Giada lemon ricotta pound cake beats butter, sugar, and ricotta together before folding in lemon zest, juice, and flour, then bakes in a loaf pan and finishes with a lemon glaze. And the recipe serves 8 at around 410 calories per slice in about 2 and a half hours, since the cooling and glaze setting account for most of that time.
Giada De Laurentiis creams whole milk ricotta directly into the butter and sugar, rather than folding it in later the way most ricotta cake recipes do. That early addition means the ricotta’s moisture distributes evenly through the batter, which gives the finished cake a dense but tender crumb that stays soft for days.
Poking holes in the top of the cooled cake before drizzling the glaze is the step that pulls this dessert together, because the lemon syrup seeps into those openings and flavors the interior. Skip the holes and the glaze just sits on the surface, so you get sweetness on top but a bland crumb underneath.
Source: Giadzy.com (Giada De Laurentiis)
Giada Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake
Course: DessertsCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy8
servings15
minutes50
minutes410
kcalButter, sugar, and ricotta beat until fluffy before eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla fold in one at a time. Then flour, baking powder, and salt stir through gently to keep the crumb tender. And after 50 to 60 minutes at 350°F, a simple glaze of powdered sugar and lemon juice drizzles over the cooled cake and seeps into poked holes.
Ingredients
- For the cake:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
1 cup sugar
1 cup ricotta cheese, room temperature
3 eggs, room temperature
3 tsp lemon zest (from 3 lemons)
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
- For the lemon glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
Directions
- Preheat and prep the pan: Set the oven to 350°F, then butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line the bottom and sides with a strip of parchment paper.
- Cream the base: In a large bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and ricotta with a handheld mixer on medium speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs: Reduce the speed to low, then beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Mix in the citrus: Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla, then beat until combined, since the zest needs to distribute evenly for consistent flavor.
- Fold in the flour: Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, then use a rubber spatula to fold everything together until just combined, because over-mixing develops gluten and toughens the crumb.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool completely: Remove to a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for 1 hour, since the structure needs time to set before handling.
- Make the glaze: Whisk the powdered sugar, salt, and lemon juice together in a small bowl until smooth.
- Poke and drizzle: Use a small skewer to poke a few holes in the top of the cake, then drizzle the glaze over the surface so it seeps into the openings.
- Set and serve: Let the glaze firm up for at least 15 minutes, then remove the cake from the pan and slice.
FAQs
What does the ricotta actually do in a pound cake?
Ricotta adds moisture and fat without the heaviness of extra butter, because its whey content steams during baking and keeps the crumb soft. The tiny curds also break up the gluten structure, so the cake tears apart in tender pieces instead of dense, tight slices.
Room-temperature ricotta is important here, because cold cheese doesn’t cream smoothly with butter and leaves lumps in the batter. Pull it from the fridge at least 30 minutes before mixing, so it blends into the base without any grainy pockets.
Can I make this gluten free?
Giada includes a gluten-free note in the recipe: swap the all-purpose flour for 1 cup of gluten-free flour blend and 1/2 cup of almond flour. That combination mimics the structure of regular flour, while the almond flour adds richness that works well with the lemon and ricotta.
The bake time may shift by a few minutes in either direction, so start checking at the 45-minute mark with a toothpick. Gluten-free batters behave differently in every oven, since the starch blends vary between brands.
Why does the recipe use both zest and juice?
Zest carries the aromatic oils from the lemon peel, which give the cake a deep, fragrant lemon flavor that bakes into the crumb. Juice adds acidity and brightness, but its flavor fades during baking, so the zest does the heavy lifting inside while the juice shines in the glaze.
Three lemons worth of zest sounds like a lot, but it spreads across 8 servings and the ricotta tempers the intensity. Zest before you juice, because a juiced lemon is slippery and hard to grate. For another Giada recipe that uses the same zest-and-juice approach with lemon, try her Giada limoncello.
How should I store this cake?
The loaf keeps at room temperature wrapped in plastic for up to 3 days, and the ricotta holds moisture so well that day-two slices taste just as tender as fresh. The glaze firms into a light crust that seals the surface and slows staling.
Refrigerating works for up to 5 days, though the crumb firms up in the cold, so let slices sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before eating. Freezing unglazed slices wrapped individually works for up to 2 months, then glaze fresh after thawing.
What pairs well with this cake?
Giada serves it with afternoon tea or coffee, and a strong espresso balances the sweetness perfectly. A dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla gelato turns a snack slice into a plated dessert.
Fresh berries on the side add color and tartness, since the cake itself is intentionally not too sweet. And for another Giada Italian dessert to rotate alongside, her Giada chocolate hazelnut pie offers a richer, fudgier contrast on the same dessert table.
