Ricotta Olive Oil Cake Recipe
Published September 21, 2022. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This incredibly moist and flavorful Ricotta Olive Oil Cake Recipe loaded with lemon and almonds will quickly become your favorite. You will not believe just how tasty and tender this cake is.
In my family, we need a sweet to finish every meal, and if there’s a cake, there are extra smiles. If you have a similar family, then you must try my Funfetti Cake or Tres Leches.
Olive Oil Cake
Olive oil cake is a simple cake that uses olive oil to help flavor and hydrate the cake for flavor and moisture. The flavors of the olive oil are subtle, but the result is a very moist cake with gentle lemon flavors from the lemon zest. While this is a classic Mediterranean cake, I push in on the Italian region and use Ricotta cheese to assist with flavor and moistness.
This is a very easy-to-make cake and is one of my most popular cake recipes. Do not let the “olive oil” in this recipe frighten you. It is extremely light and fluffy and nothing short of delicious. See the video below for detailed instructions for making this.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Ricotta – Use a good full-fat ricotta cheese. If you can get ahold of a true sheep’s milk ricotta, even better.
- Oil – Use good virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil will give too strong of a flavor.
- Sugar – Granulated sugar is what you will need for this recipe.
- Lemon – The zest of lemon will give great flavors to this olive oil cake.
- Eggs – Large eggs that are chilled or at room temperature work great.
- Flour – You will need all-purpose flour and almond flour for this recipe.
- Leavening Agents – Both baking powder and baking soda is used in this cake.
- Salt – I always use sea salt in my recipes.
How to Make a Ricotta Olive Oil Cake
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the ricotta, olive oil, sugar, and lemon zest until completely combined.
Next, add in one egg at a time and mix to incorporate before adding in the next one.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, almond meal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Whisk well to ensure all clumps are removed.
Transfer the dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and whisk together until everything is combined.
Pour the batter into a 9″ springform pan and bake for 60-70 minutes or until golden brown on top of the cake and firm in the center. You can add a parchment paper round to the bottom of the pan.
Place the lemon ricotta cake onto a wire rack and let it cool to room temperature before decorating and serving.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this cake up to 1 day ahead of time.
How to Store: Cover and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. Place it in the refrigerator and cover it for up to 5 days. You can freeze this covered for up to 3 months and thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before serving.
How to Serve: Pull the cake out and let it sit for 1 hour at room temperature before serving.
Chef Notes + Tips
- Use finely ground almond flour. This is also known as almond meal.
- There are a few ways that you can finish off this cake. You can do it by simply sprinkling on some powdered sugar, or you can decorate it with some whipped cream, lemon slices, and fresh mint.
- For more lemon flavor, feel free to add lemon juice from 1 lemon.
- This is not a gluten-free cake.
- Feel free to also serve with fresh berries.
- Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract to the wet ingredients if you want added flavor.
More Cake Recipes
Video
Ricotta Olive Oil Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups of ricotta
- 2/3 cup of olive oil
- 1 ½ cups of sugar
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ cups ap flour
- 3/4 cup of almond meal
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/3 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the ricotta, olive oil, sugar, and zest until completely combined.
- Next, add in one egg at a time, and they are completely mixed in.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, almond meal baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Whisk well to ensure clumps are removed.
- Transfer the dry ingredients to your wet ingredients and whisk together until everything is combined.
- Pour the batter into a 9" spring form pan and bake for 60-70 minutes or until browned on top and firm in the center.
- Place the cake onto a cooling rack and let it cool to room temperature before decorating and serving.
So hefty when it comes out of the oven yet somehow light and deliciously moist. Served it with raspberry jam and it was gone in 3 days.
Back again! This is my go-to cake. I’ve substituted Chobani low sugar fruit youghurt for the eggs, for my egg-allergic family and friends. And I’ve used dried lemon peel when I am missing fresh lemons. Still turns out wonderful! It’s even good a little stale (a rare occurrence) drenched with a fresh fruit compote.
Aside from being very easy to make, this cake has a lovely lemon flavour and fantastic texture. It is a keeper. I followed the recipe and didn’t make any changes. I did not add the powdered sugar and found it sweet enough. One question, what size portion does the nutritional information provided apply? Thank you!
that info is at the top of the recipe card.
Can this be made with mascarpone instead of ricotta? I cannot find whole milk ricotta anywhere around me and any ricotta I get is very grainy.
Fantastic! I’ve made it twice and it’s already a family favorite. The time in the oven is different on the video, and I think the video is correct. I definitely like the lemon juice addition.
I made the Ricotta Olive Oil cake for my granddaughter’s birthday. She’s turning three and not a fan of sweet or chocolate. The lemon flavor was perfect. I served it with whipped cream, which she loves. It was moist and had a great bouncy texture. I’m sure will be requested in the future.
