The BEST recipe for limoncello cake ever! This recipe for Limoncello Ricotta Cake takes lemon cake to a new level with so much flavor. Don’t miss this tasty Italian dessert recipe that’s sure to be your new favorite for every occasion.

Limoncello ricotta cake with candied lemon peel on a white platter.

Delicious and moist, this lemon cake has all of the flavors you love and a frosting that can’t be beat! Made with Italian Limoncello liqueur and creamy ricotta cheese, I guarantee this is a recipe you’ll be making again and again.

Limoncello Ricotta Cake is similar to my fan favorite Lemon Ricotta Bundt Cake. However, this recipe uses delicious limoncello liqueur and a limoncello cream cheese frosting that makes it perfect for any celebration.

Limoncello Ricotta Cake on a white pedestal with a piece cut out of it.

What makes this cake so special are the flavors and textures that go in it. Firstly, the ricotta cheese helps to build that moist texture and creaminess of the cake. If you’re hesitant about using ricotta, don’t be. It’s no different than adding sour cream or yogurt to cake batters.

Secondly, the Limoncello brings a delicious lemony flavor that helps to amplify the flavors of the lemon zest. No limoncello, no problem! Just substitute lemon juice for the limoncello in this recipe.

Limoncello Ricotta Cake on a pedestal with a bottle of Limoncello liqueur in the background.

Lastly, the Limoncello Cream Cheese Frosting, takes this cake to a new level! I opted to go the cream cheese route because my cream cheese frosting is another fan favorite and I knew topping this cake with it would make it really special. Again, you can substitute lemon juice for the limoncello if desired.

As for the topping, I decided to garnish the cake with candied lemon peel. My favorite brand of lemon peel is Paradise Candied Lemon Peel. However, you could also garnish this cake with real slices of lemon or skip the garnish all together.

overhead view showing the  paradise candied lemon peel.

And, for a fun take on a traditional dessert, be sure to try my Tiramisu Bundt Cake with a delicious ricotta filling.

Simple Italian Desserts

Desserts don’t have to be complicated, and that includes Italian desserts. Make-ahead desserts are also ideal. As well as desserts with simple and easy to find ingredients. Here are some of my favorite Simple Italian Dessert recipes that are perfect for your next party.

Italian Thumbprint Cookies are cookie perfection! These tasty treats are rolled in chopped almonds and topped with fig jam. Simple and delicious, this is a great recipe to have on hand for a cookie exchange or make ahead and freeze for when guests stop by.

Italian Fig and Almond Thumbprint Cookies on a white plate with fig spread in the background.

Easy Tiramisu is the classic Italian dessert and no list of Simple Italian Desserts would be complete without it. I love that this recipe simplifies the dish without compromising the flavor.

Classic Anisette Cookies couldn’t be more delicious and comforting! Love serving these little cookies after dinner with coffee and tea.

Almond Ricotta Cake is the perfect Italian Almond Cake made with ricotta cheese, almond extract, and sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Cannoli Cheesecake Bars are a great way to get the flavors you love in cannolis, without all of the work.

Lemon Ricotta Bundt Cake will forever be my favorite Italian dessert recipe. So simple and so full of flavor, this cake is perfect for any occasion.

Lemon Ricotta Bundt Cake with paradise candied lemon peel on top

Limoncello Ricotta Cake

The ingredients for this cake are simple and easy to come by. But, what really makes the cake special, is taking the time to incorporate air into the batter. To start, it’s a good idea to break out your stand up mixer. Personally, I love my KitchenAid Stand Up Mixer, but if you don’t have one, a hand mixer will work.

Firstly, preheat the oven and grease and flour two 8-inch cake pans. It’s also a good idea to line the bottoms of the pans with parchment rounds.

In your mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Next, add in the ricotta and beat for five minutes until the mixture is pale in color. Add in the eggs, one at a time, limoncello, vanilla, and lemon zest.

Fold in the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Use a kitchen scale to pour equal amounts of batter into each of the cake pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.

baked rounds cooling on a wire cooling rack.

Let the cakes cool on a cake pan completely before frosting. Alternatively, you could make these ahead and, once cooled, freeze in an airtight container until ready to frost.

