Featuring a dense, almond-flecked lemon pound cake base, toffeed almond topping, and a gorgeously light n’ lemony sweet ricotta whipped cream, my Italian Lemon Cake recipe is one for the books! Made with just 12 simple ingredients, this lemon almond ricotta cake is fancy enough for any celebration but simple enough to be considered an “everyday” cake.

Who here among us remembers using the quarantine as an excuse to both a.) bake more often, and then b.) eat the delicious thing that you baked without having workplace friends to help you eat it? Me too, y’all. While I was lucky enough to have a small “quaranteam” that I could parse out my creations to, they had a tendency to return the favor. This Italian ricotta cake is my friend Jess’ fault.
During one of our nature sessions, Jess brought the team slices of an amazingly moist, tender crumbed Raspberry Ricotta Cake. While I thought it represented a perfect slice of what Deb Perelman would dub an “everyday cake” (i.e. an easy, unfussy, simple cake that’s perfect for eating as a midday dessert), Jess thought that it was lacking some oomph.
Over our walk, we discussed various possibilities. We could add almond extract, lemon zest & juice, lemon oil or extract, additional salt, or a turbinado sugar topping for crunch. I resolved to try out some of our ideas when I got home because I just happened to have a container of ricotta cheese begging to be used.
And friends? I’ve made this ricotta lemon cake at least a dozen times since then, so you KNOW it’s a winner!
Jump to:
- How I Doctored The Original Ricotta Cake Recipe
- Why I Love This Italian Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Make Italian Lemon Cake With Almonds & Whipped Ricotta
- Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations
- Serving Suggestions
- Expert Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Delicious Cake Recipes
- Italian Lemon Cake with Ricotta & Almonds
- 💬 Reviews

How I Doctored The Original Ricotta Cake Recipe
While I stuck to Bon Appetit’s suggestion for vanilla extract, I matched it with an equivalent amount of almond extract (I often do this with chocolate chip cookies for added depth of flavor. Try it next time!) and replaced ¼ cup of the flour with almond meal for a more rustic texture.
I then added some lemon extract and lemon zest to really punch up the lemon flavor.
I also replaced the table salt with Kosher and doubled the amount called for, and used salted butter rather than unsalted. My dear friend and pastry mentor Tom will tell you that my signature dessert palate is salty-sweet. What can I say? The drama of conflicting flavors really gets me going!
Since I was out of turbinado sugar, I also opted to add a luscious crunchy topping of lightly caramelized sliced almonds for extra crunch. Not to brag or anything, but that was a very good idea.
Finally, I whipped and sweetened the remainder of my ricotta to dollop on the cake for added richness and a temperature foil. Serve the cake warm with the cold lemon-whipped ricotta on the side, and you’ve instantly elevated the end product.

The resulting ricotta lemon cake was lovely and will definitely remain in my repertoire. I recently made it for my Italian Mother-in-Law for Mother’s Day, and she was all for it! (Love you, Linda!)
It tastes like a cross between an Italian almond cake recipe, an almond croissant, some bright, citrusy sunshine, and a cloudlike sweet whipped ricotta dip. If you dig the lemon-covered almonds from Costco, you’ll definitely enjoy it!
In short, if you have a tub of ricotta at the ready, this Italian lemon ricotta cake recipe is well worth giving a shot.
Why I Love This Italian Lemon Pound Cake Recipe
Because it walks the narrow line between fancy and un-fussy, this delicious cake the perfect dessert for any time of day, any time of year. You don't even need to bust out your electric mixer! It's also:
- Versatile - It would be equally welcome at brunch as it would be after a rich, celebratory meal of braised short ribs. I’ve 100% eaten it for breakfast with a homemade coffee shop drink. I’ve also served it up as a post-dinner party treat to some of my most discerning friends. It always just WORKS.
- Made With Only 12 Ingredients - If you look at the recipe card, the ingredient list looks long, but it’s deceptive. Several of the ingredients get reused in different elements of the dessert.
- Easily Customizable - I’ve made this cake probably 6 different ways at this point. While I’m a sucker for the combination of lemon and almonds, there were lots of other tasty contenders in the mix. I’ve made it with chocolate chips, which were different than but just as delicious as the raspberries from the original. The cake would be also great with toasted pecans or pignolias in place of the almond topping. You could even keep it plain (no mix-ins, no topping) as long as you have that sweetened whipped ricotta to dress it up. Read on below for even more ideas!
- Meal Prep-Friendly - It keeps well in an airtight container at room temp for up to 5 days, making this Italian lemon dessert ideal for snacking on all week long.
- Equal Parts Rustic & Elegant - With a slightly crisp, caramelized edge, crunchy candied almond topping, and dreamy whipped lemon ricotta garnish, this Italian lemon pound cake is a real stunner.

