You don’t need frosting or glaze on this delightful Meyer lemon ricotta pound cake. Sweet and salty, soft and moist, it’s perfect with your coffee in the morning or your favourite tea in the afternoon.
Can you smell that? Spring is in the air! Well, at least a preview of spring.
We had a glorious weekend – sunshine and double-digit temperatures. I’m sure the wind chill and gloom will return but hey, for now, smiles all around. So how about we continue with our lemon journey?
Because lemons remind you of warm days and sunshine. And also because I got carried away and bought more Meyer lemons
than I know what to do with. Teehee.
So come and bake a Meyer lemon ricotta pound cake with me! It is delicious and I promise it will brighten up your day no matter the season.
No ingredient wasted
You might remember from some of my earlier posts that we have a slight bulk buying…situation (really, who can resist grabbing that bag of Meyer lemons when it’s cheaper than buying them by piece? No matter that I end up with 15 extra lemons. Lemons are great. I love lemons).
So we’ve learned to be creative in the use of ingredients and in finding ways to preserve them so they don’t go bad on us.
Related: 22 Delicious Ways to Use Leftover Buttermilk
Freezing lemon juice and lemon zest
Take lemons, for example. I’ve mentioned when I shared how to make homemade lemon curd that I freeze extra lemon juice and zest. It’s so convenient and that way I have a stash of Meyer lemons months after they’re gone from the stores.
What I do is measure 2 tablespoons of juice, put them in ice cube trays then once they’re frozen, transfer them to Ziploc bags
. The zest just goes straight into a smaller bag. And that’s it!
Of course fresh is always best but frozen is not bad at all. Like I said, nothing is wasted in the TUB household.
What to do with extra ricotta cheese
That container of ricotta cheese escaped our notice though. It was a few days past its “Best Before Date” (what does that mean anyway) but I’ve found that unless it smells funky (or funkier, in the case of cheese) or has mold in it, then it’s still good.
Note that this has no scientific basis at all; just nose logic. Like Gandalf (did you get that reference? Let’s be BFFs!).
Related: What to do with Leftover Ricotta Cheese
Meyer lemon ricotta pound cake
Anyway, Red didn’t want to make lasagna (which was what that ricotta cheese was for in the first place) so I had to find a way to use it. Enter this Meyer lemon ricotta pound cake.
I already have my go-to Classic Buttermilk Pound Cake Recipe which I am perfectly happy with but this new recipe needed just the right amount of cheese that I had on hand. So off we go.
Lemons vs. oranges
This recipe was originally made with oranges. It’s a recipe from one of my favourite chefs, Giada De Laurentiis (like this lovely Lemon Ricotta Muffins Recipe) and you can find the original recipe here.
But since, you know, I have a borderline obsession with lemons I made it a lemon cake and it turned out wonderfully!
1 pound cake, 2 pound cakes
The texture of this Meyer lemon ricotta pound cake is crumblier than my buttermilk pound cake; it’s also softer. The cake has a nice crunchy crust while the inside remained light and very moist.
It also has the sweetness of Meyer lemons and the saltiness of ricotta cheese. Sweet and salty – always a winner in my books!
Check out this video to see how easy it is!
So now I have two lovely pound cake recipes in my collection: one I can make when I have extra buttermilk, another when I have extra ricotta cheese. Awesome. Watch the video to see how simple it is to make.
Try it! It’s lovely with coffee, tea or on its own. No frosting is needed, it’s delicious.
Meyer Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 pcs large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp Meyer lemon zest see note 1
- 2 tbsp Meyer lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper and generously grease with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 ½ cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- Using a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat ¾ cup butter, 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese and 1 ½ cups sugar on medium-high speed until incorporated, 2-3 minutes. The mixture will look like scrambled eggs at this point and that’s OK!
- Switch to low speed and add the eggs one at a time until combined. Then add 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon lemon zest and 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
- Once your wet ingredients are incorporated, add your flour mixture a little a time until just combined. Do not over beat.
- Transfer your batter into your pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out with minimal crumbs (see note 2).
- Cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
- You can substitute the same quantity of zest and juice from regular lemons.
- If you notice that your cake is getting too brown too fast, you can cover the top loosely with aluminum foil midway and continue baking.
Nutrition
Nutritional information are estimates only.
Happy baking!
Did you make Meyer lemon ricotta pound cake? How’d you like it? I’d love to hear from you in the comments section below.
