Lemon Ricotta Cake

-1 ½ sticks softened butter

-1 ½ cups sugar

-15 oz whole milk ricotta cheese

-3 room temperature eggs

-1 tsp vanilla

-1 large lemon zested and juiced

-½ tsp baking soda

-½ tsp salt

-1 ½ cups flour

-powdered sugar for flouring cake pan and dusting

-Use your stand mixer if you have one. You’ll need to beat part of the ingredients for a few minutes. That is unless you want a small arm workout.

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-Butter and dust a 9-inch springform pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

-Cream together butter and sugar until combined.

-Beat in the ricotta cheese for at least a full 5 minutes until mixture is fluffy.

-Mix in eggs, 1 at a time. Add in vanilla, lemon zest, and juice until mixed in, then baking soda and salt.

-Finally, add flour just until combined. You don’t even have to dirty another bowl to measure it out! Just add it a little at a time until combined. Don’t over-mix. Scrape down the bowl. 

-Pour batter into the pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. (Mine was done at 40 min.) 

-Let the cake cool for 15 minutes before you take it out of the springform pan. Cool completely before dusting with powdered sugar if desired.

That’s it! Easy, right?

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June is National Lemon Month! This one-bowl cake makes it the perfect summer dessert after a meal on the grill. It has a light lemon flavor and I love the texture. It’s not quite like a regular cake crumb which makes it a little different from an ordinary cake.

It looks so pretty!. The recipe says you can also make it in a bundt pan or in 2 round cake pans. Personally, I think it looks best baked in a springform pan. I also think it would be good to add a drizzle of homemade blueberry sauce on the side.

According to the recipe from This Italian Kitchen, you need to follow the directions precisely for it to come out perfectly every time. Because of this, I do not take claim to this dessert but I will admit that I had 2 pieces when I made it..whoops. Enjoy!