Ingredients & Substitutions
This Italian lemon ricotta cake requires only simple, easy-to-find ingredients, which is yet another reason to love it. Here’s what you’ll need, broken down by each component:

Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake
Remember, this ricotta cake recipe is perfectly delicious as is, with neither the candied nut topping nor the whipped ricotta to jazz it up. If you just want to KISS (keep it simple, sunshine!), the following is all you’ll need:
- All-Purpose Flour - Plain white flour is perfect. You could probably get away with using cake flour, too.
- Almond Flour - Optional, but lovely for a bit of texture and additional flavor. Slightly coarser ground almond meal is also 100% acceptable.
- Granulated Sugar - Don’t try swapping this for brown sugar or the cake will get too moist. If you need to make a swap, a cup-for-cup sugar replacement or organic cane sugar are your best bets.
- Fresh Lemons - All you need for the cake part is the zest. Save the juice for the ricotta whipped cream!
- Baking Powder - Not to be confused with baking soda, this helps lighten up the structure and make your cake rise.
- Kosher Salt - I’m a true lover of all things salty-sweet, so I dialed up the notch on saltiness a lot. If you’re more of a dessert purist, feel free to halve the amount of added salt.
- Eggs - Let them come to room temp first to make them easier to whisk into the cake batter.
- Full Fat Ricotta Cheese - Now’s not the time to go on a low-fat diet. If you need to make a swap because you can’t find ricotta, you’re welcome to blend or process full-fat small-curd cottage cheese and strain it for about an hour.
- Pure Vanilla Extract - For rich, warm flavor. You can also use an equal amount of vanilla paste or vanilla powder, or swap in half as much ground vanilla bean instead.
- Almond Extract - Optional, but delicious if you love some toasty flavor and extra amaretto-ish flavor like I do. Feel free to swap in extra vanilla instead.
- Lemon Extract - Optional, for added citrusy oomph. You can also swap in 3-5 drops of food grade lemon essential oil instead.
- Butter - For giving all those tasty pound cake vibes.
Candied Almond Topping (Optional)
If extra crunch and nuttiness are your style, this fancy-looking cake topper is worth the extra 5 minutes of effort. To make it, you’ll need:
- Egg White - Feel free to use either the kind that comes in a carton or the white from a whole egg.
- Sliced Almonds - These create the classic Italian almond cake topping for this hybridized Italian lemon cake. Feel free to swap in the chopped or sliced nuts of your choice.
Lemony Whipped Ricotta (Optional, For Serving)
A standard container of ricotta comes with 2 cups, and the cake portion of this recipe only calls for 1.5 cups. Additionally, the lemon juice from the lemons that are zested to make the cake is also still waiting to be used.
I’m a use-it-up kinda person, but feel free to omit this step or swap in regular (or amaretto!) whipped cream, frozen whipped topping, or ice cream instead.
PRO TIP: The leftover ricotta can be used to make a few peach tartines instead, and the lemon juice can be put to work in chicken limone or my no-waste spa water. 😀

How To Make Italian Lemon Cake With Almonds & Whipped Ricotta
This simple recipe for Italian lemon cake comes together without any fancy tricks or complicated methods. Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: Prep. Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 9- or 10-inch cake pan by spraying lightly with nonstick cooking spray, then line bottom with parchment round and spray again. Rub lemon zest into sugar, using your fingers.

Step 2: Dry Ingredients. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, lemon sugar, baking powder and salt.

Step 3: Wet Ingredients (Less Butter). In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, 1 ½ C ricotta, vanilla extract, lemon extract, and almond extract

Step 4: Combine Wet & Dry by folding gently until thoroughly combined.


Step 4: Add Butter. Fold in melted butter until combined, then scrape batter into prepared pan.


Step 5: Make Italian Almond Cake Topping. Whisk egg white until frothy and white, saving the yolk for another purpose. Add sliced almonds and sugar, folding to incorporate.


