Moist and delicious glazed Lemon Ricotta Bundt Cake is the perfect dessert to serve at your next brunch or dinner. Full of flavor, this cake can be made up to 3 days in advance. Glaze with limoncello and sprinkle with Paradise Lemon Peel.
This light and flavorful Lemon Ricotta Bundt Cake will definitely become one of your favorite Italian desserts. Because of the creamy ricotta, this cake stays super moist and airy.
When I first tried this cake, I couldn’t believe the flavor. I’ve never been a huge lemon dessert fan, but this cake is the exception. It is truly the perfect balance of sweetness with a hint of delicious lemon flavor.
If you love lemon, be sure to try my Soft Lemon Cookies made with lemon and olive oil!
Incorporate Paradise Lemon Peel
Moreover, incorporate Paradise Diced Lemon Peel to this delicious dessert to add a sweet lemony bite. Sprinkle on top for a beautiful finish.
How to Make Lemon Ricotta Cake
If you have a stand up mixer, this is a great time to pull it out! Otherwise, a handheld mixer works well. First, you want to butter and flour a bundt pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Second, cream together the butter and sugar. Then add the ricotta and cream until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Incorporate in the eggs, vanilla, lemon peel and zest. Sift the dry ingredients and add those in. Fold in the candied lemon peel. Pour in prepared pan.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes before removing from pan.
For the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until desired consistency is reached. Pour over the bundt cake and sprinkle on candied lemon peel. Serve warm or refrigerate for up to three days.
Tips for Making Lemon Cake
- Be sure to cream together the ricotta, butter, and sugar well so that you get an airy and fluffy cake.
- You could also use this recipe to make a layer cake by dividing the batter between two cake pans and reducing the baking time.
- Poke holes in the cake using a wooden skewer before pouring on the glaze.
- For thinner glaze, add more water or lemon juice. For thicker, add less.
- Substitute the lemon in the glaze for limoncello liquor if serving this for adults.
Looking for more delicious and easy cake recipes? Don’t miss Chocolate Toffee Caramel Cake or Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake.
Lemon Ricotta Bundt Cake
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter, softened (1 ½ sticks)
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 15 ounces whole milk ricotta
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 ½ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup Candied Lemon Peel like Paradise
Lemon Glaze
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice add more or less for consistency
- Candied Lemon Peel for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a bundt cake pan and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl or stand up mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until well combined. Add the ricotta and blend until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, incorporating well. Mix in the vanilla, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches. Fold in the candied lemon peel.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth as needed. Bake 40-50 minutes, or until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in pan for at least 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.
- Make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Add more juice or water if needed to achieve desired consistency. Drizzle the lemon glaze over the top of the cake, sprinkle with candied lemon peel, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Kathy
This recipe was unbelievably good! My husband freaked! Only tried it because I couldn’t find my springform pan to make a ricotta cheesecake so I gave this type of cake a try. So glad I did!
Angela Allison
Yay! Thanks for the great comment Kathy! I’m so happy you enjoyed the cake 🙂
Anna
Do you strain the ricotta?
Angela Allison
Only if it appears really wet. Otherwise, straining is not necessary.
Ruth
Angela…
I have been a Baker for many, many years and have won baking contests. I am 74 yrs old. I must tell you, this cake is beyond heavenly! Light, fluffy, delicious. I made it with a Limoncello Glaze baked in a Bundt pan.
I can’t thank you enough for this magnificent recipe.
Grazie! Gracias! Merci!
Angela Allison
Thanks for the amazing comment, Ruth! You made my day 🙂
Susan
Perfect! Not overly sweet nor too lemony, just the right balance for this delicious moist cake.
Angela Allison
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Susan! Thanks so much for the comment 🙂
Cyndi
This was a big hit. I served it with raspberries and whipped cream.
deborah coyne
Can this cake be made ahead and frozen and the end glazed when thawed and ready to serve?