The easiest and most delicious cake I’ve ever made. Perfect for the quick fix for a sweet tooth or unexpected guests.
I substituted ground walnuts for the almond flour (it’s what I had) and it worked fine.
Billy, should flours always be sifted before measuring or only if the recipe tells you to?
Only if the recipe says so.
Thank you ChefBilly had a desire for a cake fabulous cake 🍰 tasty 😋
Thank you ChefBilly was looking for a fluffy soft cake spot on yes tasty 💗😋😁
Made it for my birthday, absolutely delicious!!
love it!
Made this out of sheer curiosity. Gifted pieces of it to several of my foodie friends and it was a hit!
Easy peasy to make and yummy!
love it!
Superb cake! Have made this multiple times with a few adjustments….. use 1 cup of sugar, zest/juice from 2 lemons. Have also tried it with gluten free flour and it works!
Did you use just regular gluten free flour?
Easy to make and great taste. Love your videos.
Easy to prepare and delicious 🌟
Love it, my hubby fav!
Soooo delicious. I make it every time I have company and it is always a hit!
appreciate you trying it
Made this and shared with my foodie friends. It got rave reviews!
I did in fact add juice of 1 fresh lemon.
Dusted with Powdered Sugar, perfectly yum 😋
Printed recipe making again this weekend for more foodie friends 🤣🙌🏻
Thanks Chef Billy 👊🏻
love it!
Followed some of the comments and added some freshly squeezed lemon juice, about tablespoon, served with limoncello whipped cream. Great cake – light, fluffy, moist – will be making again! Thank you!
Everyone loved it!
perfect!!
This is, by far, the best ricotta cake I have ever had! I made it for a party and when I tell you that the last piece literally went into a bidding war, I’m not joking – people were offering money to one another for the last piece. The perfect balance of ricotta, olive oil and the blend of two flours gives this cake its amazing crumb. I had purchased a bottle of lemon infused olive oil from my local farmers market and used it in this recipe – so good! I’ll be purchasing another bottle at the next market. The lemon infused olive oil, together with the lemon zest and the nutty almond notes from the almond flour, makes this cake a food memory. Love all your recipes, please keep sharing . . .
love it!
I made this cake as my birthday treat for friends. It is one of the best cakes I have made . The taste and texture were both exquisite. I live in India where ricotta cheese is not easily available. I substituted it with paneer (freshly made cottage cheese). It turned out to be excellent.
Many many thanks Chef Billy Parisi for sharing your recipes and your passion for cooking. Your videos are always a delight to watch and leave me feeling good about life. All the best.
many thanks!
I made this cake last night using part skim ricotta and it was the best cake ever – it was so moist and the texture was wonderful. We had it again this morning with our coffee and pretended we were back in Italy sitting at a cafe in Rome. I’m going to make it again this weekend for dinner guests using whole ricotta to see the difference. Even with all the lemon zest, it was a touch underwhelming so next time I’m adding more lemon juice or even better Limoncello!
Thanks Billy – love watching you and your recipes are great and your teaching techniques are perfect.
thanks for giving it a shot!!
Can I use part skim ricotta instead?
yes
Hello
Was wondering if I could use avocado oil instead of olive oil.
Thank you
Without testing it, I’m not sure.
Was wondering about almond meal but I read now that you could use ground almond flour I don’t have either one of those so I guess I’ll go to the store to get some almond flour before I make this cake. It sounds so delicious. Thank you for sharing some of your delicious recipes with us. When my family tells me how great it is how good it tastes, I feel like a chef to at times. Let’s Cook
Hello Mary,
I did not have almond meal or flour at home. So I simply ground raw almonds in the blender. It worked fine. I hope this suggestion helps you. Chef Billy will be able to tell us if this was ok or not.
Have fun!
goes really well with ice cream. we skipped the powdered sugar on top, was still absolutely delish!
so good!!
I made this yesterday & it did not disappoint. I took it out at 50 mins as it seemed done, and it was, but probably could have come out 5-10 mins earlier and been more moist. Your video says 45-50 mins, but the written recipe says 60-70 mins which is definitely too long. I assume that’s a typo?
Cake was yummy , very moist and so easy to make.
Does it actually need 1 tablespoon of baking powder . It seems like a lot .
yes, don’t change a thing.
Bravo 🙂 I made this 2nite and it was Amazing 🙂 I used my 9″x 3 ” pan with parchment on the bottom. I let it cool as instructed and it released from the pan perfectly 🙂 This is delicious Chef 🙂 its a keeper 🙂 thank you so much 🙂
fantastic!
Hi Chef,
Is it possible to use honey instead of sugar and if so, how much honey would you suggest?
