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5 from 1 vote

Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

By Britney
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 12
a slice of lemon ricotta pound cake on a plate with sliced lemons and lemon glaze being poured on top.
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Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake is a soft, tender lemon cake made with creamy ricotta then finished with a silky lemon glaze.

Equipment

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Ingredients 

  • 2 1/2 cups (313 g) Cake Flour
  • 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 4 tbsp Lemon Zest
  • 2 1/4 cups (450 g) Sugar
  • 1 cup (227 g) Salted Butter, (room temperature)
  • 1 tbsp (15 g) Vegetable Oil
  • 4 (200 g) Eggs, (room temperature)
  • 1 (18 g) Egg Yolk, (room temperature)
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2 tsp Lemon Extract
  • 1/4 tsp Almond Extract
  • 1/4 cup (60 g) Whole Milk
  • 1 cup (240 g) Whole Milk Ricotta, (room temperature)

Lemon Simple Syrup

  • 1/4 cup (60 g) Water
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) Sugar
  • 2 tbsp (30 g) Lemon Juice

Lemon Glaze

  • 4 tbsp (56 g) Salted Butter, (melted)
  • 1 1/2 cups (180 g) Powdered Sugar
  • 2 tbsp (30 g) Lemon Juice

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients - cake flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. Set aside. 2 1/2 cups Cake Flour 1/4 tsp Baking Soda 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine lemon zest and sugar. Mix together on low speed for about 2 minutes, until fragrant and the sugar becomes a pale yellow color (you can also pinch the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingers). 4 tbsp Lemon Zest 2 1/4 cups Sugar
  • Add the room temperature butter and oil. Mix on medium speed for about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Begin adding eggs and egg yolk one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated prior to adding the next. 1 cup Salted Butter 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil 4 Eggs 1 Egg Yolk
  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl again, then add half of the dry ingredients. Mix until combined, about 20 seconds, then add the whole milk, ricotta, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and almond extract. Mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Then add the remainder of the dry ingredients and mix until smooth, about 30 seconds. 1/4 cup Whole Milk 1 cup Whole Milk Ricotta 2 tsp Vanilla Extract 2 tsp Lemon Extract 1/4 tsp Almond Extract
  • Spray a 10-cup bundt pan with nonstick baking spray and pour batter into the pan. Tap the pan against the countertop to remove any bubbles, then bake for 60-70 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
  • While the cake is baking, make the lemon simple syrup. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Cook until the sugar is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add lemon juice. Stir together and set aside. 1/4 cup Water 1/4 cup Sugar 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • Once the cake is done, allow it to cool in the bundt pan for 10 minutes, then turn over onto a wire rack. Immediately brush the cake with the simple syrup using a pastry (you can also spoon the syrup on top if you don't have a pastry brush). Allow the cake to cool completely.
  • When the cake has cooled, make the glaze by combining melted butter, powdered sugar, and lemon juice in bowl. Whisk until smooth, then pour on top of the cake. 4 tbsp Salted Butter 1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar 2 tbsp Lemon Juice

Notes

  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl often when mixing the batter. This prevents the batter from mixing unevenly/splitting and ensures all of the ingredients are fully incorporated.
  • Be sure to use room temperature ingredients - this includes butter, ricotta, eggs, and milk. This ensures proper emulsification of the batter, giving you that tender, soft crumb.
  • Bundt pans are notorious for sticking, be sure to spray the heck out of that bundt pan to prevent the cake from adhering! Baker's Joy or any nonstick baking spray or even coating with butter and flour work well here too. 
  • Brush the lemon syrup while the cake is warm. The cake absorbs simple syrup best when it’s still warm — this locks in moisture and intensifies lemon flavor.
  • Add in some blueberries for a little lemon blueberry pound cake action. This addition is next level, especially with a cup of coffee.  

Nutrition

Calories: 561kcal, Carbohydrates: 77g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 25g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 133mg, Sodium: 314mg, Potassium: 94mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 57g, Vitamin A: 792IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 73mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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