Soft, sweet, tart, and refreshing, my Strawberry Lemonade Ricotta Cake is the perfect poolside treat for those hot days of summer. And there’s nothing like the strawberry swirl here to elevate a simple cake to something truly memorable.
Strawberry Lemonade Ricotta Cake
When I’m hosting friends for a pool party, I love to keep things chic by including a dessert with just a touch of whimsy. Hot summer days and poolside entertaining bring to mind the ultimate thirst quencher, and for me, that has to be tart strawberry lemonade. The flavors are a true crowd pleaser—and the color! So inviting and pretty in pink. When I dreamed up a sweet to serve at my elegant pool party, I decided to play with those classic flavors and colors to create something truly memorable.
Enter my Strawberry Lemonade Ricotta Cake: sweet, tart, and oh-so-pretty, with ribbons of strawberry running throughout. I use a traditional lemon ricotta cake as the base, which gives the cake a tender, delicate crumb that’s perfect for summer. I then puree fresh strawberries and swirl them into the batter before baking. A tart lemon glaze brings all of those bright flavors together.
This is a beautiful and memorable dessert to serve to your guests, and I love how effortlessly it blends simplicity with something a little more elevated. It’s exactly the kind of sweet that fits a chic summer gathering with ease. Serve it with dollops of whipped cream, or do it my favorite way—cut the cake into wedges and tuck each one into a napkin so your guests can truly enjoy it poolside.
Strawberry Lemonade Ricotta Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Start by making the strawberry swirl. In a blender, blend together the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice until smooth (add a splash of water if necessary to blend). Then transfer to a small saucepan and cook over medium low heat until reduced to about half a cup. Let cool and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9" springform pan and set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Then add in ricotta, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients–flour, baking powder, and salt. Working in batches, add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.
- Spread 2/3rds of the batter into the prepared pan and smooth. Then add in dollops of the strawberry puree, saving a bit for the top. Add in the rest of the batter and smooth. Dollop the rest of the strawberry puree on top. Using a toothpick, gently swirl the whole cake. Be careful not to overmix here as you're looking to create swirls, not just turn the whole cake pink.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling, whisk together the lemon juice, powdered sugar, and lemon zest for the glaze. Add a bit more lemon juice or water to get a consistency that is a bit runny. Once the cake has cooled, pour the glaze on top and spread gently with a spoon. Let it set, then top with a few extra strawberries. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Hosting Tips
- The strawberry puree can also be made with frozen strawberries that are thawed, for convenience.
- I like to add a few fresh strawberries on top for presentation.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter–stop when everything is just combined. Ricotta brings a soft crumb to the cake, and you’ll lose that if it’s overmixed.
- If you’d prefer to have slices of strawberry inside the cake rather than the swirled puree, just dust them with flour first so they don’t sink to the bottom of your cake.
- The cake can be made in advance and kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days if you’d like to keep things stress free at your pool party.
A Beautiful Cake for Sunny Days
My Strawberry Lemonade Ricotta Cake just feels like sunshine to me. It always evokes the smell of sunscreen, and lazy hot days by the pool, looking for a little treat. I like to serve it alongside my other elegant poolside snacks that include a savory pizza popcorn, spicy hot honey pepperoncini Chex mix, and piña colada spritzes. It’s the perfect way to host friends for fun in the pool while also adding a touch of style.
This cake would also make an elegant addition to my picnic menu. I can just imagine adding it to the turkey, plum, and brie sandwiches and couscous salad on that menu and heading off for a beach day. Or add it as a dessert to my Spring Brunch menu–its the kind of cake guests love to enjoy in the morning as the tart flavor is a bit of a pick-me-up.
The truth is this cake is perfect any time of day, any time of year. But there’s nothing like enjoying it poolside, with friends lounging, the music vibing, and the coconut drinks flowing.