Thanks!
Without testing it, I’m not sure on the amounts.
Made it for my birthday and spread fresh raspberry jam on the top 100% delicious
excellent!
This has been one of my favorite recipes to make because it is so easy and tastes amazing. It is moist and not too sweet. I like it warm with some whip cream. I also add 1 tspn of Almond extract which complements the almond meal and a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
Love it!
This is one of the easiest and tasty cakes I ever made! I was hesitant that it wouldn’t be lemony enough for me, but have no fear – the zest was enough. The flavors were better the next day as well. The cake has a delicate crumb and the subtle texture of the top “crust” was delightful. If you are looking for a showstopper that doesn’t take half a day to make, this is the recipe to try!
Perfect!
Served it at a bbq, amazing recipe.
Perfect!
This cake is so delicious! And easy to make.
Awesome!
Warning: DON’T make this cake when you are hungry!!!!!! The hardest part is waiting for the cool and the smell is too tempting!!! Awesome dessert! Easy too. I love making things and after the 1st try I get it right.
Thanks Chef!!!!
From one of your dedicated commies!
thanks for giving it a shot!!
We certainly did.Chef Parisi this was a winner winner easy cake to make .IT WAS DELICIOUS WE ALL LOVED IT..♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Perfect!
We loved this elegant and easy to make recipe. It’s a great way to follow up a spring or summer time meal.
Yes. so good!!
I have made this a few times and its always come out DIVINE! Light, fluffy, moist and delicious. Each time, I have doubled the lemon rind and used a bit less than 1c sugar, and its wonderful! A bit more tangy and less sweet – just the way I like it! QUESTION: I would like to bake this for my mother who is gluten-intolerant. If I use all almond meal, instead of both almond and AP flour… How much almond meal should I use? And what else should I adjust or add to make it work well?
Amazing!
This cake is so easy to make. It sure doesn’t taste like it, though!! I think the flavor and texture were better the second day than the first, and if you are dusting with powdered sugar wait to dust it till you are ready to serve or just before guests arrive. DON’T SMIP THIS RECIPE!!!
Would a Bundt pan work?
It could.
Truly great recipe, my family loved it.
I made this for Thanksgiving this year. It was a great hit, and the first desert to disappear. Absolutely delicious!
Question regarding almond flour. I have nut allergies is the family. Can I substitute Almond for Coconut?
Thanks.
no
Is almond meal the same as almond flour if not where do I buy almond meal. Or do I ground almonds. Thanks
yes
I have a question, can I make this recipe in two 1 lb loaf pans?
I think you probably could.
So yummy and so easy to prepare.
Instead of AP flour could you substitute it with arrowroot flour?
No
This looks perfect for a company dinner dessert. Our issue is gluten. Is there a general substitute you can recommend for ap flour? Probably a blend? I’ve tried the ATK blend, dense and dry results.
Thank you for continuing to teach us what we thought we already knew.
Hi Billy . Love your video, recipes and lessons. My husband is diabetic he stickley controls it through his diet. He can cheat one in awhile so when I bake I usually do half sugar half splenda. Can I do this with the Ricotta Olive Oil Cake ?
I made this yesterday. My neighbor makes olive oil cake pretty often. Was curious with this recipe with the addition of almond flour. It came out very good. Cake was soft, flavorful and fragrant. I did make it with orange zest instead of lemon as that’s what I had handy. Cake baked up easily and the crust of it had a little crispiness to the texture. Was a big hit with the neighbors. Would make again either with lemon zest or orange zest. Thank you Chef!
Hi Billy! Love your videos and recipes and cooking lessons. I’ve just made the Riccata Olive Oil Cake. We have electric ovens, not my former gas one, which I prefer. I baked the cake at 350⁰ as you indicated, but my cake was verry brown 20 min early. I tested it and the knife came out with batter, so I tented it with foil and let it finish, tho tested at 45 min to be sure. I’d set timer for 55 min, and at that time the cake was done.
Is this an issue with electric ovens? Should I cook the cake at 325⁰ instead? It will be cooled completely!!
I’ll serve it tomorrow evening, so won’t add conf sugar and lemons till then. Wondering if I should put the cooled cake in an old-fashioned tupperware cake container with a sealed lid? Or wrap in foil to keep it moist?
Thanks for your thoughts.
It smells terrific!!
If I don’t have enough ricotta (10 oz instead of 12) can I substitute plain yogurt something else or just make it with a little less ricotta?
I think you could and it would be ok.
Can I leave out the almond flour if I do not have it and use all ap flour?
no
I served this for Easter dessert. What a hit! It’s easy to make & delicious! This recipe is a keeper! I did however, grease the springform pan (mine isn’t non-stick). I also found 1/3 t. of soda curious…all my teaspoons go from 1/4 to 1/2.