Angela Allison
Yes. You can freeze the cake ahead of time. Then thaw it and apply glaze.
Linda
Did you try to make the recipe into muffins instead of a cake???
Angela Allison
I’ve never made these into muffins, but I bet that would be delicious!
Deb
What if I don’t have candied Lemon peel??
Angela Allison
The candied lemon peel is optional. If you don’t have it, you can just skip it altogether.
Ramona
If a baking recipe doesn’t specify, should you use salted or unsalted butter?
Angela Allison
unsalted butter here
Michelle
How long do I let the cake cool before putting on the glaze?
Angela Allison
The cake has to be cooled completely. Probably about an hour.
Christine
Hi I have been searching for a simple recipe that tastes good that I can make anytime that is not heavy this recipe is perfect for any time of the year thank you for the recipe
Angela Allison
Thanks for the comment. So happy you loved it!
Amy
I’m curious if I could use a lemon cream cheese glaze on this successfully ? Like a layer cake with less frosting and without having to frost layers :).
Angela Allison
Yes, that would be delicious. You could also try my recipe for Limoncello Ricotta Cake. It’s similar and has a limoncello cream cheese frosting.
https://thisdelicioushouse.com/limoncello-ricotta-cake/
Kye
I combined your lemon and almond ricotta cake recipes with this lemon ricotta bundt recipe by using 1/2 cup all purpose, 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup fine corn meal. Added 1.5 tsp baking powder. It was so delicious!!!
angelakallison
That sounds amazing! Great job!!
Trish
How large should the bundt pan be? 6 cup? 10? 12?
Thanks.
Angela Allison
A standard size 10 cup bundt pan is what I use.
HG Guller
Delicious – but no Bundt pan in my kitchen since I down-sized. I put most of the dough in a loaf pan, then split the remainder between two mini-loaf pans. I wrapped the minis for gifts. So, I have my cake and get to eat it, too!
Gigi
Can I use Greek yogurt instead if ricotta?
angelakallison
Greek yogurt will give you a denser cake. Try to use ricotta if you can, or use yogurt if you are ok with the consistency.
Stacey
If substituting Limoncello on cake and glaze what are the measurements?
angelakallison
It’s a one-to-one substitution, so sub 3 tablespoons of limoncello for the lemon juice. Enjoy!
Kathy
This recipe is SOOOO GOOOD!! I followed it exactly except since I couldn’t find any candied lemon peel, I made my own. It was well worth the work, because this cake is to die for!! THANK YOU for sharing this recipe!
angelakallison
Thanks for the comment! So happy you loved the cake 🙂
Kellie
Can you substitute lemon zest for lemon peel? If so what amount? Thanks.
Angela Allison
You can just leave out the candied lemon peel altogether
MaryAnne
Have you ever substituted limoncello in the batter for the lemon juice?
angelakallison
Yes, it’s delicious!
Linda
I’ve made this as written several times and it’s delicious! Wondering if anyone has tried to reduce the sugar and if so, what did they change and how did it turn out?
angelakallison
You could reduce the sugar by a third and be ok.
Laura
Hi Angela, I love this cake. What an amazing recipe. I’d like to use this recipe for a bridal shower cake and I thought I’d ask you how I can use this recipe to create a 10 in. two layered cake. I plan to use your butter cream frosting recipe from your lemmoncello cake recipe. Any suggestions?
Angela Allison
So happy you loved the recipe! I would just double the recipe and bake in two 10-inch cake pans. Let me know how it turns out. Enjoy!
Brianna Iannone
BY FAR my favorite cake recipe! My family begs for it every party! I add about 1/2 cup of frozen wild blueberries dusted with flour to the batter and it is so delicious. Thank you for my go-to summer dessert recipe!
angelakallison
So happy you love it! The blueberries are a perfect addition too 🙂
Darlene
I live in a small town and all I can get is part skim ricotta. Will this work? I REALLY want to make this cake
angelakallison
Yes! Part skim ricotta works here. Enjoy!