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Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake – a dense, soft, sweet, slightly tart and super moist lemon pound cake topped with a lemon glaze.
This lemon ricotta pound cake is pretty easy to throw together. It bakes for about an hour, which is the hardest part. Just waiting! To get all that lemon flavor this recipe calls for not only lemon juice but also lemon zest as well as lemon extract. You can find the extract in the baking aisle next to the vanilla extract at your grocery store.
And because I can not leave well enough alone, I added a tart lemon glaze to the top of the cake. It really brings all the lemon together and makes the cake extra special. Pound cake is perfect for dessert or a snack with a cup of coffee or tea in the afternoon.
Why You’ll Love This Lemon Pound Cake
- Super Moist – the ricotta cheese gives this lemon pound cake the prefect texture. It is dense, but super moist and not dry in any way.
- Tons of Lemon – You have 3 forms of lemon flavor in this cake, so if you like lemon this is most definitely for you!
- Easy To Make – when you think of cakes, you often think of layer cakes with frosting and decorating. This is so much easier! You could even skip the glaze on top if you wanted just one step.
What You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Butter – I always bake with unsalted
- Ricotta Cheese – use whole milk for the best results
- Granulated Sugar
- Eggs
- Lemon – you will use both the juice and the zest
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Vanilla Extract
- Lemon Extract
- Powdered Sugar
How to Make Ricotta Pound Cake
- Start by beating the butter and sugar together in an electric mixer until they are light and fluffy. This usually cakes a couple minutes.
- Beat in the eggs until they are fully incorporated.
- Next you add in the ricotta cheese as well as the lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon extract and the vanilla extract. Mix everything together until it is well combined.
- Then all the dry ingredients get mixed together and go into the butter mixture. Here you want to mix until everything is just combined, be careful not to over mix.
- Pour into a well greased loaf pan and bake until a tester comes out clean. This takes about an hour, but keep an eye on it. If the cake starts to get too dark on top you can cover with foil until it is done baking.
- After the cake has cooled you can pour the glaze over the top. Just mix together a little powdered sugar and lemon juice to make the glaze.
Pound cake is a very easy cake to make, there are no layers or frosting to worry about. Just a buttery and delicious cake that is ready with very little work!
You will notice this recipe calls for whole milk ricotta. This is part of what gives it the super moist and delicious flavor, so don’t skip and use the light stuff. It is definitely worth it for the whole milk in this recipe. Your cake will be creamier, richer and just more delicious.
Can You Freeze Pound Cake
Yes, you definitely cake. Skip the glaze and tightly wrap in plastic wrap and foil before placing in the freezer. When you are ready to use, thaw at room temperature and then top with the glaze. A great make ahead dessert for get togethers.
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- No Bake Lemon Cheesecake
- Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies
- Almond Joy Brownies
- S’mores Pie
- Banana Split Pie
Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 whole eggs
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Zest from 1 lemon
Glaze
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×5-inch baking dish with parchment paper or grease really well. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and beat well. Add in ricotta cheese, lemon juice, vanilla extract and lemon extract. Mix for 2 minutes until well combined.3/4 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, 3 whole eggs, 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese, 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest. Slowly add to butter mixture, mixing until just combined.1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, Zest from 1 lemon
- Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake for 55-65 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. If cake starts to brown too much on top, cover with foil.
- Remove from the oven and let cook for 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the glaze, mix together lemon juice and powdered sugar until well combined and smooth. Adjust sugar and lemon juice if necessary to get the right consistency.Juice from 1 lemon, 1 cup powdered sugar
- Once the cake is completely cooled, pour glaze over cake. Slice to serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Such a fabulous cake! I can’t wait to try this recipe!
This recipe comes out perfect every time!
Just wanted to say a big thank you for sharing the Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake recipe! It was absolutely divine. The cake was so moist and flavorful, and the lemon zest really made the flavors pop.
This was really good and very easy to make! It was perfect dessert with coffee!
This was soooo moist and lemony. It got devoured before the day was through, haha!
I love lemon, especially this time of year, it’s so refreshing and in a pound cake? perfect