This easy Lemon Raspberry Ricotta Cake is a light, refreshing, creamy dessert flavored with fresh raspberries, lemon juice, and zest. It's a strong match for spring, summer, and any other time of year!

I am so in love with this lemon raspberry ricotta cake! It's a light, refreshing, tender, flavorful dessert that doesn't need any mixers! Just a 9-inch springform pan, a few mixing bowls, a fine grater, whisks, and a spatula. That's it!

The key players in this cake recipe are the whole milk ricotta cheese, raspberries, and lemons. The ricotta cheese gives it a nice, creamy texture, while the raspberries add the perfect level of sweetness and flavor, with a lip-smacking kick of tartness from the lemon juice and zest!

Like my Chocolate Chip Ricotta Cake and Chocolate Ricotta Cake, it combines a cheesecake and cake in one, making it the perfect treat to enjoy any time of year. Serve it chilled with a sprinkling of powdered sugar or at room temperature, which is just as tasty!

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

Ingredients

Try using the following ingredients below to make this fabulous lemon raspberry ricotta cake recipe. Note that while the majority of these ingredients are pantry staples, there are a few I've noted below that I feel need a little explanation.

Ricotta Cheese. Gives this cake a light and creamy texture. Whole milk ricotta cheese is preferred for this method.
Lemons. You'll need two medium-sized lemons for the two teaspoons of lemon zest and three tablespoons of lemon juice.
Fresh Raspberries. You can also use fresh blueberries or strawberries, or leave the berries out entirely. Frozen (unthawed) raspberries will work fine, too.

For quantities and instructions, please see the method card below.

How it comes together

Below is a quick overview of how to make this easy lemon raspberry ricotta cake. For the full printable recipe, which can be made using US customary or metric measurements, visit the method card below.

Recipe Tip: Before starting, Try having your springform pan ready, lemon juice and zest prepped, butter melted, and raspberries tossed in the all-purpose flour coating.

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

Step 1. Whisk the dry ingredients, then the wet. This includes 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 a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Do not add the melted butter just yet. So far, the lemon ricotta cake batter should be light yellow, relatively smooth, and thin in texture.

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

Step 3. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Use a spatula for this part, as it helps prevent overmixing the batter

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

Part 4. Partway through stirring, pour in the slightly cooled melted butter. Then fold in the flour-coated raspberries. The ricotta cake batter will be light in color, airy, and somewhat thick and doughy in texture.

Step 5. Transfer the batter to the prepared 9-inch springform pan with a spatula, then level out. Top with more fresh raspberries.

Step 6. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350ºF. Allow it to cool completely before serving (this can take 1-2 hours). Dust with powdered sugar (optional), then serve!

Recipe Tip: The top of the cake should be light golden brown and puffy, with light golden brown sides that have slightly pulled away from the sides. If your cake has a little jiggle in the center, this is okay. If it has a lot of jiggle, it needs to bake for a few more minutes.

Questions on this bake

What type of baking pan is needed?

You will need a 9-inch springform pan. You can also make this in a 9-inch round cake pan. Making it in a springform pan is much nicer because removing the sides makes it easier to cut the cake. It also eliminates having to invert the cake.

Can Use bottled lemon juice instead of fresh?

Fresh lemon juice is the best for this method for the best flavor. I also recommend fresh ingredients, as this method calls for lemon zest.

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

Because this prevents them from sinking to the bottom of your cake. I also recommend doing it with the blueberries in my Lemon Blueberry Streusel Muffins recipe and the chocolate chips in my Chocolate Chip Cake recipe.

Can Use frozen raspberries instead of fresh ones?

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

How do I store this lemon raspberry ricotta cake?

It's best to store this lemon raspberry ricotta cake in an airtight container or, plated, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to three days. To keep it fresher longer, you can store the cake in the refrigerator for up to a week.