Limoncello Cream Cheese Frosting

Lastly, you can’t miss the pièce de résistance of this cake: the frosting! Sweet and simple, it really ties the cake together and makes it special.

This simple frosting can be made right before serving the cake or ahead of time. The key is to make sure you are using room temperature butter and cream cheese so that the ingredients fully incorporate.

Firstly, cream together the unsalted butter and cream cheese. Make sure it is really well combined before adding the powdered sugar, limoncello, and lemon zest. Then, simply frost the cake as you normally would.

Limoncello Cream Cheese frosting spread all over the cake.

At first, I frosted this cake on all sides just using a butter knife to create swirls. Later I opted to give the cake a more rustic look showcasing the cake beneath the frosting by using a cake scraper to clean up the sides as I rotated the cake pedestal.

limoncello ricotta cake on a white pedestal.

Lastly, sprinkle with Paradise Candied Lemon Peel if desired.

Limoncello Ricotta Cake is tasty and elegant option for your next Italian meal. Great for brunches, dinners, birthdays, or holidays, you are going to love this flavorful and moist cake. Enjoy!

Tried this recipe? Comment below and let me know how you like it!

Limoncello Ricotta Cake on a white pedestal with a piece cut out of it.

Limoncello Ricotta Cake with Limoncello Cream Cheese Frosting

Super moist and delicious Italian Limoncello Ricotta Cake is simple to make and perfect for an celebration. Don't miss the tasty Limoncello Cream Cheese Frosting!
4.92 from 89 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Cooling Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 471kcal
Cost: 12-14

Equipment

  • 2 8-inch round cake pans

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened (1 ½ sticks)
  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 15 ounces whole milk ricotta
  • 3 large eggs
  • ¼ cup limoncello liqueur
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from one lemon)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Limoncello Cream Cheese Frosting

  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (one stick)
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons Limoncello liqueur
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from one lemon)

Garnish

  • 2 tablespoons candied lemon peel (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8 inch round cake pans and line bottom with a parchment round. Set aside.
  • In a stand up mixer or large bowl with an electric 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 Limoncello, lemon zest, and vanilla.
  • In a seperate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in two batches, until just combined.
  • Pour the batter into prepared pans and smooth as needed. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in pan at least 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
  • To make the Limoncello Cream Cheese Frosting, in a large bowl cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add in the powdered sugar, Limoncello, and zest. Mix until well combined. Place one layer of the cooled cake on pedestal or cake plate and spread on about a cup of frosting. Place on the top layer of the cake and spread the remaining frosting all over the cake. Sprinkle on candied lemon peel if using.

Notes

This cake can be made up to a two days in advance. Just store covered in the refrigerator. 

Nutrition

Calories: 471kcal
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limoncello ricotta cake pinterest pin.

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Recipe Rating




135 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    My son and I made this cake for my recent birthday. We both thought it delicious. We love lemon and despite the lemoncello and lemon zest, we didn’t taste much lemon flavor. Didn’t use candied lemon so maybe that would have given a stronger lemon flavor? Will definitely make again and maybe add some lemon juice and less lemoncello. We only used 3 cups of powdered sugar and that was plenty sweet. I might even try less next time. Since we are sequestered, couldn’t celebrate birthday with anyone so we ate the cake over 8 days. It was stored in refrigerator and it kept so well.

  2. 5 stars
    I made this limoncello cake this week for a coworker who loves lemon. I even made candied lemon peel for a garnish. This recipe is to die for! The lemon is not overwhelming. It is perfectly balanced with the cream cheese frosting. Needless to say it was a hit with everyone in my office. My husband was only allowed to taste a bit of the batter and frosting because it was for the office. He loved it so much, I had to make a second one a day later.

    1. YES! I am so happy to hear that you love this cake. Too funny that you had to make a separate cake for your husband… what we do for love! Thanks for the wonderful comment 🙂

  3. Made this today for my birthday. No party due to lock-in but I plan to put pieces in containers and pass out to the neighbors.
    Just came out of the oven and smells so good!
    I can’t wait to try the finished product.

