Easy Lemon Ricotta Bread

Amethyst · January 18, 2026, 3:05pm

Easy Lemon Ricotta Bread

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 1 loaf

Ingredients:

1⅔ cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg (room temperature)
1 large egg yolk (room temperature)
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use sunflower or corn oil or even a light olive oil)
¾ cup + 2½ tablespoons ricotta cheese (220 g total, if you double or triple the recipe, double or triple this amount)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons milk (2% or whole milk)

Extras:

2-3 tablespoons slivered almonds

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C. Grease and flour or spray an 8-inch or 9-inch loaf pan, or for easier removal, line the pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the mixing bowl, beat the egg, yolk, sugar, and zest for approximately 2-3 minutes or until light. Add the oil, ricotta, vanilla, lemon juice, and milk, and beat to combine.

Add the dry ingredients and beat to combine; do not overmix. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, sprinkle with the almond slices, and bake for approximately 50-60 minutes or until baked through. Test with a toothpick; when dry or a few crumbs are attached, it’s done.

Let cool 15 minutes in the pan, then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Notes:

Substitutions and Variations:

Simple lemon glaze: Add a simple lemon syrup or lemon glaze to the top.

Frosting: Use the creamy vanilla frosting from my Frosted Coconut Pound Cake.

Add-ins: For a blueberry lemon ricotta pound cake, add some fresh blueberries. Raspberries or white chocolate chips could also be added to the quick bread batter before baking.

Nuts: Instead of topping with almonds, try pistachios, hazelnuts or macadamias.

Type of citrus: For an orange-ricotta pound cake just use orange zest and orange liqueur!

Baking Tips:

Room temperature ingredients: Bring your egg, ricotta, and milk to room temperature so they blend better with the sugar.

Drain ricotta: If your ricotta is ‘wet’, place it in a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and let it sit for an hour.

Fresh lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice will taste best in this recipe! You can use more or less, depending on your taste preference. Zest the lemon before juicing it.

Avoid over-baking: Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Overbaking it will lead to a drier cake texture.

Garnish with powdered sugar: After the bread is cooled, add a dusting of powdered sugar.

How to store lemon ricotta bread?

Covered at room temperature, you can store this bread for up to 3 days. It will also stay well sliced in an airtight container for about a week. This is a great way to be able just grab a slice and enjoy it throughout the day!

Can I freeze the bread?

Yes! Cool completely, then wrap the bread loaf in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and store in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge while still wrapped or on the counter at room temperature for a few hours.

Nutritional Facts:

Recipe courtesy of An Italian In My Kitchen.com