Lemon Ricotta Cake

3.4

(153)

2 Reviews

Half cake, half cheesy filling; it adds up to something like a fluffy lemon bar that's totally delicious.

By

Heath Goldman

Updated on August 13, 2022

The lemon-ricotta pairing can go beyond pancakes, you know. Ricotta makes this cake super fluffy, resulting in the flavor of lemon squares but much less dense. Plus, it’s great for the non-chocolate lovers amongst us. **Get the recipe:**Lemon Ricotta Dump Cake. Photo: Caitlin Bensel

Hands On Time:

20 mins

Bake Time:

35 mins

Cool Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

1 hrs 25 mins

Yield:

12 to 15 serves

This sunny yellow cake is a delightful way to finish off brunch or start a decadent breakfast. (We won't tell.) Ricotta adds lightness to the custardy base, and the cake topping is crisp and sweet. You can certainly dump all the ingredients into the baking dish and mix them up in there, but it's easier to combine them in a big bowl first (just one dirty dish). It'll test your patience, but let your baked masterpiece cool completely (about 30 long minutes) before scooping it out or cutting into squares.

Ingredients

For the base:
Butter or nonstick spray, for baking dish
8 eggs
1 ⅓ cups sugar
1 cup whole milk ricotta
4 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
⅔ cup fresh lemon juice (from 3 lemons)
¼ cup heavy cream
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the cake mix:
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
⅔ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup (1.5 sticks) cold unsalted butter

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with butter or nonstick spray.
Make the base: Whisk eggs and sugar in a large bowl until evenly combined. Add ricotta, lemon zest and juice, cream, flour, and ½ teaspoon salt; whisk to combine; and then pour into the prepared baking dish.
Make the cake mix: Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and sprinkle evenly over the base. Using the largest holes on a box grater, grate butter evenly over the surface of the cake.
Bake until cake is puffed and golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool 30 minutes before serving.