and brushed the syrup on top? No measurements here since I always just throw this in a small pot,but if I had to guess would say ABOUT a third to a half cup of sugar to the juice of two large lemons. Again this cake is wonderful and thanks so much for posting,love to bake and always on the lookout for new recipes. Most of the recipes that I try I don’t keep,am kind of a hard core from scratch baker,but this one will be used again and often. Also I threw in about 3 tablespoons of poppy seeds,but that was because I just love lemon and poppy seeds together.

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