Cheesecake really confused me as a kid. I sprinkled mozzarella on my pizza and pasta, and I ate cake with ice cream at birthday parties. But combining the two?…
Did that mean topping the cake with slices of melted cheddar like I did with my morning toast? Or maybe folding shredded Monterey Jack inside like with a quesadilla so that it formed long cheesy strings when you cut a piece of the cake?
When an adult explained to me that cheesecake was made with cream cheese, I crossed that last mental image off of my list. (No strings attached—got it!) But I didn’t figure out the cheesecake conundrum until high school when I ate my first real slice.
Although a far cry from the dense, mousse-y texture of true cheesecake, this ricotta cake resembles one of my more reasonable definitions: a moist cake made with soft cheese as its main ingredient!
modified from this recipe
This cake has a subtle tang from the lemon and ricotta, plus a sophisticated flair from the almond drizzle. It’s perfect to serve to company, but it’s easy enough to whip up for a weeknight dessert too!
- To prepare the cake, combine the sugar, water, and lemon zest in a small pot on the stove. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently, and boil for 1-2 minutes. Let the sugar syrup cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°, and coat a 6-cup bundt pan with nonstick baking spray with flour.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar syrup, ricotta, and vanilla until smooth. Add in the egg, mixing well. Add in the flour mixture, stirring just until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To prepare the drizzle, whisk together the powdered sugar, almond extract, lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon of the water. Stir in more water, a little at a time, until the drizzle reaches the desired consistency. Drizzle decoratively over the top of the bundt cake.
Your pictures are just phenomenal! I need a good camera omg, and your photography skills 😉
Aww thank you, that’s so sweet of you to say! :] A good camera makes a difference, but practice makes perfect. I’m planning on doing a food photography series in the near future, so stay tuned!
Gorgeous! I’ve never thought of using ricotta to moisten a baked good, but that sounds lovely! I like the yellow mug in the background… Great accent 😉
Thanks! A little splurge at Target… I can never resist big, cozy mugs!
I used to HATE cheesecake as a kid, then I grew up and I really liked it. Now I don’t eat traditional cheesecake, but would love to make a killer vegan version (I know I know..not the same.) This one looks delicious and the photos are great!
Thanks! :] Would vegan cheesecake be made of tofu, or is there some other special ingredient that would result in the typical cheesecake dense/creamy texture?
Looks great! I can’t wait to make this for some friends.
Thanks! Hopefully it’ll disappear just as quickly with your friends as it did at my house!
Yum, your cake looks and sounds so delicious!
Thank you! Bundt cakes are some of my favorites, especially when I’m too impatient to eat the cake and don’t want to make any frosting! ;]
This looks absolutely mouthwatering! I have to say your blog is becoming sooo beautiful and inspiring. Your recipes are beyond delicious and the pictures are so beautiful and elegant! I am so proud of you!
You are so sweet; thank you!! I lose track of time and have so much fun when I’m doing anything blog-related, so it’s really rewarding to hear that it’s inspiring to other people. :]
What a beautiful cake, I especially love the texture of the cake!
From @aroundleglobe.blogspot.com
Thank you! I liked the texture too — so much that I nearly ate the entire cake by myself!
I’ve made this cake about 4 times since I found the recipe while trying to use up my tub of ricotta. It always turns out so great! I’ve been replacing the almond extract with lemon extract to make a lemon drizzle for the summer. Great with iced tea!
I was wondering if you usually serve it warm or at room temperature? I know the drizzle can’t look like that on a warm cake, so I’m guessing room temperature, but the texture is really magnified when it’s hot out of the oven.
Huda, I’m so thrilled you enjoy the cake! I love your idea of a lemon drizzle. I’ll have to try that!
I’ve always served the cake at room temperature so the drizzle sets instead of “melting” down the sides. I wonder if the cake’s texture would be similar to straight-out-of-the-oven if you reheated individual slices after adding the drizzle. Something to consider!