So deliciously good, this Italian-style Lemon and Raspberry Ricotta Cake is full of sweet-lemony, fruity, and creamy cheesy flavors all-rolled into one fabulous cake! So tender and moist, this is the perfect cake for any celebration!
I love anything with lemon flavors! This cake is no exception! It has the bright notes of tangy lemons, fruity berry flavor from the raspberries, and the savory, creamy deliciousness of ricotta cheese. What’s more, the cake comes out so tender and totally moist.
It truly is a wonderful all-around cake that you can serve for breakfast or tea time and certainly perfect for an after-dinner sweet treat. It’s great on its own simply dusted with some confectioners’ sugar but even better when drizzled over with a yummy homemade custard sauce. If you wish to make this with the custard sauce, please find the recipe here.
Hubby and I have been to Italy a few times, both as husband and wife and individually, on our own. One thing we share in common is the love for the Italian countryside, the people, and naturally, their glorious cuisine!
Thankfully, a year before the pandemic hit the globe, we managed to go back to Italy for a brief visit. This time we both decided to visit Naples since neither of us has been to this part of Italy. We were totally excited by this trip.
It was not only a chance to see beautiful Italy but a good opportunity for hubby and me to spend some quality time together – just us on one trip. We left our kids with grandma in England who kindly volunteered herself as caretakers of our almost teenage son and tween daughter.
Hubby made all the bookings and got us a wonderful Air BnB with a sea view and just a stone’s throw from the shore. As if, this wasn’t totally awesome already – the lodging package came with free breakfast ad we were happy we didn’t have to spend precious money for our early morning eats.
And what a feast each breakfast was! I can still remember how wonderful the spread is – it was like a buffet. So many delicious options! Best of all, we were served at least 4 types of cake for breakfast!!! Yes, you read that right – cakes for breakfast! I had to try them all of course as each one was different and I must say all of them were scrumptious
In memory of such a delightful trip and because we totally enjoyed the cakes they served us in the BnB I have decided to make a cake similar to what we had there. Instead of peaches in a cake, I opted for raspberries (the ones I had at hand) and made this delectable Italian-style Lemon Raspberry Ricotta Cake! After all, we had the best lemons we could find right in Sorrento so this lemony cake is a fitting tribute to this gorgeous Italian city.
It will give you a sense of what it’s like to live in an Italian village not too far from the sea!
Yummy Lemon Raspberry Ricotta Cake
So deliciously good, this Italian-style Lemon and Raspberry Ricotta Cake is full of sweet-lemony, fruity, and creamy cheesy flavors all-rolled into one fabulous cake! So tender and moist, this is the perfect cake for any celebration!
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour,
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup granulated Sugar
- 3 large eggs,
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
- grated zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon extract (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- 1¾ cups raspberries, divided (set aside the 1/4 cup)
- confectioner's or powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease or line a 9"-square pan with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together the sugar and eggs until pale in color and thick with a ribbon drizzle consistency. Beating your eggs with sugar until reaching ribbon consistency ensures a light cake later. Don't skip this step.
Add the ricotta cheese, butter, lemon juice, and zest plus the lemon extract and mix until smooth. Fold in dry ingredients gently to incorporate but do not overmix.
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Gently fold the 1½ cups of raspberries. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Scatter the remaining raspberries on top. Bake for about 45-55 minutes or until nicely browned on top and when a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to fully cool in the pan before slicing. Serve with a dusting of confectioner's or powdered sugar or drizzle with custard sauce.
Recipe Notes
Achieving ribbon consistency simply means that when the eggs and sugar are mixed together it should reach the stage where the mixture results in a pale color, has thickened, the sugar has thoroughly dissolved, and when it is drizzled it falls from the whisk forming a ribbon-like pattern.
The cake can be made 1-2 days ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature.
If you wish to make the custard sauce for this, please find the recipe here > https://www.manilaspoon.com/2020/04/how-to-make-yummy-vanilla-custard-sauce-creme-anglaise.html
SO PRETTY!!!
Author
Yes, I agree and so yummy, too. Thanks!
Please clarify whether the 1/2 C butter is melted or merely softened to room temperature before using.
Looking forward to making this. Thank you.
Author
You can do either – melted or at least softened to room temperature so it’s not too hard to mix it with the other ingredients. Hope you enjoy this. Thanks, Corazon.
You are so lucky to have traveled to Italy so many times! And the rest of us are so lucky you came back and shared this delicious lemon raspberry ricotta cake recipe! Yum!!
Ricotta is one of my favorite ingredients in the kitchen so this lemon raspberry cake cake is right up my alley. Thank you for the recipe!
This cake looks like it would quite literally melt in your mouth! Yum. I love lemons and raspberries and combined they are simply heavenly!
This lemon raspberry ricotta cake looks and sounds gorgeous. I would definitely eat it for breakast too!
A delicious Italian cake. So moist and everyone loved it, especially with the custard.