Save Pin
This zingy citrus blueberry ricotta cake mixes the tangy kick of lemon with plump blueberries and smooth ricotta cheese, finished with a crunchy crumble and tart drizzle. It boasts a damp, soft interior that's brilliant for any event, whether it's breakfast time or fancy after-dinner treats.
I whipped up this cake for the first time at a backyard summer bash, and everyone was scrambling to get the final piece. These days it shows up at basically every family meetup because everyone from my fussy little niece to my food-obsessed brother-in-law keeps asking for it.
What You'll Need
- All-purpose flour: Builds just the right base while keeping everything soft
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness that doesn't drown out the fruity flavors
- Fresh lemon zest and juice: Bring zippy citrus hints that perk up your senses
- Whole milk ricotta cheese: Makes the mix super moist and wonderfully rich
- Eggs: Hold everything together and help create that airy feel
- Vanilla extract: Boosts other tastes without fighting for attention
- Blueberries: Pop with juicy flavor when cooked; try to find fat ones with a dusty blue coating
- Butter: Gives that rich taste and helps make that lovely brown outer edge
- Confectioners sugar: Creates a silky topping that hardens nicely
Cooking Method
- Make Your Crumble:
- Mix sugar and flour in a bowl, then add melted butter. Work it together using your fingers or a fork until you get chunky bits mixed with smaller crumbs. It should feel like damp sand that sticks when you press it. Put this aside while getting your cake mix ready.
- Start With Lemon-Infused Sugar:
- Put granulated sugar in a big bowl with fresh lemon zest. Rub them together with your fingertips until you smell the lemon and the sugar turns slightly yellow. This gets the lemon oils into your sugar, making the whole cake taste lemony. Add flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing until everything's blended.
- Blend Your Wet Stuff:
- In another bowl, mix ricotta cheese, eggs at room temp, fresh lemon juice, and vanilla until it's all smooth. Slowly pour in warm butter while stirring non-stop so the eggs don't start cooking. Your mix should look creamy with no ricotta lumps left.
- Put It All Together With Berries:
- Dump the wet mix into the dry stuff and fold gently with a spatula. Stop when it's nearly mixed with just a bit of flour still visible. Add the blueberries with minimal stirring so they don't break and turn everything blue. The mix will be pretty thick.
- Cook It Right:
- Spoon the mix into a well-greased springform pan, spreading it out evenly. Scatter your crumble all over the top. Bake in a heated oven for about 45-55 minutes, until it turns golden brown and a toothpick comes out mostly clean when poked in the middle.
- Give It That Final Touch:
- Let it cool in the pan for half an hour before taking off the sides. While it's cooling, mix confectioners sugar with lemon juice to make a runny, smooth topping. Once the cake's totally cool, drizzle this mix over the top, letting it run down the sides.
Save Pin
What I love most about this cake is how the blueberries get all soft and jammy while baking, making little pockets of sweetness throughout. It takes me back to picking blueberries with my grandma who always kept the jumbo ones for baking instead of eating them straight away.
Prep It Early
This cake actually gets better after sitting a while as the flavors blend together. You can bake it a full day before and keep it on the counter with loose covering. For the best look, wait to add the glaze until just a few hours before people come over so it stays fresh-looking and doesn't make things soggy. The cake will stay moist thanks to the ricotta, so it's perfect when you're busy getting other things ready.
Switch It Up By Season
Fresh blueberries taste amazing in summer, but this flexible cake works great with other fruits too. Try using raspberries or blackberries in summer, or chopped apples mixed with cinnamon when fall comes around. In winter when fresh berries cost too much, frozen blueberries work just fine—just mix them in while they're still frozen so they don't turn your batter purple.
Ways To Serve It
For morning meals, add a spoonful of lightly sweetened whipped cream or Greek yogurt on top of each slice. When serving as a sweet treat after dinner, put warm pieces next to scoops of vanilla ice cream and sprinkle with fresh berries and mint. This cake also looks great as the star of an afternoon snack time, especially when you put it on a fancy cake plate with fresh flowers around the bottom.
Save Pin
Common Recipe Questions
- → Will frozen berries work in this cake?
Absolutely! Fresh or frozen berries work great. If you're using frozen ones, don't thaw them first or you'll end up with too much liquid in your mix.
- → How do I keep my batter from turning all purple?
Mix in your berries very gently and don't overdo it. Too much stirring will break the berries and turn everything purple.
- → Can I bake this cake the day before?
For sure! Just keep it in a sealed container at room temp overnight. Wait to add the glaze until right before you're ready to serve it.
- → What if I don't have any ricotta cheese?
No worries, you can swap in mascarpone or thick Greek yogurt instead. Just know the cake might feel a bit different when you bite into it.
- → What's the best way to keep leftovers?
Pop any extra cake in an airtight container. It'll stay good for 2 days on your counter or up to 5 days in your fridge.