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    Home » Recipes » Cakes

    Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Cake (Easy Recipe)

    by Jolina | Published: March 29, 2022 | Last Updated: March 30, 2022 | 13 Comments
    This site contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See Terms of Use for more information.

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    Pin for Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Cake.
    Pin for Easy Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Cake Recipe.
    Pin for Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Cake.

    This lemon blueberry ricotta cake is a delicious spring and summer dessert. Fresh juicy blueberries, bright lemon flavour, light and tender cake. It’s delicious on its own and doesn’t need a glaze. It’s very easy to make too.

    (Craving for a more lemony treat? Try this equally delicious lemon ricotta pound cake. I make them with Meyer lemons when they’re in season and with regular lemons all year-round!)

    Freshly baked lemon blueberry ricotta cake.
    Jump To hide
    Why you’ll love making this recipe
    How to make lemon blueberry ricotta cake
    Easy cake recipe with step-by-step photos
    Expert baking tips
    Frequently asked questions
    Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Cake

    Lemon and blueberries go so well together. Add ricotta cheese into the mix and you have yourself a real treat!

    Ricotta cheese, a fresh and fluffy Italian cheese, is most commonly known for its role in everyone’s favourite lasagna but it’s an excellent addition to baked goods as well. 

    I love baking with ricotta. Some of my favourite dessert recipes using ricotta cheese include:

    • Strawberry ricotta cake
    • Chocolate chip ricotta muffins 
    • Lemon ricotta muffins

    And this lemon blueberry ricotta cake, of course. It’s one of my favourite things to bake in the summer.

    Why you’ll love making this recipe

    Slice of lemon and blueberry ricotta cake on a plate.

    And it’s sure to become one of your favourite summer treats too because:

    • It’s very easy to make. The recipe is simple, straightforward and very forgiving. 
    • Which makes this the perfect snacking cake or coffee cake. Something you can quickly and easily whip up this afternoon to enjoy with your tea or with your coffee tomorrow morning.
    • But you can also jazz it up for company. Make a simple glaze or serve with whipped cream to make it look extra special.
    • Can be used with a wide range of berries. No blueberries? No problem. You can substitute the same amount of your favourite berry instead.

    How to make lemon blueberry ricotta cake

    Ingredients for lemon blueberry ricotta cake.

    Ingredient notes

    Most of what you’ll need are pantry staples like flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Here are a few things to note about some of the other ingredients:

    • Eggs — we use large eggs and make sure they’re room temperature. This means you’ll want to set them on the counter at least 30 minutes before you intend on using them.
    • Ricotta cheese — I always use full-fat ricotta cheese. I’ve been asked if I strain it and my answer has always been no because the cheese I get doesn’t really have a lot of excess moisture. If you think you need to strain yours, go ahead but be careful not to dry it out too much.
    • Lemons — like in my pound cake, I use Meyer lemons when they’re available and regular lemons when they’re not. Both works and are delicious!
    • Blueberries — I always use fresh blueberries but you can use frozen berries in a pinch. 

    Baking tools

    I like using my stand mixer when making this cake but a handheld electric mixer will work too. You’ll also need:

    • 9×5 inch loaf pan
    • Mixing bowls
    • Measuring spoons and cups
    • Wooden reamer and microplane zester — work great for juicing and zesting lemons

    Easy cake recipe with step-by-step photos

    Preheat oven to 350F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper with an overhang on each side. Having an overhang will help you release and lift the cake easily later.

    Loaf pan lined with parchment paper.

    In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

    Photo collage - flour mixture in a bowl.

    In another bowl using a handheld electric mixer or using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, ricotta cheese and sugar until incorporated. Your mixture won’t look perfectly smooth and that’s ok.

    Photo collage - ricotta cheese, butter and sugar in a bowl.

    Add the eggs one at a time until combined.

    Photo collage - egg added to wet ingredients.

    Add the vanilla extract, lemon juice and lemon zest and continue to mix until incorporated.

    Photo collage - vanilla extract added to wet ingredients.

    Add flour mixture a little at a time until just combined. Do not over mix. Your batter will look like scrambled eggs at this point and that’s totally normal.

    Photo collage - flour mixture added to wet ingredients.

    Gently fold in blueberries until evenly distributed.

    Photo collage - fresh blueberries added to cake batter.

    Transfer to your prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out with minimal dry crumbs.

    Photo collage - before and after photos baking blueberry ricotta cake.

    Expert baking tips

    • Use room temperature ingredients. And this is true for all baking. Room temperature ingredients are easier to combine and incorporate and helps you avoid over-mixing the batter.
    • Don’t over-mix. Stop just as soon as the flour mixture is incorporated into the batter. Over-mixing will result to an unnecessarily dense and tough cake.
    • Cover with aluminium foil. If you see that your cake is browning (especially on the edges) too soon and your cake is still slightly underbaked in the middle, loosely cover the cake with aluminum foil and continue baking.

    Frequently asked questions

    Slice of lemon blueberry cake on a plate.
    Can I use frozen blueberries?


    I prefer using fresh blueberries in this recipe but you can use frozen ones too. No need to thaw, just ensure to separate them before tossing them into the batter.

    Note that frozen berries tend to bleed into the cake as they bake. 

    How can I keep blueberries from sinking?


    Blueberries tend to sink into the bottom of the cake (see pictures) and I’m ok with that. 

    However, if you want them more evenly distributed, you can toss the blueberries in a little flour before folding into the cake batter.

