Apple Ricotta Cake is a delicious and tender cake made with diced fresh apple and ricotta cheese. This simple one-bowl dessert comes together quick and is great whenever you have apples on hand!
If you love baked apple desserts, you have to try this delicious Apple Ricotta Cake recipe. This Italian cake is great served as a light dessert or breakfast treat and goes great with a cup of coffee.
For more ricotta cakes, be sure to try my fan-favorite Almond Ricotta Cake or Lemon Ricotta Cake. For more apple desserts try this Italian Apple Cake or Apple Spice Cookies.
Apple Ricotta Cake
Apple Ricotta Cake is a simple one-bowl recipe made with just a few simple ingredients. This moist and tender cake melts in your mouth and is perfect during apple season.
This recipe is made with fresh ricotta, lemon juice, lemon zest, and diced large apples. It’s a simple one-tiered cake that’s finished with powdered sugar and apple slices.
While this recipe isn’t classically Italian, it is a take on the classic lemon ricotta cake recipe but adds in chunks of apples. It’s great to make ahead and, thanks to the ricotta, stays moist and tastes even better the next day.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe!
You’ll love that this Apple Ricotta Cake is so easy to make and comes together quick. It’s perfect during the fall months when apples are in season, or whenever you have extra apples on hand.
This is a great treat to make ahead of time and works perfectly for a midday snack, light dessert, or breakfast treat. It’s great to have around for entertaining but simple enough to make for any occasion.
So, if you love a delicious cake full of apples, be sure to give this recipe a try. You’re going to love it!
Ingredients
- Apples: use your favorite apple blend such as Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Gala apples, or any sweet and sturdy apple you have on hand.
- Ricotta: whole milk ricotta is ideal for baking.
- Lemon: the lemon zest and lemon juice will brighten up the apple ricotta cake recipe without adding any lemony flavor.
- Vanilla: vanilla extract adds great flavor to any baked goods.
- Flour: use regular all purpose flour. Be sure to sift and weigh the flour for best results.
- Butter: room temperature unsalted butter.
- Sugar: use granulated sugar for the cake batter and powdered sugar for dusting the cake.
- Eggs: you’ll need three large eggs.
- Baking Soda: make sure you are using baking soda and not baking powder.
- Salt: kosher salt is the best for baking.
How to Make Apple Ricotta Cake
This recipe for Apple Ricotta Cake comes together fast and is great to make ahead. Start by greasing a 9-inch springform pan with butter and dusting with flour. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper for easy removal.
Step 1: cream the wet ingredients
In a large bowl or food processor fitted with paddle attachment, use an electric mixer to combine the softened butter and granulated sugar. Blend until well combined, about 1-2 minutes.
Next, add in the well-drained ricotta. Use your hand mixer on medium speed to whip the ricotta with the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes.
Then, add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition. Beat in the lemon zest and juice, vanilla, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
Step 2: add in the dry ingredients
To the bowl, add in the sifted all purpose flour. Mix until the cake is just combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Step 3: add in apples
Peel and core the apples. Dice into ¼ inch chunks and pour apple pieces into the mixing bowl. Then, stir until the mixture is just combined.
STEP 4: BAKE AND DECORATE
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Place on the center rack in a preheated oven and bake for about an hour or until the edges start to pull from the pan.
You will know the apple ricotta cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean and the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and let the cake cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before removing the collar from the pan.
Once the cake is cooled, top with apple slices and powdered sugar. Serve as is or with a side of fruit or vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Tips
- Drain the ricotta: the key to a fluffy ricotta cake is to make sure the ricotta is very well drained before using. To do so, set the ricotta in a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth set over a bowl in the refrigerator. Cover with plastic wrap and let all of the liquid drain from the ricotta. This could take up to 1-2 hours to fully drain or you can let it sit overnight.
- Almond flour: to make this cake gluten-free, you can substitute equal cup amounts of almond flour for the flour in the recipe.
- Make in a bundt cake pan: if you don’t have a springform pan, you can bake this in a standard bundt cake pan instead. Adjust the baking time and always test for doneness using a toothpick.
- Storage: leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze your apple ricotta cake for up to a month.
More Italian Cake Recipes
Apple Ricotta Cake
Equipment
- 9 inch springform pan
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese (well drained)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ large lemon, zested and juiced (½ teaspoon zest, 1 tablespoon juice)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour (200 grams)
- 3 medium apples (peeled, cored, and diced – 350 grams)
- powdered sugar for dusting top of cake (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line with a parchment round; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand up mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until well combined. Add in the ricotta cheese and blend until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Mix in the eggs, one at a time. Add in the vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix to combine. In the same bowl, stir in the baking soda and salt. Lastly, add in the flour and mix until just combined, scraping down the sides of bowl to fully incorporate all of the ingredients.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold in the diced apples and mix until well combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Let cool in pan for 15 minutes before removing the collar and base of the pan. Cool on a wire rack and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Drain the ricotta: the key to a fluffy ricotta cake is to make sure the ricotta is very well drained before using. To do so, set the ricotta in a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth set over a bowl in the refrigerator. Cover with plastic wrap and let all of the liquid drain from the ricotta. This could take up to 1-2 hours to fully drain or you can let it sit overnight.
- Almond flour: to make this cake gluten-free, you can substitute equal cup amounts of almond flour for the flour in the recipe.
- Make in a bundt cake pan: if you don’t have a springform pan, you can bake this in a standard bundt cake pan instead. Adjust the baking time and always test for doneness using a toothpick.
- Storage: leftover cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze your apple ricotta cake for up to a month.
Thanks for this recipe. I’m looking forward to baking it for my family.