Step 6: Assemble Cake. Dollop the almond topping on top of the cake batter, spreading it out into an even layer and lightly pressing it into the batter with the back of a spoon.



Step 7: Bake Cake in the preheated oven until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 45–55 minutes. Let cool at least 20 minutes before unmolding.

Step 8: Blitz the sugar until superfine (but not powdered).

Step 9: Add strained ricotta, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, vanilla extract, and sugar to a food processor fitted with the blade. Whip for about 5 minutes total, scraping the sides every few minutes. (I know 5 minutes sounds long, but thats how to get it nice and fluffy!)


Step 10: Serve cake warm or room temp with dollop of sweetened ricotta. Enjoy!

Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations
As much as I love this almond lemon ricotta cake recipe exactly the way I’ve written it down below, there are TONS of ways for you to make it your own. Here are just a few variations worth considering:
- Gluten-Free Lemon Ricotta Cake - Let me preface this by saying I haven’t tried this particular adaptation, BUT, I *think* it should work. Swap in your favorite cup-for-cup all-purpose gluten-free flour blend (one that includes xanthan gum), omit the baking powder until later, then let the batter sit for 30 minutes before baking to allow the flour to rehydrate. When you’re ready to bake, sift in the baking powder and stir well, then pour into your prepared pan and bake as directed.
- Nut-Free Lemon Cake - Replace the almond flour/almond meal with more AP flour. Omit the almond extract and the almond topping.
- Different Extracts - Of all the ways to make Italian ricotta cake, lemon is definitely not your only option. You can go pure vanilla and almond, omitting the lemon zest to make an Italian almond cake. Or, play with fun extracts like hazelnut (swapping in hazelnut flour for the almond flour, perhaps? And then adding chocolate chips?!?), maple, coconut, orange… the sky is the limit!
- Try Mix-Ins - As I mentioned earlier, the original recipe included fresh raspberries that were folded in. Any variety of fresh or frozen berry, chocolate chips, baking chips, or nuts can all be folded in after step 4 for some added texture!
- Swap The Top - Not a fan of almonds? Try another variety of chopped nuts like pistachios instead. Can’t do nuts? Swap in a crumb topping or oat streusel. Or, just leave it plain!
Serving Suggestions
- Serve It Plain - The candied almond topping and whipped ricotta are nice additions, but you don’t need them for a delightful Italian lemon cake. Feel free to serve a slice of this everyday cake completely unadorned with your morning coffee or afternoon tea — it’s still lovely!
- Snow White - Dust with a light shower of powdered sugar for a pretty presentation.
- Technicolor - Add some fresh berries to the plate for an added pop of color.

Expert Tips
- Cakes baked in an 8" tin will take longer than those baked in a 9" tin (because it’s thicker and denser in a smaller pan). I suggest investing in an oven thermometer to make sure you’re operating with the proper heat conditions, then checking at the lowest end of the baking time.
- Only zest the bright yellow parts of the lemon; the white pith is bitter!
- If the almonds are browning too quickly, lightly tent the cake with foil.
- Don't rush the whipped ricotta. 5 minutes sounds like a long time, but it'll result in the creamiest, dreamiest consistency. Scrape down the sides of the bowl 2-3 times during the process.
- If you want your whipped ricotta to have a thicker, more pipable/dollopable consistency, strain it in a lined mesh strainer for up to overnight.
- Waste not, want not.
- Any leftover whey from straining the ricotta can be used to replace milk or water in pancakes, waffles or baking projects, soaking grains or beans, adding to smoothies, or any of these other brilliant ideas!
- The leftover lemon rinds can be used to refresh your garbage disposal, clean your wooden cutting boards, or make yummy fruit-infused water for free.
- The leftover egg yolk can be added to your egg bites, breakfast scrambles, or stratas, or used to make pudding.

