How to Make Lemon Cake: A Quick and Easy Recipe, Perfect for Summer

Lemon cakes are incredibly popular because not only are they easy to make, but they’re also a fantastic way to use up leftover ingredients in the kitchen, provided you have the right recipe.

Madison Eberhardt, a baker known online as @mmatildabakes, told the Express that the best way to make lemon loaf is to use an unusual ingredient.

She said: “In this lemon bread, there is one ingredient that makes it different from the others. Ricotta is a secret ingredient that makes this bread super moist and soft when baked. It also brings out the lemon flavor.”

It may sound strange, but adding ricotta to a lemon cake helps add moisture to the cake so it doesn’t dry out while baking. It also gives it a very creamy texture and the tangy flavor of the ricotta will complement the lemon flavor to make it even more delicious.

This is a fantastic summer cake to make for a picnic or party according to Madison, as it’s incredibly easy to make and is perfect for eating on a hot, lazy afternoon.

Madison said: “Not only does it look gorgeous with thinly sliced ​​almonds to garnish and a dusting of icing sugar, but it’s also a perfect light dessert to pair with any hot summer day.

“Its bright and tangy lemony taste also makes it perfect for summer! It will also perfume your home with its lemon and almond scent.”

How to make lemon bread

For the bread :

• 210 g all-purpose flour
• 200 g ricotta cheese
• 150g caster sugar
• 25g almonds
• Three tablespoons (about 45 ml) of milk
• One large egg and one egg yolk (at room temperature)
• A quarter teaspoon of salt
• A teaspoon of vanilla extract
• One and a half teaspoons of baking powder
• Two tablespoons of olive oil
• One lemon (zest and two tablespoons of lemon juice)
  

To make the icing:

• Lemon juice
• Milk
• Powdered sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a small bowl, then set the dry ingredients aside for now.

2. Grate the zest of one lemon and add the zest and sugar to a large bowl. Make sure the eggs are at room temperature, then add them to the mixture as well.

3. Whisk the sugar and eggs together until light and fluffy, then add the lemon juice, ricotta, milk and olive oil.

4. Mix until the wet ingredients are well combined, then slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, but be careful not to overmix.

5. Line a cake tin with baking paper, then pour the cake batter into the tin, then sprinkle with almonds.

6. Bake the cake batter for about 50 minutes or until risen and a toothpick comes out clean.

7. If desired, mix a little lemon juice and milk to create a glaze and pour over your warm cake.

Your delicious summer lemon bread will now be ready to serve.