Lemon Ricotta Cake
For such a simple cake, this Italian-inspired delight has a lot going for it: It's light and fluffy yet rich and flavorful all at once. Using a mix of olive oil and butter ensures it'll stay moist for days, all while imparting a delicious depth of flavor. The texture is what makes it so special–see notes for tips before starting.
Servings: 10
Equipment
- 1 (9-inch) springform cake pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
- 1/4 cup (55g) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 2 lemons, zested and juiced to make 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cup (340g) ricotta cheese, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar, for serving
Instructions
- Get ready: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Liberally grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with butter. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper and grease the parchment paper.
- Combine the dry ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Beat the butter and sugar: Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, olive oil, sugar, and lemon zest on medium speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs: Add the eggs to the creamed butter, one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl with a silicone spatula between each addition.
- Incorporate the ricotta cheese: Add the ricotta cheese and mix on low speed until fully combined.
- Alternate adding the flour and lemon juice: Use a silicone spatula to fold in half of the dry ingredients to the ricotta mixture. Pour in the lemon juice and vanilla extract and gently stir to incorporate, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add in the remaining dry ingredients, mixing with the spatula just until combined.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges of the cake. Release the spring and remove the outer ring, then transfer the cake onto a wire rack, peel off the parchment paper, and allow it to cool completely, about 1 hour.
- Serve: Dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil used in this recipe.
- Tips for success:
- Use very soft room temperature, but not melted, butter. Let the butter sit for at least an hour out of the fridge, potentially longer depending on the temperature of your kitchen. You should easily leave a dent in the butter with your finger.
- Use room-temperature eggs and ricotta as well. Take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before mixing. The batter will combine better, leading to a fluffier cake. Cold eggs or cold ricotta could shock the butter and break the emulsion.
- Gently incorporate the dry ingredients to avoid overmixing. I switch to a silicone spatula instead of an electric mixer.
Nutrition
Calories: 420.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 50.2g | Protein: 8.5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 10.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8.2g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 92.5mg | Sodium: 240.2mg | Potassium: 88mg | Fiber: 0.7g | Sugar: 30.2g | Vitamin A: 521IU | Calcium: 91.3mg | Iron: 1.6mg
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