Lemon Almond Ricotta Cake
Lemon Almond Ricotta Cake with Lemon Glaze is a perfect elegant dessert!
The flavor combination of lemon and almond is one of my favorites, and I particularly start craving it during the spring months. Obviously lemon baked goods are popular around spring and Easter, and this year I have a new favorite lemon dessert - Lemon Almond Ricotta Cake. The addition of almond extract makes it truly irresistible.
This lemon cake has all of the usual ingredients in a cake - flour, butter, and sugar - but one distinct ingredient that is unique. The star ingredient is ricotta cheese.
If you’ve never added ricotta to a cake, you are definitely missing out! It somehow makes this cake light and not dense but not fluffy. It is amazingly rich and moist, but not heavy. This makes it perfect for a brunch dessert or just a lighter option after dinner.
Of course, another highlight of this cake is the addition of 2 tablespoons of lemon zest, giving the cake its lemon flavor. Lemon zest really deepens the lemon flavor and I love adding it to lemon baked goods to really highlight the fresh flavor of lemon.
Another selling point to this cake? It can all be made in one bowl! I love a simple dessert that still impresses, and this Lemon Almond Ricotta Cake is just that. It is simple enough for any novice baker to make, but it tastes like someone who is seasoned in the kitchen made it.
I topped this ricotta cake with a lemon glaze frosting and some fresh raspberries. I loved how simple yet flavorful it was. It would also be great with whipped cream and fresh strawberries!
Like this recipe? Check these out, too!
Lemon Almond Pound Cake
Lemon Blueberry Coffee Cake
Blueberry Ricotta Cake from Natasha's Kitchen
Lemon Almond Ricotta Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon lemon zest from about 1 ½ lemons
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ½ cups whole milk ricotta (15 ounces)
- 1 ⅓ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2-3 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a 9” round cake pan with parchment paper and then spray with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until well combined, about 2 minutes.
- Add the lemon zest and beat to combine.
- Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the edges of the bowl after each addition.
- Add the almond extract and ricotta and beat until combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder and salt, mixing in with the wet ingredients until combined.
- Pour into the prepared cake pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, until slightly golden and a toothpick comes out of the middle clean.
- Let cool completely.
- Once cool, prepare the glaze.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk until combined.
- Pour over the cake.
- Serve topped with fresh raspberries and enjoy!
Is it baking baking powder not baking soda?
Ingredients and method are stated different
Thank you .
It is baking powder - thank you for catching that! The recipe has been updated 🙂
Taylor
Great recipe! My first attempt turned out pretty well and the cake even looks like the cake shown in your great photos. Question: Does adding more lemon zest impact the baking chemistry of the cake? I used about twice the amount of zest (not quite 4 tbsp). Part of the very bottom 1/4-inch of my cake seemed slightly gooey, perhaps under-baked. I baked 45 minutes in a dark, heavy aluminum pan. A longer bake time threatened over-baked edges and top. Wondering if too much zest leads to gooey, under-baked patches. Thanks.
Hi Douglas,
The lemon zest shouldn't throw off the chemistry of the cake too much but I would maybe scale back to just 3 tbsp next time, just in case. If you find the cake is browning on top before it's done in the middle, put some foil on top...that should help! Thanks for your review!
Taylor
Great recipe! The bake in itself is delicious. We were not a fan of the glaze that much but we adjusted it to our liking and it was a hit.
Can I substitute almond flour in this recipe? It sounds delicious.
Hi Sofia,
I don't think almond flour and all-purpose flour are interchangeable, so I'm not sure if that would work. Sorry!
Hi! I made this cake and we loved it. I would like to make it for Mother’s Day but my mom can’t have almond. Is there another flavor you could suggest instead? Thanks!
Vanilla would work great! Enjoy! 🙂
Should the cake be stored in refrigerator? I made it today to serve tomorrow. Should I put glaze on it today or wait before I serve?
Hi Dianne,
I think I would put the glaze on before you serve, to avoid it getting soggy. Enjoy!
Oh and either refrigerator or room temperature is fine - I've done both!