And let’s get social! Find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
Edwin
I don’t suppose you get a lot of male readers but as a stay at home dad I like making my kids treats like this. I’ve been baking more lately and I appreciate the video. Even the wife is impressed!
Jolina
I think that’s fantastic Edwin!
Tiffany
I made this in January. I tripled the recipe and it made 3 beautiful loaves. Yesterday, I made another three but doubled the lemon juice, lemon extract (I have been using that instead of vanilla extract), and zest per loaf. It wasn’t as pretty because of the extra liquid but it was still yummy and more lemony. Thanks so much for sharing this great recipe! It is a new family favorite. Also, my photos posted on my Facebook page has caused a lot of conversation about your recipe! Thanks again.
Jolina
I’m so glad you liked it Tiffany! It’s one of our favourites too 🙂
Donna
Hi. I made this pound cake yesterday, and guess what, I’m making another today to freeze..It was delish and I must say I used a reg lemon but they are fabulous this season and what better way to use the left over ricotta.. loved this recipe..Thank you for sharing
Jolina
Hi Donna! You are most welcome! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂 And yes I agree lemons and citrus fruits are at their best in the winter.
Stanka
I adore your food blog. You fulfill the beauty of the recipes with high quality photography included, it almost make me feel the taste of all the recipes enclosed.
I love how you tell your food story through AMAZING photos.
Jolina
Hi Stanka! Thanks for your kind words. You made my day! 🙂
Danielle
I love how you are trying to use all your “overbought” item. I do the same thing. I have a fridge full of items that I have to come up with recipes for. I’m glad to know I can do something with my lemons and ricotta cheese now!
Jolina
Thanks! Though I have had advice that maybe I really shouldn’t overbuy in the first place haha. Good point, but those lemons. So lovely. I. Am. So. Weak. LOL!
Jennifer L
Wow what a delightful recipe! Spring is coming and I’d love to do this lemon ricotta pound cake for a spring party Im hosting in a few months.
Jolina
Hi Jennifer! Hope you and your guests like it!
Sharon Rigsby
I love Meyer lemons and this pound cake looks divine! I am lucky to have several very generous friends with Meyer lemon trees so I have an abundance of lemons. I’m always looking for ways to use them and can’t wait to try this recipe.
Sharon
Jolina
Can I be their friend too? LOL! You’re so lucky! And I’m jealous haha. Enjoy your Meyer lemons Sharon! They are delightful.
Aziel
Omg, this is absolutely looks delicious and I really want to try this! I can’t believe that this is a ricotta cake.
Lynne Curry
I have a serious weakness for Meyer lemons and for poundcake. Looks so moist. Pinned.
Maggie Unzueta
This looks perfect for brunch!
Jenny
I can’t believe I did not get to buying Meyer Lemons this season 🙁 Love a good soft, moist pound cake. If I had my way, I would have a stash of pound cakes in my freezer for craving. This is motivating me to make a citrus pound very soon 🙂
Jolina
Oh, too bad about the Meyer lemons 🙁 There’s always next season! And why oh why did not think about freezing a dozen pound cakes? Haha! Genius idea 🙂 Gotta do that soon.
Maria
This pound cake looks so delicious. I’ve always loved desserts with a hint of lemon flavor.
Jolina
Lemon is my favourite kind of dessert 🙂
Marlynn
Oh I love everything about this cake!! I wish Meyer Lemons were easier to find where I live (and even more, I wish I could actually have my own Meyer Lemon tree!) but I might try this with regular lemons. It sings of spring!
Jolina
Ahhh yes, I wish I had my own Meyer lemon tree too! But first, I need a house with a backyard lol. Thanks Marlynn! Spring is in the air, we are so near 🙂
Syama
Pound cakes are our favorite too !! Lemon and ricotta must be lovely combination. Your pictures are so beautiful . I can almost taste it over here !
Kimberly
First of all, this sounds amazing (like all of your recipes)! 🙂 Second, now I’m craving lemon pound cake but don’t have any. Lol! Third, I’ve yet to find Meyer lemons. Completely bummed about it, too. 🙁 Anyway, back to your cake, it looks lovely, and I bet your kitchen has smelled wonderful lately with all the lemon recipes.
Jolina
Oh that’s too bad about Meyer lemons. Though truth be told, regular lemons aren’t bad at all! They’re quite delightful too eh? 🙂 And yes, we have been smelling quite lemony lately lol. Thanks Berly! Have a wonderful evening!