Italian Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

slices of lemon ricotta pound cake with the rest of the cake on a vintage blue plate.

5 from 3 votes

Italian Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

Need a little sunshine in loaf form? This Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake is soft, tangy, and deeply lemony, with a creamy richness from ricotta that keeps it tender for days. It’s a breeze to make—just 10 minutes of prep, and your kitchen will smell like a bakery.

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 275kcal

Author: Ninon Michels

Ingredients

115 g unsalted butter (softened, at room temperature, plus more to grease the pan)
180 g cane sugar
the zest of 4 lemons (+ 60ml (¼ cup) juice)
3 large free-range eggs (at room temperature)
250 g whole milk ricotta cheese
180 g all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the pan – Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C) with the fan on. Grease an 8-inch (20 cm) loaf pan with room-temperature butter. Line the bottom with a strip of parchment paper, leaving overhang on both long sides to make removing the cake easier.
Cream the butter and sugar – Using a handheld mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add the lemon zest and mix until fully incorporated.
Add the eggs –Beat in the eggs until well combined. It’s normal if the mixture looks slightly curdled at this stage.
Mix in ricotta and lemon juice – Add the ricotta and lemon juice, and mix briefly, just until combined (about 10 seconds).
Add dry ingredients – Sprinkle in the salt. Sift in the flour and baking powder, then gently fold with a rubber spatula until no streaks of flour remain. Don’t overmix.
Bake – Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist (not wet) crumbs.

Notes

Use a kitchen scale – Precision is everything in baking. A digital kitchen scale gives you more accurate measurements than cups and spoons, eliminating guesswork and delivering consistent results every time.
Use room temperature ingredients – Cold butter, eggs, or ricotta can prevent your batter from blending smoothly, which affects the final texture. Let them sit out for about 30 minutes before baking for the best results.
Cut butter into cubes to soften faster – Chop the butter into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes before setting it out. Smaller pieces come to room temperature more quickly and evenly—especially helpful if you’re short on time.

Nutrition