Lemon
Zesty Lemon-Ricotta Snacking Cake
- Prep time 20 minutes
- Cook time 1 hour 20 minutes
- Serves 8
Author Notes
It’s always a good idea to have a ricotta cake recipe in your repertoire. They’re easy to pull together, even for the less experienced baker, and they make for an incredible all-day snacking situation. Assisted by soft, creamy BelGioioso Ricotta con Latte®, this cake leans into winter citrus and bursts with lemony flavor from freshly grated zest. In order to preserve the ricotta’s fluffy texture, I like to use a spatula instead of a whisk when it comes to mixing the batter.
You can enjoy this cake with a simple sprinkle of powdered sugar, or you can double down on the ricotta by adding a dollop to the top of your slice. For an even more top-notch experience, make a simple whipped ricotta frosting: add 1 cup of the Ricotta con Latte to a food processor along with 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar to taste. —Kia Damon
Test Kitchen Notes
For more BelGioioso recipes, check out our dreamiest, cheesiest recipes here.
This recipe is shared in partnership with BelGioioso Cheese. —The Editors
Ingredients
- For the cake:
-
1 1/2 cups
all-purpose flour
-
3/4 cup
granulated sugar
-
1 1/2 teaspoons
baking powder
-
1/4 teaspoon
baking soda
-
1 teaspoon
kosher salt
-
8 tablespoons
(1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and at room temperature
-
1 1/4 cups
BelGioioso Ricotta con Latte®, plus more for serving
-
3
eggs at room temperature
-
Zest from 2 lemons, about 4 teaspoons
-
1 teaspoon
vanilla
-
Confectioners’ sugar, for finishing
- For the candied lemons:
-
1 cup
sugar, plus more for garnishing
-
1
lemon sliced into 1⁄8-inch-thick rounds
Directions
- For the cake:
- Heat your oven to 350°F.
- Coat an 8-inch cake pan (I like to use a springform pan, but you can use a non-springform) with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper, then spray it again.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In another bowl, add the ricotta, eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Using a spatula, gently break the egg yolks then slowly mix until everything is incorporated and the mixture is streak-free. Working in two batches, fold in the dry mix. Use a spatula to fold the wet and the dry ingredients together. The batter will begin to stiffen as you add the flour, which is totally okay. Add the room temperature melted butter and use your spatula again to mix it in, starting with smaller circles in the center then slowly making your way out to the edges. Mix until you have a pale yellow batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and even it out using your spatula. Bake the cake on the middle rack for 45 minutes. Use a toothpick or butter knife to test for doneness—if it’s not cooked after 45 minutes, bake for an additional 5 minutes and test with a toothpick again until the top of the cake is golden. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before removing from the pan. Once fully cooled, dust the cake with powdered sugar, top with candied lemon slices, and serve with more ricotta.
- For the candied lemons:
- While the cake is baking, add the sugar and 1 cup water to a saucepan over medium high heat and whisk to combine. When the liquid comes to a boil, add the lemon slices so that they’re spread out evenly in a single layer. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes on one side, then flip lemons using tongs and cook for an additional 15 on the other side. Remove and rest on a cooling rack with a baking pan or parchment underneath. Sprinkle them with granulated sugar.
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