Ricotta citrus cake is a soft Mediterranean-style tea cake with lemon zest, orange zest and a tender crumb. It is not a tall celebration cake, and it does not need frosting. The best version is simple: light enough for coffee, but still sweet and fragrant enough to serve after lunch or dinner.
Keep the crumb soft, not heavy
The important part is the texture. Ricotta can make a cake soft and slightly creamy, but only if the batter is mixed gently. The citrus flavor should come mostly from zest, not too much juice. Too much liquid can make the cake dense, while too much mixing can make it feel heavy instead of tender.
This is where the cake earns its place beside other Mediterranean sweets. It is richer than Mediterranean lemon ricotta cloud, which is a quick no-bake spoon dessert. It is softer and creamier than Mediterranean orange almond cake, where the almond flavor is the center. Here, the ricotta gives the crumb its quiet richness, and the lemon and orange keep it bright.
Recipe
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Cooling time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: about 285 kcal per slice
Ingredients
- 1 cup / 250 g ricotta
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup mild extra virgin olive oil or melted butter
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 orange
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Optional: thin citrus slices or berries, for serving
How to Make Ricotta Citrus Cake
1. Prepare the pan
Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Grease and line a 20 cm / 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
2. Whisk the ricotta
Add the ricotta to a large bowl and whisk it for 30–45 seconds, just to loosen it. It does not need to become perfectly smooth, but it should not sit in large lumps.
3. Add the eggs and sugar
Add the eggs and sugar. Whisk until the mixture looks pale and slightly smoother. This helps the cake feel lighter without needing a long beating time.
4. Add the citrus and fat
Add the olive oil or melted butter, lemon zest, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla. Whisk until combined.
5. Add the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the ricotta mixture and fold gently with a spatula. Stop as soon as you no longer see dry flour.
6. Bake
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 32–38 minutes, until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool before slicing
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then move it to a rack. Let it cool for at least 20 more minutes before slicing. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Texture Tips
Use whole-milk ricotta if possible. Low-fat ricotta can work, but the cake may feel less tender.
Use citrus zest first. The zest carries most of the lemon and orange aroma without adding too much liquid to the batter.
Do not overmix after adding the flour. The batter should be mixed only until it comes together. A few small ricotta specks are fine.
Let the cake cool before slicing. Warm ricotta cake can feel too soft and may crumble at the edges.
Serving Suggestions
Serve ricotta citrus cake with coffee, black tea, mint tea or a small spoonful of Greek yogurt. It also works well with fresh berries, thin orange slices or a light drizzle of honey.
For something cooler and softer, Citrus & Olive Oil Pudding is a better choice, especially when you want a spoon dessert instead of a sliced cake.
This cake also fits beside a simple dessert plate with fruit, almonds or biscotti. If you want a crisper coffee sweet, almond olive oil biscotti brings the same Mediterranean pantry feeling in a twice-baked form.
Storage
Keep the cake covered at room temperature for 1 day, or in the fridge for up to 3 days.
If refrigerated, let slices sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving. The crumb tastes softer when it is not too cold.
This is not a cake that needs a heavy topping. Ricotta, citrus zest and a light finish are enough. For a broader comparison of simple citrus cakes, the BBC Good Food citrus almond yogurt cake shows the same family of flavors: citrus, yogurt or dairy richness, and a simple crumb made for tea or coffee.