How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake from Scratch (Delicious Homemade)

Lemon pound is a classic dessert recipe that is a no brainer for any party, picnic, dinner or other gathering. I wanted to make a twist on the basic lemon pound cake by adding ricotta cheese and making it even more delicious. And for a really special version of lemon ricotta pound cake, I wanted to make it homemade and completely from scratch.  Serve it with fresh strawberries or blueberries, homemade whipped cream and some house made glaze or any topping of your choice and you’ll be the dessert hero.  Watch me make it in the video below.

NOTE:  After recording the video and making another batch of the cake, I decided that the baking time is closer to an hour and a half, even though I said an hour to an hour and a quarter in the video. It’s a super moist cake so I recommend erring on the side of baking it closer to an hour and a half. Leave a comment to let me know how yours turned out.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) – salted butter, softened
• 3 cups – white granulated sugar
• 6 large – eggs (room temp.)
• 3 cups – sifted Cake Flour like Swans Down
• ½ teaspoon – almond extract (optional)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup – Heavy whipping cream
• 3/4 cup full fat ricotta cheese
• zest of one or two whole lemons
• juice of one lemon
• 1 tsp. of lemon extract in place of almond extract (optional for super lemony flavor)
• 10-cup tube ban coated with 1 tablespoon melted butter and sprinkled with sugar

GLAZE Ingredients (optional)

• 2 cups – powdered sugar
• 2 – 3 Table spoons– heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Serve with 

Fresh berries and homemade whipped cream

How to make this cake:

PREHEAT your oven to 325°F.

Butter and sugar a 10-cup tube pan.

Sift the cake flour once; then measure and set aside.

In a small bowl, juice one lemon and zest two – set aside

In a two cup measuring cup or a small bowl, add one cup of heavy cream, mix in the ricotta, vanilla, and almond extract and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter then gradually add sugar beating on medium speed until creamy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.  Then gradually add the cake flour and the whipped cream ricotta mixture, alternately beating on low speed. Don’t over beat. Stir in lemon juice and lemon zest. Pour into prepared pan.

BAKE approx. 1 hour and 30 minutes or until a long wooden stick inserted in center of cake comes out completely clean.  Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes.  Remove from pan, and cool completely on wire rack.

GLAZE (optional):

COMBINE powdered sugar in medium size bowl.  Stir in 2-3 Tbsp. of heavy cream. Add vanilla extract and lemon juice.  Beat until smooth and creamy, adding more cream 1 Tbsp. at a time if necessary.  Drizzle over cooled cake.

Serve with fresh berries and homemade whipped cream. Smile.