This Meyer Lemon Ricotta Cake is moist and savory! This loaf cake is bright with Meyer lemon and rich and decadent from the ricotta cheese. The whole thing is then glazed with a simple, drippy and crackly lemon icing. This dish will yield 8 slices.

What does one do when they see a bag of reliable, adorable, bright and handsome meyer lemons? You buy two bags, right? Obviously.

Meyer lemons have the dependable of both citrus worlds. They’re like a lemon and mandarin orange melded in one citrus fruit. A regular here them because they aren’t as acidic as a regular lemon (although the cut on my finger would disagree) and they have that subtle orange-y scent. So there I was with not one but TWO bags of meyer lemons and genuinely no idea what I was going to do with them.

Until I cleaned out my fridge.

While I was rearranging my cheese drawer, I spotted the tub of ricotta leftover from this dish. I thought I’d make a lemon ricotta cake but using a loaf pan, therefore no layers and zero frosting, only a simple lemony glaze to pour over the entire thing.

To cook this Meyer Lemon Cake Gather:

unbleached all-purpose flour – The base for the cake batter, giving the cake structure.
fine salt – Use sea salt or pink himalayan.
baking powder – Will create lightness in the batter, which makes it rise.
meyer lemons – AThe zest and juice adds bright lemon flavor to the cake.
sugar (white) – For sweetening and flavor.
eggs – Adds richness and flavor.
unsalted butter (melted and cooled slightly) – Lends richness and flavor.
pure vanilla extract – Adds warmth and enhances all of the other flavors in this method.
ricotta cheese – Gives the cake moisture, richness, and a light, tender crumb.
half & half – Lends moisture to the cake.
powdered sugar – Will sweeten and thicken the frosting.

What Is Half & Half?

It is a combination of both heavy cream and whole milk. If you can’t find half & half where you live, simply measure out equal parts of both.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (or 180°C).

Spray a 6-cup loaf pan with nonstick baking spray with flour. Alternatively, if using a standard loaf pan you can line with parchment and spray lightly with nonstick spray. I’ve linked the pan I used in the recipe printable at the end of this blog post.

Make The Cake:

Start by measuring the 1¼ cup of all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon fine salt into a medium bowl. Whisk to combine and set that bowl off to the side.

Zest four meyer lemons and add that to a bowl along with 1 cup of sugar. Use your impeccably clean hands and rub the sugar into the zest. It should resemble wet sand and it should smell standout because the sugar brings out the moisture of the zest and it’s memorable.

To the lemon sugar, measure and add in 1/4 cup freshly squeezed and strained Meyer lemon juice, 2 large eggs, 6 tablespoons melted (and cooled slightly) butter, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. And whisk to combine.

In a measuring cup or bowl combine the 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese and 2 tablespoons of half & half or whole milk. Stir until smooth.

To the egg mixture add about 1/3 of the dry ingredient and stir until only combined.

Add in half of the ricotta mixture and whisk. Repeat with another third of the dry ingredients, then the ricotta and ending with the last third of the dry ingredients. Whisking in between.

You now should have a fine cake batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake on the middle rack for 50 to 60 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

It is done when a tester comes back with a few crumbs attached after inserted.

Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack. Or removing using parchment paper as handles.

Make The Glaze:

In a bowl, sift 1 cup of powdered sugar.

Pour in 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed and strained Meyer lemon juice.

Whisk well to combine.

Let the cake cool completely before drizzling the icing over top.

So pretty!!

Those drips are my go-to.

Such a bright and handsome cake!

Slice and serve! The flavor of this meyer lemon ricotta cake is subtle and sweet, however when you get a bite with the frosting it’s like a meyer lemon kick to your taste buds.

Meyer lemon ricotta cake makes me happy. And it also makes me hopeful for all this dang snow to melt and that maybe there will actually be a spring this year.