Strawberry Ricotta cake – The clever meal
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This gorgeous strawberry ricotta cake is simple to make, full of sweet strawberries, creamy ricotta, and hints of vanilla and lemon. It’s moist, juicy, and delish!
Published in May 2021/Updated in June 2026
Summer, when strawberries are at their peak – juicy, soft, and flavorful – this simple Italian strawberry cake is one of our favorite ricotta dessert recipes.
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The creamy, mildly sweet ricotta creates an amazing, dense texture that pairs beautifully with strawberries and vanilla. This fresh Italian cheese, with its delicate flavor, keeps the lovely crumbs moist for days.
I mean, just look at that beauty full of juicy Strawberries! All the things you want in the perfect summer cake, without a ton of sugar, food coloring, or artificial flavoring. Just fresh ingredients and cheerful strawberries.
And it’s not too sweet, not too heavy, not too wet, it’s just right and out-of-this-world delicious.
Lastly, it’s easy to make; it looks beautiful with a simple brush of jam on top, it tastes so good, and it makes a summer dessert that everyone will love!
List of the ingredients
- Strawberries
- Whole-milk ricotta
- All-purpose flour
- Eggs
- Sugar
- Vegetable oil
- Lemon zest + vanilla
- Baking powder + pinch of salt
- Apricot jam (optional)
How to make this strawberry ricotta cake
(Note: this is a quick description, the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)
- Slice 3 or 4 strawberries for the top of the cake, and dice the others for the filling. Set aside.
- Whisk eggs and sugar together well until pale.
- Stir in the vegetable oil.
- Add the ricotta, lemon zest, and vanilla, and stir until smooth.
- Stir in the dry ingredients and mix just until combined (do not overmix).
- Pour half of the batter into a baking pan. I used this 9 x 3 inch deep.
- Scatter the diced strawberries, and top and level the rest of the batter.
- Arrange the sliced strawberries on top and bake for 40 minutes.
- To serve, brush the cake with warm jam or dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
RECIPE NOTES
Strawberry ricotta cake ingredients
Ricotta: Whole milk ricotta is best. Its fat and moisture content improve your cake’s texture. I used 1 cup/250 grams of ricotta (they don’t sell 15-oz containers here in the UK). But if you buy a large container of ricotta, check below for how to use up your leftovers!
Strawberries: The recipe is also great for using up your not-so-perfect or not-so-fresh strawberries. But if strawberries are out of season or too expensive for your tight budget, go for frozen ones; they work just fine.
Sugar: The recipe calls for only 1/2 cup, just a fraction of the amount used in regular cakes. But you can save yourself that extra sugar with such beautiful ingredients, and you won’t miss out on deliciousness!
Lemon zest + vanilla: their lovely flavors shine in this cake! You can use only zest or vanilla if that’s all you have, but don’t skip both.
Vegetable oil: I used expeller-pressed canola oil (rapeseed oil here in the UK).
Flour, eggs, baking powder, and a pinch of salt: as usual in cakes.
Jam (optional): I love brushing my fruit cakes with apricot jam or honey to add an extra touch of sweetness and a lovely shine. But powdered sugar works just as well as jam.
Baking tips
1. Use room-temperature ingredients to make a smoother and well-emulsified cake batter.
2. Do not overmix the batter. This can produce gluten, which creates a dense, rubbery cake.
3. Measuring the ingredients using a kitchen scale is always the best option. If you use cups, don’t scoop the flour into your measuring cup from the bag. Use a spoon to transfer the flour from the bag into the measuring cup, rather than leveling it off. I find this post helpful in explaining the spoon & level method.
4. Preheat the oven. The rising requires a stable oven temperature. And let me state the obvious: do not open the oven door for the first 25 minutes.
5. Gently tap the filled cake pan on the counter to release trapped air and avoid large holes in the crumb.
6. Use cake stripes (optional). To prevent the cake from developing brownish edges, especially when it requires a longer baking time.
Storage tips
This ricotta and strawberry cake stays moist and fresh for 4 days at room temperature when stored in an airtight container. However, I recommend refrigerating if the room temperature is too high. It can also be frozen for up to 1 month. To serve it, thaw it in the refrigerator or let it come to room temperature.
How to use leftover ricotta?
If you buy a large container of ricotta, I promise you won’t have leftover ricotta in the fridge. Check out more ricotta recipes below!
More ricotta dessert recipes?
If you make this strawberry ricotta cake or have a question, let me know by leaving a comment. I would love to hear from you! x
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Strawberry Ricotta Cake
This gorgeous, deliciously moist strawberry ricotta cake is sure to impress! It’s simple to make, packed with juicy strawberries, flavored with vanilla and lemon, and tastes amazing.
Servings: 10
Calories: 259kcal
- 3 medium-sized eggs
- ½ cup (100 grams) sugar (caster or brown sugar)
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) oil (canola or vegetable oil)
- 1 cup (250 grams) whole-milk ricotta
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or essence)
- 1 lemon zest
- 1 ½ cup + 2 Tbsp (200 grams) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 12 oz (350 grams) strawberries, top removed
- 2 tablespoons apricot jar or powdered sugar, to decorate (optional)
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Rinse and pat dry the strawberries; remove the tops. Cut 4 strawberries lengthwise into thick 3-slice pieces for the topping, and dice the others into 1.5 cm / 1″ pieces for the filling. Set aside.
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Preheat the oven to 350°F /180°C, place the shelf in the middle position, and grease and line a 23 cm / 9″ cake pan with parchment paper (a loose-bottom cake pan is best).
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In a large bowl, stir sugar and eggs vigorously until well combined and pale. A hand or stand mixer would be g
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Stir in vegetable oil and mix well. Then add ricotta, lemon zest, and vanilla extract, and whisk or use a spatula to mix well until smooth.
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Mix flour, a pinch of salt, and the baking powder in a second bowl, then add these dry ingredients onto the liquid ingredients, stir until combined, and the flour is incorporated, but do not overmix.
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Pour half of the batter into the prepared cake pan, smooth the surface, add the diced strawberries, then top evenly and level with the rest of the batter, and arrange the strawberry slices nicely on top, pushing them lightly into the batter.
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Bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven as soon as it’s done.
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Let it rest on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes in the cake pan before removing from the pan. Brush it with warm jam while it’s still warm, or dust it with powdered sugar before serving.
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Serve at room temperature (although we also like it cold in summer!). Enjoy!
Calories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 203mg | Potassium: 121mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 187IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 116mg | Iron: 1mg
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