This easy Lemon Raspberry Ricotta Cake is a light, creamy dessert brightened with fresh raspberries, lemon juice, and zest. It's lovely in spring, summer, or any other time of year!

Lemon raspberry ricotta cake dusted with powdered sugar on crackled ceramic cake stand and purple wood background.

I absolutely adore this lemon raspberry ricotta cake! It's light, refreshing, moist, and delicious, and you don't need any mixer to make it. All you need is a 9-inch springform pan, a few mixing bowls, a fine grater, a whisk, and a spatula. That's all!

The stars of this cake are whole milk ricotta cheese, raspberries, and lemons. The ricotta gives it a pleasant, creamy texture, the raspberries bring just the right amount of sweetness and flavor, and the lemon juice and zest add a mouthwatering hit of tartness!

Much like my Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake and Chocolate Ricotta Cake, this one blends a cheesecake and a cake into one, so it's a treat for any time of year. Serve it chilled with a dusting of powdered sugar, or at room temperature, which is just as tasty!

What You'll Need

Use the ingredients below to make this wonderful lemon raspberry ricotta cake. Most of them are pantry staples, but I've included a few notes on the ones that could use a bit more explanation.

Labeled ingredients in bowls used to make lemon raspberry ricotta cake on a white marbled background.

Ricotta Cheese. This is what gives the cake its light, creamy texture. Whole milk ricotta is the best choice here.
Lemons. Two medium lemons will supply the two teaspoons of zest and three tablespoons of juice you need.
Fresh Raspberries. Fresh blueberries or strawberries work as swaps, or you can skip the berries altogether. Frozen raspberries (no need to thaw) are fine too.

For exact amounts and steps, check the recipe card below.

How to Make the Recipe

Here is a quick overview of how to make this easy lemon raspberry ricotta cake. For the full printable recipe, which works with US customary or metric measurements, see the recipe card below.

Recipe Tip: Before you begin, get your springform pan ready, prep the lemon juice and zest, melt the butter, and toss the raspberries in the all-purpose flour.

Bowl of dry ingredients with small bowl of raspberries, lemons, and eggs on purple background.

Step 1. Whisk the dry ingredients first, then the wet. The dry group is the granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest.

Whisking the wet ingredients in a glass bowl to make lemon raspberry ricotta cake on a purple background.

Step 2. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, ricotta, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Hold off on the melted butter for now. At this point the batter should be pale yellow, fairly smooth, and thin.

Adding the dry ingredients to wet mixture to make lemon raspberry ricotta cake.

Step 3. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. A spatula works best here, since it keeps you from overmixing the batter

Folding in fresh raspberries to a lemon raspberry ricotta cake batter.

Part 4. Partway through mixing, pour in the melted butter once it has cooled slightly. Then fold in the flour-coated raspberries. The batter should look light, airy, and a little thick and doughy.

Topping the lemon raspberry ricotta cake with fresh raspberries before baking.

Step 5. Move the batter into the prepared 9-inch springform pan using a spatula, then smooth the top. Scatter more fresh raspberries on top.

Step 6. Bake 40-45 minutes at 350ºF. Cool it completely before slicing, which can take 1-2 hours. Dust with powdered sugar if you like, then serve!

Recipe Tip: The top should be light golden brown and puffed, and the edges should be golden and have pulled slightly away from the pan. A slight wobble in the middle is fine. If it wobbles a lot, give it a few more minutes in the oven.

Slices of lemon raspberry ricotta cake dusted with powdered sugar on small ceramic dessert plates and purple wood background.

Recipe FAQs

What type of baking pan is needed?

You will need a 9-inch springform pan. A 9-inch round cake pan also works, but the springform is much easier because you can release the sides and skip flipping the cake out of the pan.

Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh?

For the best flavor, use fresh lemon juice. Fresh ingredients also matter here, since the recipe depends on lemon zest.

Why should I coat the raspberries in all-purpose flour?

Tossing them in flour keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the cake. I also like to do this with the blueberries in my Lemon Blueberry Streusel Muffins and the chocolate chips in my Chocolate Chip Cake.

Can I use frozen raspberries instead of fresh ones?

Yes, definitely. Frozen berries (not thawed) work just fine!

How do I store this lemon raspberry ricotta cake?

Store this lemon raspberry ricotta cake in an airtight container, or wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to three days. To keep it fresh longer, refrigerate it for up to a week.

If you made this Lemon Raspberry Ricotta Cake Recipe or anything else from my website, please leave a star rating and tell me what you thought in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by!