Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

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Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake is made with ricotta cheese and fresh lemon, and is topped with a simple lemon glaze. Have a slice at breakfast with your cup of coffee, or as a midday snack!

Lemon Ricotta Pound cake with glaze on a wood cutting board with a lemon in the background.

This deliciously moist and dense lemon ricotta pound cake is topped with a simple lemon glaze. It’s the perfect recipe for any occasion. I like to have a slice with a cup of coffee in the morning. It also makes a great midday snack or a light dessert.

If you love all things lemon ricotta, be sure to try my Lemon Ricotta Bundt Cake, or my fan-favorite Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake. And, for a delicious treat, don’t miss my Soft Lemon Cookies or this Cinnamon Coffee Cake! For a classic recipe, give this Sour Cream Pound Cake a try!

Why You Need to Make this Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake!

When life gives you lemons, make lemon cake! This lemon ricotta pound cake recipe is super easy to make is delicious anytime of the day. Plus, it stays moist for days, so you can make it ahead and have for later.

This simple recipe comes together fast and is done in one bowl. All you need is an electric hand mixer, bowl, and a 9 x 5 inch baking pan. It’s also great for gifting and makes a beautiful presentation.

Traditional pound cake gets its name from the ingredients: a pound each of flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. This formula has been tweaked over the years, but the basic components are still the same.

Overhead photo of Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake on a wood cutting board.

Here, the butter, sugar, flour, and eggs are scaled down. However, you are still left with a moist and slightly dense cake that is so flavorful. To stay moist, the ricotta takes the place of the some of the butter. The sugar and eggs are reduced as well.

Read on to see how easy it is to make Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake.

Ingredients and Substitutions

overhead photo of ingredients including eggs, flour, and sugar.

Butter: use unsalted room temperature butter. If you use salted butter, just omit the additional salt in the recipe.
Sugar: use regular granulated sugar here.
Ricotta Cheese: I always like to bake with whole milk ricotta cheese, but part skim would work. Be sure to drain the ricotta before using if it appears wet.
Lemon: since you are using the zest of the lemon, be sure to use an organic lemon if you have it.
All purpose flour: sifted if necessary.
Baking Powder: this will help the cake rise.
Powdered Sugar: use the powdered sugar to make the icing for the Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake. You can always omit the icing altogether if desired.

How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

To start, you need to grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and then line with parchment. I like to line with parchment just to ensure that my cake comes out clean without leaving any batter behind in the pan.

process shots showing how to make recipe including pouring the batter into the baking pan.

Step 1: mix the butter and sugar.

In a large mixing bowl, use a handheld mixer to cream together the butter and sugar. You could also use a standup mixer for this. Mix for about two minutes.

Step 2: add in remaining ingredients.

Next, add in the ricotta cheese. If your ricotta cheese is dry, there is no need to strain it ahead of time. However, if you are using a wetter cheese, or a homemade cheese, you will want to strain it in cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve before adding.

Mix the ricotta with the butter/sugar mixture for about two minutes. Then add in the eggs, mixing again. Use a zester to zest the lemon peel, then squeeze in all of the juice of the lemon; stir to combine.

Lastly, add in the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until just combined and pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Step 3: pour into lined baking pan.

Pour the batter into a lined 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. You could also use a bundt cake pan or 9 x 9 inch baking pan for this recipe.

Step 4: bake and cool.

Bake the pound cake for about an hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. Let the pound cake cool on a baking rack for 15 minutes before removing from pan. Let cool completely before adding glaze.

Simple Lemon Glaze

The lemon ricotta pound cake is the star of this recipe. So I like to keep the glaze simple and mimic the flavors of the pound cake.

This simple lemon glaze uses just powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest. All you have to do is whisk these ingredients together and pour over the cooled cake.

Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake with lemon glaze on a wood cutting board.

The consistency of the lemon glaze should be spreadable but not too runny. To reach the desired consistency, adjust the lemon juice and powdered sugar amounts.

Expert Tips

Use room temperature butter so that it mixes well with the sugar.
Drain your ricotta cheese if it appears wet. To do so, just place the ricotta in a fine mesh sieve and let it sit for about a hour before using.
Fresh lemon juice is necessary here. You can add more or less depending on your taste preference.
Bake the lemon ricotta pound cake just until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake the cake.
Let the cake cool completely before adding a the icing.
You can adjust the thickness of your icing by adding more or less lemon juice.

Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake on a cutting board with lemons in the background.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use part skim ricotta cheese?

Whenever you bake using ricotta cheese it is best to use whole milk ricotta. Because you are using the ricotta to replace some of the fat of the butter, whole milk cheese is best.
However, in a pinch, part skim ricotta cheese would work. Your cake may not be as rich, but you’ll still have the same moist and flavorful cake as you would otherwise.
I like to save the part skim ricotta cheese for cooking rather than baking. It’s the star in some of my lightened-up Italian recipes such as Baked Spaghetti, Turkey Spinach Manicotti, and Italian Turkey Lasagna.

How to store lemon ricotta pound cake?

The beauty of this pound cake is that it stays moist for days. There are different ways to store the cake: covered on the counter, in the refrigerator, or in the freezer.
You can display your pound cake on the counter or table using a domed glass cake stand. I love to keep cakes this way, especially when guests are around. This pound cake will stay fresh for about three days covered at room temperature.
You can also slice and refrigerate this pound cake in an airtight container. I like this method because the cake stays fresh longer (about a week) and you can just grab a cooled slice whenever you’re hungry.
Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake also freezes nicely. You can freeze with or without the frosting for up to three months. Freeze in an airtight container whole rather than sliced.

Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake on a wood cutting board with a slice in front of it and lemons in the background.

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