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simple glazed lemon ricotta cake

not quite pound cake and not a true lemon loaf, this cake is the perfect amount of tart. just in time for spring!
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Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients
  

for the cake

  • 8 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • zest of two lemons
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup whole milk ricotta
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

for the glaze

  • 1½ cups powdered sugar
  • juice of 1 lemon
  • pinch kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

for the cake

  • Combine the zest of two lemons with the sugar. Work together with your fingers, making sure the sugar blends well. You'll notice a difference in color - that's good!
  • Preheat the oven to 325. Line an 8.5x4.5 loaf pan with parchment or spray well with baking spray. (Think bundt-level precision, friends.)
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer (or medium mixing bowl for hand mixer) cream together butter and lemon sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Scrape the bowl and mixer attachment (paddle for stand mixer!) to ensure everything's combined.
  • While butter and sugar are going, combine your flour, salt, and baking powder. I do this in the same bowl as the sugar because I am lazy and hate dishes, but also to make sure I get the last bits of lemon zest.
  • With mixer on low add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula after the last egg. Add vanilla and mix until combined. Add ricotta and mix until just combined. Make sure to scrape the bowl/attachment again!
  • Add the flour mixture and resume mixing on low. Mix until a few streaks of flour remain, then finish mixing by hand.
  • Scrape batter into prepped loaf pan. Make sure to really coax that batter into the corners! Use an offset spatula to level the top of the batter.
  • Bake for 1 hour 5 minutes. The center will be set and a toothpick should come out with a few (very few!) crumbs or clean. You might need to bake more, but proceed with caution! Check every 2-3 minutes.
  • When done, let cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Then remove and let finish cooling on the rack. Glaze the cake while still warm.

for the glaze

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and salt. This breaks up any clumps in the sugar and avoids sifting. Win win!
  • Add lemon juice and vanilla and whisk well. Taste to see what you think! Add a bit more lemon juice if you'd like, about 1 tablespoon at a time.
  • Here's the choose-your-own-adventure part of the recipe!
    -If you want a picture-ready cake, pour the glaze over top and sides as best you can. Let the cake cool completely before serving.
    -If you want glaze allllll over that cake place the loaf on top of a piece of parchment before pouring the glaze. Once the cake is covered, lift the parchment and place cake back into the baking pan. Let cool/set in the pan before serving. This presses the glaze into the sides and bottom of the cake. This is my preference, just not as pretty.
  • Can be stored at room temp if covered tightly with plastic wrap. Enjoy within 3-4 days! If it lasts that long. 😏