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Close up overview of berry ricotta squares on white paper and a wooden board.

Easy Berry Ricotta Cake (best recipe)

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Very easy to make, this is a moist and dense lemon ricotta cake recipe topped with mixed berries that can be fresh or frozen, so it can be made year-round. It keeps well and is perfect for afternoon tea, picnics, potlucks, or just because. 

  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 9 servings

Ingredients

Units
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest (3/4 of a lemon approx)
  • 300g whole milk ricotta cheese, strained if it has too much liquid
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose or cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup milk, at room temperature
  • 1 1/3 cups berries, any mix (fresh or frozen)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
  2. Butter or use baking spray in a square 8-inch baking pan or cake pan. If you use a 9-inch pan the cake will be shorter and bake faster, so check for doneness earlier. 
  3. Line with a piece of parchment paper if you want, covering the pan's bottom and two sides. The other two sides of the pan will remain unlined but greased. This will help you remove the cake from the pan.
  4. In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter with sugar for 2 minutes at medium-high speed.
  5. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until well incorporated, scraping the sides of the bowl once or twice. 
  6. Add vanilla and lemon zest, and mix well. 
  7. Add the ricotta and combine everything. I use the spatula from this step onward to avoid overmixing the batter. 
  8. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt (I do it directly over the mixture, but you can use a separate bowl) and add to the wet ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk in two parts. That means that you start and end with flour. Do not beat much, just until everything is combined. The dough is very creamy but with texture.
  9. Scrape batter into the prepared pan and scatter the berries on top.
  10. Bake cake for about 30 minutes, until it has light golden brown sides and the center is almost set. If you use a cake tester or toothpick it should come out almost dry, or with very few moist crumbs attached. Don't overbake.
  11. Let the cake cool completely on a metal wire rack before removing it from the pan. First, loosen the unlined sides with a smooth-bladed knife or spatula, and then lift the whole block (carefully because it's a soft cake) and transfer it to a board. Cut into squares and serve. 
  12. Refrigerate leftovers covered in plastic wrap or an airtight container. 

Notes

  • Organization: read the recipe first and make sure you have ingredients at the right temperatures, equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
  • Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. Use a thermometer inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that the temperature is right. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust. 
  • Berry topping: you can also use a good berry jam or sauce and swirl it on top if you don't have whole berries.
  • Plain: alternatively, you can make a plain ricotta cake omitting the scattering of fruit on top and serving it more like a dessert with a sauce or compote like our blueberry sauce or the mixed berry compote.
  • Author: Paula Montenegro
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Cakes
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/9
  • Calories: 306
  • Sugar: 14.6 g
  • Sodium: 185.7 mg
  • Fat: 15.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 33.4 g
  • Fiber: 1.1 g
  • Protein: 8.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 85.9 mg