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This orange ricotta cake is easy to make and packed with fresh citrus flavor. Made in one bowl with vibrant orange zest, it combines the richness of ricotta and butter for a moist, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
If you love baking with ricotta, try my ricotta cheesecake, lemon ricotta pancakes, cookies, and whipped ricotta dip!
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When I first tasted this cake, I couldn’t stop saying, “This is one of the best cakes I’ve ever made.” It’s incredibly moist, light, and full of creamy orange flavor – easy to whip up and now a staple in our home. Even my kids, who usually skip cake for cookies or ice cream, devoured it and asked for more.
I shared a few slices with my neighbor, and her family loved it just as much – it disappeared in minutes!
This cake is perfect to serve any time of the year, which I love. I like to serve it for birthday parties, garden parties, tea parties, or even fall harvest parties! Serve it with fresh berries or a fruit platter for the ultimate dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Cake
- One Bowl: This is a simple cake, requiring just one bowl and no electric mixer. Perfect for when you’re short on time but still want to impress.
- Exceptional Texture: The ricotta provides a unique, moist, dense texture that sets this cake apart from other desserts.
- Versatile Flavor: While the orange zest has a refreshing twist, you can easily swap it for fresh lemon zest to create a variation of lemon ricotta cake.
Orange Ricotta Cake Ingredients
Unsalted Butter: Adds richness and moisture to the cake.
Ricotta: not only adds moisture but also contains proteins that help create a tender crumb. The high-fat content in full-fat ricotta also prevents the cake from drying out.
Granulated Sugar: Use pure white sugar for this recipe.
Eggs: Binding agent that adds structure. Use organic eggs when possible.
Orange Zest: Orange zest contains essential oils that enhance the cake’s flavor profile. The oil molecules infuse into the batter, providing a more intense and aromatic citrus flavor than juice alone.
Pure Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor profile; you can also use a vanilla bean.
All-Purpose Flour: The base of our cake, giving it substance. I like King Arthur flour.
Baking Powder: Helps the cake rise; make sure you check the expiration date.
Kosher Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances flavors.
Buttercream Icing: This is made in one bowl with butter, fresh orange juice, orange zest, half and half (or whole milk), powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. It adds a creamy finish to the cake. It only requires a whisk, no special equipment!
How to Make
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8- or 9-inch round pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. You can also use a springform pan – just butter the sides well.
Melt the butter, then whisk it with sugar, eggs, orange zest, and vanilla in a large bowl. Stir in the ricotta until smooth. Fold in the flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the top, and tap the pan on the counter to release air bubbles. Bake for 25–35 minutes, until golden and springy. Let cool for 10 minutes, then invert onto a rack and cool completely before icing.
Orange Buttercream Icing:
Melt butter and whisk with the remaining icing ingredients until smooth. Add more cream if needed. Spread over the cooled cake and decorate with orange slices or edible flowers.
Recipe Tips
Lemon Ricotta Cake: For a refreshing lemon variation, replace the orange zest and juice with lemon zest and juice.
Gluten-Free Option: To make this cake gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
Making a Layered Cake: This recipe is designed for a single 8×8 or 9×9-inch cake. Double the recipe and divide the batter into separate pans to make a layered cake.
How to Store
This cake is best enjoyed the day it’s baked – fresh, moist, and full of flavor. If storing, wrap it tightly or keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
To freeze, skip the icing, wrap it well, and store for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp before icing and serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but keep in mind that full-fat ricotta adds a richer, creamier texture. Using low-fat ricotta may slightly alter the moistness and flavor of the cake.
Add a pinch of finely ground cinnamon or nutmeg to the batter for warmth and complexity, which pairs well with the orange flavor.
Use a microplane for fine zesting to avoid the bitter white pith, and zest directly over the batter to capture the oils released from the orange peel, which enhances flavor
More Cake Recipes You’ll Love
- My Easy Chocolate Cake Recipe
- Lavender Cake Recipe
- Easy Buttermilk Cake
- Blueberry Bundt Cake
- Homemade Cake Recipes
Let me know if you make this orange ricotta cake recipe by leaving a comment and review below.
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Orange Ricotta Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Ricotta Cake
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 4 ounces, melted
- 1 1/2 cups ricotta
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tbsp orange zest , grated from 1 medium orange
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
Orange Buttercream Icing
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tbsp orange zest
- 2 tbsp orange juice , fresh squeezed
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp heavy cream or whole milk, more or less depending on the texture of the frosting.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch or 9-inch round pan. Then, line the pan with a round piece of parchment paper. Set aside. You can use a springform pan if you'd like. Just make sure to butter the sides well.
- Melt butter in a small saucepan or a medium-size microwave-safe bowl for about 50 seconds.
- Add the melted butter, sugar, eggs, orange zest, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together until blended. Add the ricotta and stir until incorporated about 30 seconds.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the ricotta mixture and fold until the flour is incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula and hit it against the counter a few times to release bubbles.
- Place in a preheated oven and bake for 25-35 minutes or until the cake has a small dome in the center, is lightly golden brown, and springs back when lightly touched on the top.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Invert onto a cooling rack and let the cake cool completely before adding the icing. If I'm in a bind, I'll place the cake in the freezer for 10 minutes to cool quickly. You can't ice the cake when warm, as the icing will melt off.
Orange Buttercream Icing
- Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl or a small saucepan.
- Add all of the icing ingredients and whisk together until smooth and creamy. It should be easy to spread. If it is too thick, add more cream and whisk.
- Scoop and spread over the cooled cake. Decorate with orange slices or edible flowers.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So damn good and moist. The crumb is unreal. The icing is a must.
I put 1/2 cup of sugar in the batter instead of 3/4 cup and I’m glad, the cake is really sweet with the icing on top but it goes really well with a nice cup of tea 😉
I will put even less sugar in the batter next time.
Looks so yummy.
I might try it in two 6″ pans. the layers would be a bit thin maybe but it would be a cute two layer option.
Thanks for sharing the recipe