I. Love. Lemon. If you’ve seen my collection of lemon recipes, I’m sure it’s already obvious! Another thing I love? Pound cake. And this recipe for lemon ricotta pound cake combines the two into something that’s delicious and purely enjoyable.
The taste is just one of the pros of making this pound cake. The sweet smell while baking is another! It reminds me a bit of our Lemon Pound Cake Just Jill candle… but, I digress!
Let’s Get to It!
While this recipe isn’t one of my popular 3-ingredient or 5-ingredient recipes, it’s still fairly simple to make and you may find that you have most ingredients already in your kitchen.
We have lemon to add a refreshing and subtly tarte taste in each bite. And sugar and vanilla to sweeten things up.
While the combination of lemon and ricotta has been around for quite some time, I still get people asking me why I’d add cheese to a bread that’s supposed to be sweet. The truth is that the ricotta works wonders — adding creaminess while keeping the cake extra moist.
It’s really a game-changing ingredient. So, don’t knock it before you try it!
My lemon ricotta pound cake is a two-part recipe that includes both the pound cake and the glaze that goes on top. While you certainly can leave out the glaze, I recommend going for it.
Not only is it incredibly easy to whip up, but it also adds some extra sweetness and zing that brings something extra to the table.
Here’s everything you’ll need to make it!
Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake
Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake
Enjoy a slice of summer with this easy-to-make pound cake that combines sweet and tart flavors in every bite.
Ingredients
Pound Cake:
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cups ricotta cheese
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
- 4 eggs
- Juice and zest from 1 lemon, separated
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Lemon Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and lightly grease a 9x5 baking dish (loaf pan).
- Whisk together cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and zest. Set aside until ready to use.
- In a large bowl or mixer, cream together butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes, or until fluffy and lightened in color.
- Beat the eggs one at a time, then mix in lemon and vanilla extracts.
- Alternate between wet and dry ingredients, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Pour batter into greased loaf pan and place in oven.
- Bake 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (but with a couple of moist crumbs attached). Remove from the oven and using a fork, prick holes into the loaf.
- Mix together the ingredients for the glaze. Pour over the pound cake. Let the cake sit for about an hour to finish cooling, then dust it with powdered sugar and additional lemon zest.
Notes
If your glaze gets a little too runny, add some more powdered sugar!
Some of you may remember seeing me make this lemon ricotta pound cake during one of my QVC shows. It was a hit then and it’s still a hit to this day!
There’s something about the simplicity of a delightful pound cake mixed with the tangy brightness of lemon. Comforting and refreshing at the same time! And don’t get me started on the versatility. Enjoy it for dessert, breakfast, or any time of the day.
So, if your tastebuds are begging for a refreshingly tasty treat, I hope you’ll give my lemon ricotta pound cake a try. If you love my lemon blueberry pound cake, you’re sure to love this too!
From my kitchen to yours,
Jill
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