    1. Happy belated birthday! So sorry you could not celebrate directly with friends and neighbors, but glad to hear that you had a chance to bake during this crisis. It always calms me. Thanks for the comment 🙂

  4. 5 stars
    Made the cake for friends tonight. Had to taste before I served it. Wonderful!! Easy to make, tastes great. Ready for my company .

  5. 5 stars
    I never rate a recipe, but this cake is an exception. Made it today for the first time and I know I will be making it again. Followed recipe exactly and was simply delicious!

  6. My best friend would love this cake but she cannot have a drop of alcohol due to a chronic illness. Is there a way to sub lemon juice?

    1. I would recommend using 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice in place of the limoncello in the cake portion of the recipe. For the frosting, use one tablespoon of lemon juice and add a tablespoon of water or milk. Hope you love it!

  7. Best cake I ever made! Any tips for high altitude baking? Going to be in mountains in CO and Utah and I know it’s an issue. Baking at about 8,000 ft.

    1. I’m not certain about cooking in higher altitudes other than items can take longer to bake. I’ve heard that increasing oven temps by 25 degrees can help. Glad you love the cake!

  8. Hi, I am about to make this cake for my boyfriends Birthday, I se baking powder is in the recipe, but you made a comment to someone here that said no baking powder is in this recipe? HELP!

    1. Go ahead and add in the baking powder. I personally get the same results if I use it or omit it, but some others say that it yields a fluffier cake. Let me know how it turns out for you!

  9. I made this delicious cake for Christmas and it was delicious and LOVED by everyone. I followed the recipe and it came out perfect! I will be definitely making it again! 🍋

    1. 5 stars
      We had a similar cake at a wonderful Italian restaurant and I wanted to recreate the experience fir a dinner party. Fabulous results! Thank you. I’m wondering if a Marscapone cheese in the icing would render an even lighter version. May look into substituting.

  10. To follow up on my previous post, I served this cake at a party last night. Delicious! Refreshing and surprising light. So moist! It came out great!

    1. cake looks great but I haven’t tasted it yet. Im serving it tomorrow. However, because I was in the middle of the recipe and couldn’t wait for your reply (even though it was very quick) I added a little baking powder because I was scared.( about 3/4 tsp) It didn’t seem to do any harm.

  11. 4 stars
    I’ve tried to make this twice however it more of a loaf than cake both times, I have checked my baking soda and even whipped the ricotta separately both times no loft only 11/4 thic. Help hints

    1. Hi Nick. My main tips for this recipe are to make sure you are using room temperature ricotta, butter, and eggs. Cream the ricotta with the sugar butter mixture (not separately) in a stand up mixer, on medium low speed for 5 minutes. You want the mixture to be smooth and airy, but be careful not to over beat it, which could cause it to flatten and yield a dense cake. Also, you want to mix the ricotta with the sugar and butter (not separately) so that it has a chance to incorporate completely before adding the other ingredients. Let me know if this helps. Thanks!

  12. 4 stars
    My mother in law has made this twice and the cake is not fluffy. Any suggestions? It’s delicious but I know the consistency is not correct.

    1. The key to this cake is that you really have to beat the ricotta to get a fluffy texture. I use my handheld mixer on medium high for five minutes to get it fluffy. Otherwise the cake will be too dense. Hope that helps!

  13. I made the cake yesterday for a card party a friend was hosting. Was a big hit and everyone loved it. I thought the cake might be too heavy since when I lifted it up to put in a cake holder it was quite heavy. Not at all it was very light and not overly sweet. Perfect. Will definitely make again for Thanksgiving.

    1. Do you have to drain the water out of the ricotta before adding (using a cheesecloth) or is it ok to add it, as is, out of the container?

      Thanks!
      Tina

      1. Hi Rita. You can drain it if you want, but I never do. I just tip the container to get the top little bit of liquid out before adding it to the batter. Hope this helps!

  14. My favorite flavor has always been the taste of lemon .. lemonade . lemon drop candies ..even the smell of lemon air fresheners anything lemony . I am so excited to make this cake.. I hope it comes out as good as yours . I’m off to the store .. Thank you for sharing his recipe with the world !

  15. 5 stars
    Lemoncello, ricotta and cream cheese sounds like a dreamy combination! This cake looks delicious, I will have to try it