    Can I make this cake ahead?


    Yes, you can make this cake up to 2 days ahead of when you’re planning to serve it.

    Keep it in the fridge in the meantime and bring it down to room temperature before serving, though we personally love it chilled.

    Storage and shelf life


    You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. They should be good for up to a week.

    How to serve


    This cake is delicious on its own but you can serve it sprinkled with powdered sugar, or topped with whipped cream and more blueberries.

    Photo of ricotta cake showing juicy blueberries within.

    Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Cake

    Author: Jolina
    This lemon blueberry ricotta cake is a delicious spring and summer dessert. Fresh juicy blueberries, bright lemon flavour, light and tender cake.
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 1 hr
    Cooling Time 15 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 30 mins
    Course Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine Italian, North American
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 480 kcal

    Equipment

    • Loaf Pan
    • Stand Mixer
    • Hand Mixer

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
    • 13 oz ricotta cheese room temperature
    • 1½ cups granulated sugar
    • 3 pieces large eggs room temperature
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 tsp lemon zest see notes
    • 2 tbsp lemon juice
    • 7 oz fresh blueberries a little over a cup

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper with a slight overhang on each side, then generously grease. Set aside.
      Loaf pan lined with parchment paper.
    • In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
      Photo collage - flour mixture in a bowl.
    • In another bowl using a handheld electric mixer or using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat butter, ricotta cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until incorporated. Your mixture won't look perfectly smooth and that's ok.
      Photo collage - ricotta cheese, butter and sugar in a bowl.
    • Switch to low-medium speed and add the eggs one at a time until combined.
      Photo collage - egg added to wet ingredients.
    • Then add vanilla extract, lemon juice and lemon zest and continue mixing until well blended.
      Photo collage - vanilla extract added to wet ingredients.
    • Add your flour mixture a little a time until just combined. Do not over mix. At this point, your cake batter will look like scrambled eggs and that's fine.
      Photo collage - flour mixture added to wet ingredients.
    • Gently fold in blueberries until evenly distributed.
      Photo collage - fresh blueberries added to cake batter.
    • Transfer batter into your prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out with minimal dry crumbs (see notes).
      Photo collage - before and after photos baking blueberry ricotta cake.
    • Cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
      Freshly baked lemon blueberry ricotta cake.

    Video

    Notes

    1. The total number of servings depends on how thick or thin you slice your cake. The estimated nutritional information is based on 8 servings.
    2. I usually just put all the lemon zest I have in the cake batter if I don’t have another use for it. I just make sure it’s not significantly more than 1 teaspoon.
    3. If you notice your cake getting too brown on the edges while the centre is still a little underbaked, loosely cover with aluminum foil and continue baking.
    4. See post for more baking tips, FAQs and step-by-step photos. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 480kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 8gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 334mgPotassium: 205mgFiber: 1gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 753IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 150mgIron: 1mg

    Nutritional information are estimates only.

    Tried this recipe? Leave a star rating today!Also tag @iamtheunlikelybaker I’d love to see your creations.

    Happy baking!

    Did you make this blueberry and ricotta cake? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below. And check this out if you’re looking for more recipes that use leftover ricotta cheese.

    Let’s get social! Find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

    (This post first appeared on The Unlikely Baker on 20 July 2016.)

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. jamie

      July 23, 2016 at 3:31 pm

      These look amazing! I love baking with ricotta.

      Reply
    2. Saidah Washington

      July 23, 2016 at 2:21 pm

      As soon as I saw the title I wanted to try this recipe. I love ricotta cheese and blueberries.

      Reply
    3. Bella

      July 22, 2016 at 3:55 pm

      Wow these look so good, I love ricotta and blue berries such a great combo!

      Reply
    4. Evi

      July 22, 2016 at 10:13 am

      I good go for this right now. Seems like the perfect coffee snack.

      Reply
    5. Sophia

      July 21, 2016 at 11:52 pm

      These look delicious! I love the blueberry and ricotta combo! They look so smooth and creamy too!

      Reply
    6. Renee

      July 21, 2016 at 9:42 pm

      I cannot wait to try this recipe! Blueberries and cheese are so good together!

      Reply
    7. Ivelisse Estes

      July 21, 2016 at 1:48 pm

      This totally makes me think of cheesecake which makes me so hungry! Great pics!

      Reply
    8. Roy Miller

      July 21, 2016 at 12:15 pm

      My wife loves to bake, and one of my grandsons loves blueberries. Seems like a perfect match to me. Thank you for posting the recipe.

      Reply
    9. Joanna

      July 21, 2016 at 9:03 am

      These look delicious! I absolutely love blueberry cakes and I do have a box of ricotta in my fridge. I might do this cake very soon.

      Reply
    10. Annemarie LeBlanc

      July 21, 2016 at 2:37 am

      I will be having my daughter with me this weekend and this is something we can make together. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Looks like something we can pull off. 🙂

      Reply
    11. Robin

      July 20, 2016 at 9:09 pm

      Blueberry and Ricotta …. Match made in heaven!

      Reply
    12. Alexandra

      July 20, 2016 at 6:10 pm

      These look delicious! Ricotta is the best in desserts.

      Reply
    13. Brandy

      July 20, 2016 at 2:10 pm

      These sound like a delicious idea to have for dessert or maybe even breakfast one day! I will have to try to make this for the fam!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Jolina! And I'm definitely a late bloomer, a thoroughly unexpected baker.

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