With lemon zest, creamy ricotta cheese and plump, juicy blueberries, this pound cake is summer on a plate! Drizzled with a sweet yet tangy lemon glaze, it’s dense, as a pound cake should be, and a little rich (thanks to the creamy ricotta), so thin slices are all you’ll need to satisfy your cravings.
One of my favorite ways to serve Lemon-Ricotta-Blueberry Pound Cake is as a Berry Shortcake for summer-inspired dessert. I love mixing a colorful bowl of sliced strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries in a few tablespoons of sugar and then allowing them to macerate on the counter for an hour or so. Those vibrant juices blend with the sugar, allowing it to dissolve and create a delicious sauce for the berries. Scoop a heaping ladle of berries and sauce over the pound cake, then top with a dollop of whipped cream for a fresh, colorful, and incredibly flavored crowd-pleasing or dessert — or brunch! (Trust me, they’ll be begging for more š
As a big fan of culinary lavender, I love adding it to baked goods for another layer of flavor. Sprinkle a little lavender sugar and a few lavender buds over this glazed pound cake for a subtle hint and aroma of lavender. It always seems to blend beautifully with lemon! In fact, these Lemon-Lavender Muffins with Cream Cheese Icing are another brilliant idea for your brunch or entertaining table!
As always, please share comments here, and your pics and videos of this goodness with me on Instagram. Just tag @coachedbyjan ā Iām always inspired by your interpretations on the recipes I share with you!
Lemon-Ricotta-Blueberry Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups All-Purpose Unbleached Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter At room temperature
- 1 cup Ricotta Cheese At room temperature
- 1 1/2 cup Sugar
- 3 Large Eggs At room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 tbsp Lemon Zest Divided
- 1 1/2 cups Blueberries
- 3/4 cup Powdered Sugar Sifted
- 1 tbsp Butter Melted
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp Milk
Instructions
- Set one of the oven racks in the middle of your oven and preheat to 325F. Coat a 9"x5" loaf pan with butter or cooking spray and set aside.
- Rinse the blueberries then roll them in about 1/4 cup of flour in a pie plate or shallow dish, to help prevent them from sinking to the bottom while baking.
- Add the flour, baking powder and salt to a medium bowl and whisk well to thoroughly to distribute the ingredients.
- Combine the softened butter and ricotta and the sugar ind a large bowl and beat with a hand or stand mixer for about 3 minutes, until fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly for about 1 minute after each egg. Add 1 tbsp of the lemon zest and the vanilla and beat until thoroughly incorporated into the batter.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the batter in 3 or 4 additions, until just incorporated. (Do not over-mix). Gently fold in the blueberries.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top with a rubber spatula. Place pan on a baking sheet and transfer to the middle oven rack. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Tent cake with foil after 45 minutes, if needed, to prevent over-browning. Cake should be deep golden brown.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes in the pan. When cooled, run a dull knife around the edge of the cake to ensure it is separated before gently removing it from the pan. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack before storing or icing cake.
- While cake is cooling, make the icing. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, melted butter, lemon juice, and milk until smooth. Drizzle glaze over pound cake and garnish with remaining lemon zest.