You will be the best host if you serve a slice of this lemon ricotta cake for tea!
Lots of time has been spent baking in the last few days for a number of reasons. Perpetually hungry children at home, ingredients in the fridge nearing their expiration day, something to do with a child that has a broken collarbone. But perhaps the main reason is this…
Having a stash of homemade baked good available whenever kids ask for a snack has always made me feel prepared, organised and being in control. Something I need right now when too many things are uncertain as I shared in the last post.
Another thing I tend to do when I need this extra sense of security is bake something that is reminiscent of my childhood, the time when things were straighter and simpler like “Am I going to get that second scoop of ice cream like my big brother or not? Never mind, I see my dad coming with it now. Life is back to being fabulous.”
To evoke those warm feelings from childhood I baked a simple cake that is a loose version of a Russian loaf cake “Keks”. It is usually served simply dusted with some powdered sugar but I decided to give it a royal treatment and went for a cloud of light and fluffy cream cheese frosting to crown my humble loaf.
This lemon ricotta cake is the result.
This lemon ricotta cake is pretty spectacular on its own with the soft crumb made especially buttery by the addition of ricotta cheese and infused with lemon juice and lemon zest. The flavour is delicate and exquisite.
Then enters the frosting, which you would want to eat by the spoonful. I tried to restrain myself but my kids let loose and I wished I was 9 again with that raging metabolism for a moment but then I remembered the pains of growing up and I was back just like that.
Enjoy and get some baking done this weekend!
Tag @vikalinka on Instagram if you make my lemon ricotta cake, so I can see your photos!
Ingredients
For the loaf cake
- 75 g/1/3 cup butter softened
- 165 g/2/3 cup demerara sugar
- 130 g/1/2 cup ricotta cheese drained
- 2 eggs large
- 150 g/ 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 salt
- 1 lemon juice and zest of
For Cream Cheese Frosting
- 200 g/ 1 cup cream cheese
- 150 ml/ 1/2 cup double cream
- 2 tbsp icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- lemon zest for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F
- Cream soft butter with sugar in a stand mixer.
- Add ricotta cheese and eggs, lemon juice and lemon zest and continue beating until light and well combined.
- Sift flour in a separate bowl, then add baking powder and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix for 1 minute until well combined.
- Empty contents in a greased and parchment paper lined loaf pan and bake for 60-65 minutes.
- Check the cake for doneness with a toothpick, it should come out clean. Let it cool in a pan for 30 minutes and then remove it on a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting
- Whip slightly softened cream cheese with icing sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add double cream or whipping cream and vanilla bean paste continue whipping for 2 more minutes until the frosting comes together. It should be slightly more stiff than whipping cream in consistency.
- Frost the top of your cooled cake and sprinkle with more lemon zest.
For more loaf cakes try these:
Russian Loaf Cake “Keks Stolichniy”
Orange, Yogurt and Olive Oil Cake from Supergolden Bakes
Poppy Seed Loaf Cake with Lemon Glaze from Let the Baking Begin
Huckleberry Lemon Verbena Tea Cake (Gluten-Free) from Bojon Gourmet
Classic Pound Cake with Fresh Strawberry Glaze from Blogging Over Thyme
Very good, loved the texture of the cake. Thank you.
I’m excitied to make this recipe! I am hoping to make a couple of loaves the night before an event. Is it all right to store the loaves in the fridge over night and take it out when ready to serve the next day? Same goes with frosting.
Abby, it’s absolutely fine to refrigerate overnight but do take them out 30-40 minutes before serving. The texture of the loaves will benefit from it.
Hi,
I made the ricotta cake and it is delicious. I thought the volume of the frosting would be overwhelming but it is not! Since it is lightly sweetened, it works well and looks fabulous .
I do have one question. My batter looked curdled. I was thinking my ricotta was going bad or maybe the lemon juice curdled it. Was something wrong or is it suppose to look like that?
Thanks for the lovely recipe.
Thank you for reporting back, Debra! It looked ‘curdled’ because watery ricotta and the liquid in eggs and fatty butter don’t jive. 🙂 It’s not actually curdled it’s just separated and is absolutely fine. I am happy you enjoyed the recipe. 🙂
This is a beautiful cake! I love both lemon and ricotta so imagine it is delicious! Discovered your blog on via Fabulous Foodie Fridays and will definitely be back for another visit soon!!
Thank you for visiting, Kathryn! So glad you discovered Vikalinka!
I am such a huge fan of ricotta cakes and this one looks absolutely divine! Your photos are STUNNING!!! Thanks for linking up with our Fabulous Foodie Fridays party. xx
Thank you so much, Lucy, and thank you for visiting!
Wow this looks so beautiful and delicious! And how lovely that you bake so your kids have baked goods to eat!
Thanks, Dani!
This cake sounds delightful! And I love that fluffy cream cheese and whipped cream frosting! I’m going to have to try it on my next lemon cake!
That frosting is a must, it makes everything better! Thanks for visiting, Amy!
I haven’t used ricotta in my baking before (except as filling) but this sounds divine. Love the mounds of fluffy frosting like a cloud of sweetness. And thanks for the shout out – I see I am in very good company.
I love baking with soft cheese, it’s actually quite traditional to Russian cooking, so I always thought it was normal! It adds richness and needed moisture to baked goods. 😉
This cake looks so moist and delicious – yum! (Thank you for the shout out! <3)
Oh, that frosting looks heavenly. What a sublime cake!
Absolutely perfect cake and that icing … perfectly piled on! 🙂
It’s all about the swirl! 😉 Thank you, Jennifer!
Oh wow, those specs of vanilla beans in the frosting look so amazing!
Thank you for the linkback Julia!
Thank you, Marina and you are so welcome, love, love, love your creations!