Lemon ricotta cake
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The fine crumble and the fresh creamy ricotta filling make this wonderful lemon ricotta cake to die for. It requires minimal preparation, 6 ingredients, and no stand mixer.
Welcome to the best new ricotta cake you’re going to love!
This is absolutely one of our favorite cakes ever and is inspired by the Italian sbrisolona, a typical crumb cake very popular in Northern Italy.
I can’t even explain how much we all love this cake, and I’ve lost count of how many times I baked it. This is my go-to cake recipe for any special occasion, and it’s also my Easter dessert of choice this year!
And it’s always a hit.
First, the refreshing yet delicate flavor and texture are incredible. The crispy crumble outside, the soft filling inside made with sweet ricotta and bright lemon zest and juice.
Best? It’s a breeze to make; it keeps well in the fridge and is freezable, too, so it’s perfect if you want to make it ahead.
If you haven’t tried ricotta desserts, you’ll be amazed. This lemon ricotta cake is ideal for Easter, spring, and really any time you’d like a simple but beautiful cake.
I will make this lemon ricotta cake for the rest of my life. It’s that good. So good! Please make it right now and let me know what you think. x
List of the ingredients
- Ricotta
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Lemons
- Vanilla extract
- Vegetable or olive oil
- Baking powder
How to make lemon ricotta cake
(Note: this is simply a quick explanation; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- To make the lemon ricotta filling, add ricotta, egg, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to a bowl.
- Stir until well combined and smooth. You’ve just made the filling, set aside.
- Make the crumbs: add flour, sugar, baking powder, and lemon zest to a large bowl. Mix the dry ingredients until well combined.
- Stir in the egg and the vegetable or olive oil.
- Use your fingers and rub oil and egg into the dry ingredients until you get a crumb-like mixture.
- Use about ⅔ of the crumbs to cover the bottom and edges of a round cake tin.
- Fill this shell with the ricotta mixture, then sprinkle the crumble mixture all over.
- Bake for 30 minutes and serve dusted with icing sugar.
- Enjoy at room temperature. The following day tastes even better!
Recipe Notes
Ricotta cake variations
This is the ricotta pie of your dreams, and it’s also amazingly versatile!
- Amaretti cookies: If you find some Italian amaretti cookies, skip the lemon zest and add a generous handful of crushed amaretti to the ricotta filling.
- Orange zest: Another simple and delicious option is using orange zest instead of lemon zest to make a refreshing and delightful ricotta orange cake.
- Dark chocolate chips: You can’t go wrong with dark chocolate and ricotta. Just skip the lemon zest and add about 1/3 cup chocolate chips to the ricotta mixture.
- Raspberries: Ricotta and fresh raspberries are another terrific combination; I have tested it many times. Spread the ricotta mixture first, then scatter about 3/4 cup raspberries on top, push them down with your finger, and cover with the remaining crumbles.
More ricotta cake recipes…
If you haven’t tried ricotta in desserts, you’ll be amazed. This fresh, soft Italian cheese brings plenty of moisture and a delicate flavor without weighting down. It makes rich, refreshing fillings, or moist, delicious crumbs like in these strawberry cake and raspberry cake or easy ricotta cake.
Does lemon ricotta cake need to be refrigerated?
This cake keeps well at room temperature for about 4-5 hours, but if your kitchen is too warm or if you’re planning to store it longer, wrap it in cling film and store in the refrigerator. It doesn’t dry out and it keeps very well for 3 days.
It freezes beautifully!
This lemon ricotta cake freezes very well: wrap it in cling film and freeze it for up to 1 month.
If you love ricotta…
Oh I love ricotta! This fresh Italian cheese is brilliant for sweet or savoury recipes, from scrumptious quick pasta dishes to moist cakes, and more. Have a look at this inspiring collection of amazing ricotta recipes to see how to get the most of it. Just to name a few:
- Ricotta meatballs
- Ricotta crostini with peas
- Easy cake with ricotta
- Herbed whipped ricotta
- Lemon ricotta pasta
- Ricotta crostini
If you make this delicious lemon ricotta cake or if you have a question, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it or tag a photo #theclevermeal on Instagram. I would love to hear from you!
Recipe update: originally published in March 2020, I’ve tweaked recipe and added new photos.
Lemon ricotta cake
Ingredients
Lemon Ricotta filling:
- 2 cups (500 grams) ricotta
- 7 Tbsp (90 grams) sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ large lemons, zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Crumb shell:
- 2 ¼ cup (300 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ scant cup (90 grams) sugar
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 6 tablespoon (90 ml) olive oil or vegetable oil
- ½ large lemon, zest
To serve:
- icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F°/180C°.
- Line with parchment paper or grease with oil or butter a loosed bottom cake pan* (size 9 inches/23 cm).
- To make the lemon ricotta filling, place the first group of ingredients in a bowl and mix with a fork or a whisk, until well combined and smooth. Set aside.
- To make the crumb shell, place flour, baking powder, lemon zest in a large bowl and mix the dry ingredients until well combined.
- Stir in egg and oil and using your fingers, rub the egg and the oil into the flour and sugar to make a crumb-like mixture.
- Using about ⅔ of the crumbs, make the cake bottom and edges (about 1 ½ inch hight), but don't press the mixture too much.
- Fill this crumble shell with the ricotta mixture, then sprinkle the crumble mixture all over the ricotta filling.
- Bake for 30 minutes until lightly golden.
