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Spatula picking up a slice of lemon olive oil cake.
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Lemon Olive Oil Ricotta Cake

This Lemon Olive Oil Ricotta Cake is made with fresh lemon juice, creamy ricotta, and olive oil. It's light, moist, and an easy, elegant dessert perfect for any occasion.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Italian
Keyword lemon olive oil ricotta cake
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Cool Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings 1 cake
Calories 787kcal
Author Tawnie Graham of Kroll's Korner

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Cake

Dry:

  • 1¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
  • 1½ tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt

Wet:

  • 1¼ cups granulated sugar
  • Zest from 2 lemons
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 10 oz whole milk ricotta, room temperature, beaten smooth
  • 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, use a mild, good quality oil, not too bitter or peppery. Use 3/4 cup for less olive oil forward cake
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract, can also add lemon extract for an additional lemony boost
  • 1-2 Tbsp. granulated sugar, for sprinkling on top of the cake batter

For the Whipped Ricotta Topping

  • 16 oz whole milk ricotta
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. heavy cream
  • 1-2 tsp. vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan (I like to use a springform pan so it releases easily) with parchment paper and spritz with baking spray. Set aside.
  • Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
    1¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
    Side-by-side image of whisking dry ingredients together for ricotta cake.
  • Infuse the sugar: In a large bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Rub together with your fingers until fragrant to release the oils.
    Zest from 2 lemons, 1¼ cups granulated sugar
    Three images side by side, infusing the sugar with the lemon zest by rubbing it together with your fingers.
  • Mix wet ingredients: Add the paddle attachment to the stand mixer. Add eggs to the lemon sugar. Beat for ~2-3 minutes on high until slightly thickened and pale in color. Start Timer
    3 large eggs
    Side-by-side image of beating the three eggs with the lemon sugar mixture.
  • Slowly add the olive oil: With the mixer on low, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Then, still on low, add in the milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Turn off the mixer.
    1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, 1/4 cup whole milk
    Three images showing mixing in the olive oil, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
  • Add ricotta: Add in the ricotta (make sure to beat the ricotta before adding it in. It needs to be smooth and creamy, and at room temperature to prevent chunks of it in the cake). Whisk in until smooth.
    10 oz whole milk ricotta
    Three images side by side showing mixing in the whipped ricotta into the wet ingredients.
  • Fold in dry ingredients: Fold in the dry ingredients, careful not to overmix. The batter might look a little lumpy but it's okay. Overall, its a smooth-ish batter, with no large clumps of ricotta and no visible flour pockets. You can give it a whisk to incorporate but once again just be careful not to overmix.
    Three images side-by-side showing how to add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
  • Pour into pan: Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing out the top, and sprinkling the tops with 1-2 Tbsp. of granulated sugar.
    1-2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
    Side-by-side of pouring the batter into a pan, smoothing the top and adding 1-2 Tbsp. of granulated sugar.
  • Bake: Bake for ~45-50 minutes Start Timer, tenting with foil towards the end if the top is browning too much. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean (a few moist crumbs are ok, you just don’t want it goopy).
    Lemon olive oil ricotta cake baked and cooling on a wire rack.
  • Cool: Cool in the pan for ~30 minutes and then carefully release from the pan and place on serving plate or a cooling rack. Start Timer
  • Ricotta topping: Using the stand mixer or a hand mixer, all the ingredients together until thick, smooth, and creamy, ~3-4 minutes Start Timer. Taste and adjust as desired. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.
    16 oz whole milk ricotta, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp. heavy cream, 1-2 tsp. vanilla bean paste, Pinch of salt
    Three images showing how to combine the ingredients for the whipped ricotta topping.
  • Serve: Slice cake, serve with a big dollop of the ricotta cream on top with more olive oil and lemon zest. This cake gets even better on day 2!!
    Side-by-side image of olive oil cake baked, sliced and topped with whipped ricotta topping them a cake slicer picking up one piece of cake.

Notes

  • Use whole milk ricotta: Whole milk ricotta versus part-skim gives this cake a richer flavor and softer, more tender crumb. If your ricotta seems watery, let it drain in a fine mesh sieve for 30–60 minutes first.
  • Choose a good-quality olive oil: Since the flavor shines through, opt for one that’s smooth and slightly fruity, not overly bitter or peppery. I used a local olive oil (Enzo's) for this cake, but any of these would also work great: Kirkland, Terra Delyssa, or Delallo.
  • Use a springform pan: You can make this cake with any 9-inch round cake pan, but I highly recommend using a springform pan for easy release. I also like to use parchment paper for easy removal.
  • Store: Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Because of the ricotta, refrigeration helps keep it fresh longer. Just make sure to let it come to room temp before serving for the best texture.
  • Freezer: Freeze slices individually wrapped for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice with topping | Calories: 787kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 27g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 466mg | Potassium: 194mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 46g | Vitamin A: 616IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 309mg | Iron: 3mg