Frequently Asked Questions
Sure, I've got a few suggestions that should work well in this Italian cake recipe.
My favorite ricotta substitute is small-curd cottage cheese. It has a similar texture, mild taste, and fat content that won't overpower the delicate flavors of the cake. Just make sure to blend or puree the cottage cheese until smooth before incorporating it into the batter to help it blend seamlessly.
Another option is cream cheese. It's richer and denser than ricotta, but it *should* still work here. Be sure to soften the cream cheese and beat it well to remove any lumps before adding it to the batter. Cream cheese also has a slightly tangy taste, so it might add a little extra je ne sais quois to the final flavor of your cake.
If you prefer a dairy-free alternative, you can also try using silken tofu. While it won't provide the same flavor profile as ricotta, it'll likely have a similar effect on the bake, giving it a soft and moist texture. Be sure to blend the silken tofu until smooth to give it the proper ricotta-like consistency we're after.
Keep in mind that the taste may vary slightly with any of these substitutions, so you might want to taste the batter before baking and make any necessary adjustments by adding a bit more lemon juice or sugar, as per your preference.
Nope! It should keep well in an airtight container at room temp for 4-5 days. If you want to extend the shelf life, consider wrapping it well in plastic and placing it in an airtight container before refrigerating for up to a week, or freezing for up to a month.
That said, make sure you keep the whipped ricotta refrigerated until you’re ready to use it!
Sure thing! Just make sure to wrap it well in several layers of plastic, then place in an airtight container or zip-top bag with as much air removed as possible. It should keep well for up to a month with no discernible change to quality. To serve, allow it to defrost and either serve room temperature or slightly warmed. Note that the whipped ricotta doesn’t do well in the freezer.
Honestly, this is not a “traditional” Italian lemon cake. I sort of pieced together multiple different recipes for an Italian almond cake, a ricotta cake, and an Italian lemon cake, so this is more of a Frankensteined version of classic recipes. That said, it’s wildly delicious and perfect for lemon lovers!

More Delicious Cake Recipes

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Italian Lemon Cake with Ricotta & Almonds
Equipment
- 8-9" Springform Pan
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ C AP Flour
- ¼ C Almond Flour
- 1 ¼ C Granulated Sugar
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Zest from approximately 3 lemons
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 3 whole Eggs
- 1 ½ C Full Fat Ricotta
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
- ½ teaspoon Lemon Extract
- ½ C Butter melted
Almond Topping
- 1 Egg White whisked till frothy
- 1 ½ C Sliced Almonds
- 3 tablespoon Granulated Sugar
Lemony Whipped Ricotta (For Serving)
- ½ C Ricotta
- ½ teaspoon Lemon Zest
- 1-2 teaspoon Lemon Juice from 1 lemon
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¾ C Granulated Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare pan by spraying lightly with nonstick cooking spray, then line bottom with parchment round and spray again.
- Rub lemon zest into sugar, using your fingers. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, lemon sugar, baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, 1 ½ C ricotta, vanilla extract, almond extract, and lemon extract.
- Gently fold dries into wets until thoroughly combined.
- Fold in melted butter until combined, then scrape batter into prepared pan.
- Whisk egg white until frothy and white, saving the yolk for another purpose. Add sliced almonds and sugar, folding to incorporate.
- Dollop the almond topping on top of the cake batter, spreading it out into an even layer and lightly pressing it into the batter with the back of a spoon.
- Bake cake until golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 45–55 minutes. Let cool at least 20 minutes before unmolding.
- While cake bakes, make the whipped ricotta (if using). Strain ricotta in a mesh strainer lined with a damp paper towel or cheesecloth for about 20 minutes. In the meantime, blitz the sugar until superfine (but not powdered). Add strained ricotta, lemon zest, juice, vanilla extract, and sugar to a food processor fitted with the blade. Whip for about 5 minutes total, scraping the sides every few minutes. (I know 5 minutes sounds long, but thats how to get it nice and fluffy!)
- Serve cake warm or room temp with dollop of sweetened ricotta. Enjoy!
Notes
- Cakes baked in an 8" tin will take longer than those baked in a 9" tin.
- Only zest the bright yellow parts of the lemon; the white pith is bitter!
- Don't rush the whipped ricotta. 5 minutes sounds like a long time, but it'll result in the creamiest, dreamiest consistency. Scrape down the sides of the bowl 2-3 times during the process.
- If you want your whipped ricotta to have a thicker consistency, strain it again in the lined mesh strainer for up to overnight.
- If the almonds are browning too quickly, lightly tent the cake with foil.
Ozzy says
Im gonna eat the whole thing in one sitting
Ash, The Grocery Addict says
Hahaha I feel you! I can put a pretty good hurtin' on it myself. Enjoy!