Strawberry Ricotta Cake is incredibly soft and deliciously dense, with a creamy, moist texture—like a perfect blend of cake and cheesecake. Bursting with sweet strawberries and a hint of lemon, this easy cake recipe comes together in one bowl in minutes. Delicious for dessert or brunch.
Try this easy Strawberry & Whipped Cream Cake and Banana Strawberry Pudding next!
Strawberry Ricotta Cake is light and airy like cake and rich and creamy like cheesecake, but it's much easier to make because there’s no crust or water bath to fuss with.
Rich ricotta cheese adds the perfect moisture and creaminess, while juicy strawberries and bright lemon make it bright, fresh, and flavorful.
It's perfectly delicious served with a dusting of powdered sugar or top it with homemade whipped cream and a little strawberry compote.
❤️You're Going to Love This
- Light & Airy, Moist & Creamy. Like a cross between cake and cheesecake.
- Simple Cake Recipe. Easy to stir together in one bowl, no mixer needed.
- Fresh & Bright Flavor. Juicy strawberries and a hint of lemon make it extra delicious.
- Perfect for Any Occasion. Light enough for brunch, special enough for dessert.
🍓Ingredients
See recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full list of ingredients and exact amounts.
- Eggs. Use room temperature eggs to keep the texture of the batter smooth. Cold eggs can curdle the cake batter.
- Unsalted butter. Give the melted butter time to cool so it doesn't scramble the eggs.
- Whole milk ricotta. For best results, use a good-quality fresh ricotta. I find store-brand ricotta to be chalky and grainy. BelGioioso works well.
- Fresh strawberries. Cut the strawberries into small pieces or slice them.
🫐Substitutions
- Fruit. Try a different kind of fresh fruit, like blueberries, raspberries, peaches, or plums.
- Citrus. Instead of lemon, use fresh orange juice and orange zest.
🥣How to Make Strawberry Ricotta Cake
Step 1: In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a wire whisk. Add the sugar, ricotta, vanilla, lemon juice, lemon zest, and melted butter. Stir with a spoon to break up the ricotta, then whisk until smooth.
Step 2: Sift in the dry ingredients (or whisk the flour mixture together in a separate bowl). Stir until just combined. Fold in 1 cup of the chopped strawberries.
Step 3: Pour the batter into a 9-inch pan lined with parchment paper. Add the rest of the strawberries on top of the cake batter. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 60-70 minutes. The top will be golden brown.
Step 4: Place on a wire rack to cool. Cool in the cake pan for 20 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. If desired, dust the top with powdered sugar.
👉Top Tip: The baking time will vary depending on the size and color of the pan. If using a dark pan, start checking on it at the 45-minute mark.
☑️Tips
- Pat the chopped strawberries dry to keep from adding excess moisture to the cake.
- Strain the liquid from the ricotta in cheesecloth or paper towels for 20-30 minutes before you begin baking.
- Use a baking pan no smaller than 9 inches with 2-inch sides -- either a round cake pan or a springform pan.
- Because of the fresh strawberries, the cake is fragile when it is warm. If it feels too soft to turn out of a cake pan after 20 minutes, let it cool longer in the pan.
🎁Storage
- Store strawberry ricotta cake wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week.
- To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap and again in foil or a freezer bag. Thaw in the refrigerator.
❓FAQs
Ricotta adds moisture and a rich, creamy texture, making the cake soft yet slightly dense—like a cross between cake and cheesecake.
I haven't tested this recipe with frozen strawberries, but I have heard of others using frozen strawberries successfully in ricotta cake. They suggest slightly thawing them enough to slice easily. Let me know if you try it!
It should be golden on top and set in the center. A toothpick inserted should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. The internal temperature should read 200 degrees.
🎆More Easy Dessert Recipes
💌Let's Stay in Touch
Follow Midwestern Holidays on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, and subscribe via email to receive all of the latest recipes!
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Ricotta Cake
Equipment
- 9-inch cake pan (at least 2 inches high) or 9-inch springform pan
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 16 oz. whole milk ricotta cheese, strained, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- zest of one lemon
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups strawberries, sliced and patted dry, divided
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9-inch cake pan with 2" or higher sides or a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Line with parchment paper and lightly spray the paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk. Add the sugar, ricotta, vanilla, lemon juice and zest, and melted butter. Stir with a wooden spoon to break up the ricotta, then whisk until smooth.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (or whisk them in a separate bowl). Mix until just combined. The mixture will be thick and lumpy.
- Fold in 1 cup of sliced strawberries. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Place the remaining ½ cup strawberries on top of the batter and gently press them in.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes back with moist crumbs (not wet batter). The internal temperature should be around 200. If needed, lightly cover the cake with foil during the last 10-15 minutes to keep the top from getting too dark. Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (see notes).
- Dust the top with powdered sugar. If desired, serve with fresh whipped cream and sliced strawberries.
Notes
- Pat the chopped strawberries dry to keep from adding excess moisture to the cake.
- Strain the liquid from the ricotta in cheesecloth or paper towels for 20-30 minutes before you begin baking.
- Use a baking pan no smaller than 9 inches with 2-inch sides.
- The baking time will vary depending on the size and color of the pan. If using a dark pan, it will bake more quickly. Start checking on it early.
- Because of the fresh strawberries, the cake is fragile when it is warm. If it feels too soft to turn out of a cake pan after 20 minutes, let it cool longer in the pan.
Leave a Reply