I made this cake this evening for Easter dinner dessert. I seriously have never eaten or made a dessert as decadent as this. This recipe is a masterpiece and I don’t say that lightly. My tongue did flips. It was so flavorful and yet subtle, so light and airy. The moistness made it melt in my mouth. This should win awards! I will always use this recipe as a new family heirloom. What a showstopper! My guests raved about it. Thank you for continuing to bless us with your God given gifts!
I made this cake and it was beyond delicious! Moist tasty easy to make a definite home run!
Do you have to grease the pan before adding the cake mixture?
no, because you use a springform pan which is already non-stick.
Can I use a 10″ springform?
yes, but you cooking time will likely need to decrease.
If you use a 10″, as I have, the cake cooks a bit faster and it tends to flatten out in the middle, still good, but for 10 bucks get a 9″ pan if you can.
What a cake – I started out wanting to make cookies but I love baked goods with olive oil – amazing! I accidentally used 15 oz of ricotta – I guess the recipe technically calls for 12 oz. I also suggest adding in the juice of a lemon. Will make this again and again
So this is week 4 of me as a baker. I’ve been on a steep learning curve to fine tune my results. I couldn’t wait to try this recipe so this week I did. I swapped in cake flour for the all purpose flour but otherwise I followed the directions exactly. I’ve made some pretty fancy cakes before today but this one got RAVE reviews from my family. Best cake yet they tell me. I’m so thrilled. It is delicious and so easy. Will definitely make this again and again
Hi,
Do you think it would work out well if I substituted the ap flour for almond flour then the almond meal for coconut flour? I did a zucchini bread with a mix of both; it was incredible! and similarly I did less on the coconut flour only about 2 tbsp actually and it came out super moist and delicious and more fluffy than dense in regards to that type of bread…but I’m not sure if it might work here.
I’m sure you could, but the hydration amount would obviously change a bit.
I have both almond meal and almond flour (and, of course ap flour) in my pantry. Which of the almond (meal or flour) would you use to create the best texture for this cake? Thank you!
Both the meal and flour will work fine.
Thank you!
I cannot wait to make this….heading to the store soon! I am happy to see you using Bob’s Red Mill! I live in Portland, OR – lucky me!!
Have you visited his facility and store? Going there is like a school field trip for me!
Thanks for your easy to follow ways!
Yes, was there a few summer’s ago.
Can l use extra virgin olive oil or does it have to be olive oil?
you can use extra virgin if you’d like.
I am so glad you didn’t use metrics in your recipe♥️I had a recipe for ciambella but all the ones I had were incomplete by at least 2 or more ingredients. I love tjis one and made it in a ring pan which was perfect!🤗
Hi Billy,
I’ve made this cake several times and it is so delicious but it always seems a little sunken in the middle. I did test it before I took it out if the oven and it was done.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes!
Interesting. Sunken middle can mean over mixed or just needs a few extra minutes in the oven, or even something completely different. Glad you all like it!!
Make sure you have a 9″ pan, I think 10″ are more common and it works for this cake, but it tends to fatten in a bigger pan. A 9″ pan is 10 bucks…
Can this cake be made in a square pan instead of a round pan!
I don’t see why not?!
I made your cake today, I halved the quantities as it’s just for my husband and I.
Half the quantities brought the ricotta cheese to 190 g and the olive oil to 68 g, I used 84 g of soft white flour (freshly milled) and 68 g of sugar, but I would reduce the sugar even more next time. I ground the almonds myself, skins and all, and used 2 eggs. Baked at 350F, ready after 37 minutes (checked with instant thermometer).
It’s really, really good, though a little oily… it rose beautifully in the oven, but settled back once cool (even thought I left it in the turned off oven to cool).
Overall, a good cake. I wonder what I can do to avoid the cake falling back. I like the texture although mine is a lot denser than the slice shown in your photo. This was my first time ever using olive oil in a cake.
Can this be made using only almond flour? Thank you
You probably could, just will most likely turn out a bit different as far as texture is concerned. Also may not rise as much.
I made this cake today and it was amazing. I used only ap flour (no almond since I’m not a fan of that flavor). My only downside comment is that the cake took well over an hour to bake. At 50 minutes it was still completely wet in the center. In fact it was an hour and 15 minuets before a cake tester came out clean. By then the top was overly brown. But no matter…it was still delicious and everyone loved it.
I thought it should’ gone into a larger pan but then later read your “thick cake “ comment and I agree with that. I have a good oven that’s fairly new, but now I’m wondering if it’s thermostat is off.
I adjusted the time a bit, but my oven runs kind of hot so that may have been a difference. In order to offset the browning try covering it with foil. Thanks for trying and I’m glad you enjoyed it!