Blueberry Cake with Lemon and Ricotta

Name: Blueberry Cake with Lemon and Ricotta
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Canadian
Ingredients: 1 cup cane sugar; 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil; 3 large eggs (room temperature); 1 cup full fat ricotta cheese (room temperature); 1 tablespoon lemon zest; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 1/4 cup all-purpose white flour; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 1/4 cup fresh blueberries

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This Blueberry Cake has a moist and tender crumb with fresh lemon, creamy ricotta and juicy blueberries! It’s the perfect cake for an afternoon treat or weekend brunch!

I love baking with ricotta cheese! It’s thick and creamy and adds a soft and tender texture to cakes, breads and cupcakes. I personally love these flourless chocolate ricotta cupcakes and this peach cake with ricotta is a summer staple!

I recently adapted my peach cake recipe to make this sweet blueberry version. I used white flour, which I don’t normally do, but it created a light and moist texture which paired nicely with the lemony flavour and fresh blueberries!

Lemon blueberry cake cut into squares and arranged on a sheet of parchment paper.

We’ve been enjoying this cake on it’s own, but you can also serve it with ice cream, coconut whip or a dusting of icing sugar.

Why you’ll love this recipe

You don’t need any special equipment. Just a bowl, whisk and spatula. No need to break out your electric mixer for this cake.
It’s bursting with lemony flavour. There’s probably no better combo than blueberries and lemon, and they both work together beautifully in this cake. (If you love lemony cakes, be sure to try this lemon almond flour cake)!
Soft and tender crumb. The ricotta keeps this cake super moist and fluffy. Even after a few days at room temperature, the cake doesn’t dry out.
Recipe variations. You can really make this cake your own by substituting different berries and flavours. I’ve included some suggestions at the bottom of this post.

Ingredients to make blueberry cake arranged individually.

Details on the ingredients

Blueberries – You’ll need 1 1/4 cups of blueberries for this cake. I prefer fresh, but if you only have frozen, just make sure to thaw them first and pat them dry.

Ricotta – This is a mild, soft and creamy cheese that creates a moist and fluffy texture in cakes. This recipe calls for one cup of full fat (whole milk) ricotta. I like to use full fat ricotta in baking as it has a higher fat content than partly skimmed (or light) ricotta, which helps keep cakes moist.

Oil – Instead of butter, this cake uses extra virgin olive oil, which also helps keep the cake soft and tender. You can substitute olive oil if you don’t have extra virgin.

Eggs – To help the cake rise and to add moisture, there are three eggs added to this cake.

Lemon zest – For a pop of lemony flavour, you’ll need a tablespoon of fresh lemon zest (or the zest from a medium-sized lemon). Just use a zester or box grater to finely grate it.

Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract is used to boost the flavours of the cake.

Flour – White all-purpose flour is used in this cake to keep the texture light. While I love to bake with whole wheat flour and spelt flour, sometimes they make cakes a little heavy.

Cane sugar – For sweetness, there is one full cup of cane sugar in this cake. It’s a bit more sugar than I normally add to cakes, but I promise, it works. If you don’t have cane sugar, you can use granulated sugar.

Baking powder – For additional leavening, you’ll need a tablespoon of baking powder for this cake.

Salt – A teaspoon of kosher salt balances the sweetness and enhances the flavours of the other ingredients.

How to make blueberry cake with lemon and ricotta

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and oil. The mixture will be thick and gritty.

Whisk in one egg at a time, making sure they are well incorporated.

Sugar and oil being whisked together in a glass bowl.

Eggs whisked into the oil and sugar mixture.

Add the ricotta, lemon zest and vanilla and whisk until smooth. (The mixture will still look a little grainy from the ricotta).

Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt, and use a spatula to gently fold it into the wet mixture. Be careful not to over mix the batter.

Ricotta whisked into the egg, sugar and oil mixture in a glass bowl.

Blueberry cake batter in a glass bowl with a spatula.

Pour the batter into a greased 8 x 8 x 3 inch square pan. Scatter the blueberries on top.

Overhead of blueberry ricotta cake batter in a square pan.

Cake batter in a square pan with blueberries arranged on top.

Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Let cool on a wire rack. Slice and serve.

Frequently asked questions

Can you use frozen blueberries?

Yes, you can use frozen blueberries in this cake. Just make sure they’re thawed first and drained of any excess juices. You should also pat them dry with a paper towel.

What size pan works best for this recipe?

You’ll need a pan large enough for all the batter. I’ve had the best results with an 8 x 8 x 3 inch square pan, but you can also use a 9-inch springform pan. The cake will take about 35-40 minutes to bake in either pan. You can also use a 9 x 9 x 2 inch square pan but reduce the baking time to 30-35 minutes. I like to use the toothpick test to check for doneness.

I don’t recommend using an 8 x 8 x 2 inch square pan or a loaf pan as these pans are too small to hold the batter and the cakes may sink in the middle.

Can you substitute cottage cheese for ricotta cheese?

Ricotta has a fine, grainy texture and mild taste. While cottage cheese also has a mild flavour, it has a lumpy texture. I haven’t tested this recipe with cottage cheese. While the flavour may work, it could affect the texture of the cake. If you give it a try, I suggest using full fat cottage cheese and using an electric mixer to beat the cottage cheese into the cake batter.

Why did my cake sink in the middle?

Your cake may sink in the middle if you wait too long to put it in the oven after you’ve mixed the batter and/or poured it into the pan. (This has happened to me when taking process photos for recipes)! It could also happen if you open the oven door before the middle of the cake is set or if you use a cake pan that is too small for the batter.

Do you need to refrigerate this ricotta cake?

No, this cake doesn’t need to be refrigerated. It can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container.

How long will this lemon blueberry cake last?

At room temperature, the cake will last for 3-4 days. To keep it longer, you can store it in the refrigerator, where it will last for about a week.

Can you freeze blueberry cake?

Absolutely! You can store pieces of the cake in a single layer in a freezer safe container. Or you can wrap the full cake tightly in plastic wrap, store it in a resealable bag and place it in the freezer. It should last for 2-3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

Overhead view of blueberry cake cooling on a wire rack.

Additional recipe tips

Make sure your eggs and ricotta are at room temperature. Warmer ingredients incorporate together better than cold ingredients.
It’s okay if the batter looks a little grainy. That’s the ricotta.
If you don’t have cane sugar, you can substitute granulated sugar.
Blueberries are only added to the top of the batter so they bake into the top of the cake. If you want blueberries throughout the cake, I suggest tossing them with a little bit of the flour used in the recipe. This will help prevent them from sinking in the cake.
Cakes tend to bake and brown faster in darker baking pans. If you’re using a darker pan, keep an eye on your cake as it reaches the lower end of the suggested baking time.
I don’t recommend using an 8 x 8 x 2 inch square pan as it is too small to hold the batter.

Recipe variations

Substitute other berries such as raspberries, blackberries, cranberries or partridgeberries.
Sliced stone fruit arranged on top would also be delicious. Try it with peaches, apricots, plums or cherries.
Instead of lemon zest, try this cake with orange zest or even lime zest.

Other blueberry recipes to try

Squares of blueberry cake on a sheet of parchment paper.

If you make this blueberry ricotta cake, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.

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