- Let it cool, and serve at room temperature dusted with icing sugar. The following day tastes even better! Enjoy.
Notes
Storage: it keeps well at room temperature for about 4-5 hours, but if your kitchen is too warm or if you’re planning to store it longer, wrap it in cling film and store in the refrigerator. It keeps very well for at least 3 days. Also, this ricotta freezes very well: wrap it in cling film and freeze it for up to 1 month
I have’n made this cake yet but am anxious to!
Can I use butter instead of the oil? If so, how much door recommend?
Hi Amy, I think I’ve already answered on IG.
Yes, you can use soft butter, approx 100 grams.
Let me know how it turns out, and don’t be anxious… it will be delicious! : )
Hi
I’ve just made this cake but the crumbly base was the consistency of peanut butter.. I used muscavado sugar so was a lot browner . I definitely used the correct amount of flour.. so it was difficult to crumble over the top… it’s in the iven now.. I’m not sure what u did wrong? Any advice?
Hi Sam! If the crumbly base looked like peanut butter that means the liquid ratio was off.
I don’t know what happened there to be honest, please let me know how it turns out. Cheers x
“loose bottom cake pan” does that mean a spring form pan?
Hey Rene! Yes, it’s the same, a pan with a removable bottom : )
After 30 minutes the cake still felt very soft in the middle (jiggling when I jostled the dish a tad). What texture is “done”? Is it okay that it’s still very soft in the middle? Don’t want to overdo it.
Thanks! J
Hello J! It should be firm in the middle, soft but firm. The baking time is what you find in the recipe, allowing 5 minutes more is ok, but not more than that.
Please let me know how it turns out. Thanks x
My baking time (Miele 24″ convection wall oven) was about 8 minutes longer than the recipe – because I was not sure it was actually done, and didn’t know if the regular test for doneness would work, so just left it a few minutes longer. The ‘pie’ that came out of the oven (calling it a pie because that’s what it looks like when baked) was flatter then I had imagined from the pics. I added chopped dark chocolate and orange zest to the ricotta mix. The flavour and texture was okay, was a bit underwhelmed. THEN, today we had another piece and oh wowzer, that extra day of the flavours and ricotta settling into each other was fabulous. And the texture was bang on. Like really good. I can imagine eating this in a bistro for dessert or in a cafe with a cup of coffee and being pretty happy. I bet it would be great with champagne on NYE after nibbles. Recipe is going into rotation with a bake the day ahead note. Its different enough to be interesting, but delivers where it matters!
Should the ricotta be drained if using regular store bought product?
Hi Kerry! Store-bought ricotta is totally fine, remove only excess water if needed. x
Thank you for answering my question, and so quickly, so that I was actually able to proceed with confidence, super appreciated. Great recipe.
Absolutely love this! Lemon and ricotta are my current obsession. I love the creamy vs crumbly texture too. And so easy!! I did add a splash of vanilla extract and a splash of lemon extract to the ricotta mixture…I saw another commenter mention the vanilla and couldn’t help myself adding lemon too. 😊 So good! I’ll be making this on repeat!
I’m so happy to hear that, Heather… this is one of our favorite cakes!
Thanks so much for sharing your feedback, and have a lovely weekend x
Hi may I know what type of flour for this ricotta cake recipe? Thank you
Hi Janette, absolutely, you need all purpose flour for this recipe (I’ve realised only now it’s not specified!). Many thanks x
Thank you Katia and stay safe!
My pleasure, Janette! Take care too x
This looks amazing- I’m anxious to make it.
I’m just not sure about the lemons – do you squeeze the juice of the 1 & 1/2
Lemons into filling & some lemon zest (how much?) And then the juice of 1/2
Into crumb mix with zest. Or is it just lemon zest that you use – not the juice
Hi Carolyn, I use only lemon zest, not the juice.
The recipe is pretty easy and I’m sure your cake will turn out great… let me know : )
Cheers x
This was soooo good! I had it for dessert a little warm and the next day cold for breakfast! I had to freeze it because it was going to be gone. It was still just as tasty after freezing. I will make this again for sure.
Thanks for sharing your lovely comment, Jaclyn! That’s one of my favorite cake recipes, I’m so glad you loved it.
Cheers x
Absolutely delicious cake! The only thing I did differently is add a little vanilla to ricotta mixture as well as only 5 tablespoons sugar in each part (crumb part/ricotta mix).
Thanks for taking the time to share your lovely feedback, Stella! I’m so glad it turned out delicious.💛
This was as simple as described and as wonderful. Whipped it up in no time (I may not share that with everyone.. let them think I slaved over it, ha ha). I posted my picture to my instagram and tagged you for credit. Thanks for a wonderful lemon recipe. Almost reminded me a little of my grandma’s German coffee cake when she would add fruit to it. Thanks again!
You’ve made my day, Sherry! Thanks a million for your lovely comment. 💛
This tart was fantastic. A real summer refreshing desert. Easy and quick to make thank you for sharing.
Thanks for your lovely comment, Mariangela 😊 I’m so glad you liked it! x
This is literally the most amazing dessert I’ve ever made!!! Thank you!!!! I especially loved that this had no butter!!!!!!
You’ve made my day with your lovely comment, Ana! I’m so pleased you love this recipe as much as I do x
Fantastic cake for any occasion, I tried a couple of variations as well, really easy to make!
Thanks so much for your lovely feedback, Debora! I’m glad you liked it 💛