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Home » Recipes » Cakes & Pies

Ricotta Cherry Cake

By Lauren | Updated: May 28, 2025 | Published: May 28, 2025 | Leave a Comment

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This easy Ricotta Cherry Cake is made with fresh plump cherries and creamy ricotta cheese. It is topped with whipped cream and additional cherries for the perfect light summer dessert.

A slice of Ricotta Cherry Cake topped with whipped cream and a single cherry.

Because this cake is made with ricotta cheese it is super flavorful with a slightly dense and rich center. It is bursting with three cups of fresh seasonal sweet cherries and paired with a lightly sweetened vanilla whipped cream.

Need Other Summer Cake Ideas? Try this Lemon Blueberry Olive Oil Cake, Raspberry Lemon Loaf, or Salted Caramel and White Chocolate Mousse Cake.

Jump to:
  • 🥄 What To Know About Using Ricotta
  • 🍒 Pitting Cherries
  • 🛒 Ingredients
  • 📝 How to Make Cherry Ricotta Cake With Vanilla Whipped Cream
  • ✏️ Additional Tips
  • 🍴How to Serve, Store, and Freeze
  • 💖 If You're Interested in More Cake Recipes, You May Love These
  • Ricotta Cherry Cake

🥄 What To Know About Using Ricotta

In testing this recipe, I had very different results depending on what brand of ricotta cheese that I used. Some brands of ricotta are quite dense, while others have a much higher water content.

If your ricotta seems extra creamy with a high water content, you may need quite a bit more baking time in the oven, up to 10 minutes. The ricotta that I used for the timing for this recipe was thick with less water content for a baking time of 35 minutes.

Adjust your baking time as needed (depending on your ricotta) to ensure that the cake is cooked through. The top should be a medium golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the middle should come out clean.

🍒 Pitting Cherries

There are all sorts of ways to pit cherries. Here are a few options.

  • Use a small paring knife and carefully cut along the center of the cherry around the pit. Twist the cherry open and use your fingers to remove the pit. This has been my approach.
  • Use an object like a metal straw, skewer, pastry tip, or chopstick to push the pit from the stem side out the opposite side.
  • Use a cherry pitter. This may or may not be worth it (in terms of cost or the space it takes up), depending on how frequently you need to pit cherries.

🛒 Ingredients

Below are the ingredients needed to make this Ricotta Cherry Cake.

The ingredients needed to make Ricotta Cherry Cake including fresh seasonal cherries.
  • Butter: I used salted butter, softened to a warm room temperature.
  • Sugar: The recipe calls for ¾ cup of granulated sugar. It’s not overly sweet.
  • Ricotta: Use whole milk ricotta. Adjust the baking time as needed depending on the water content (how thick or thin the ricotta is). If you have extra ricotta make this Apple Ricotta Toast or Blueberry Ricotta Toast.
  • Eggs: Use large eggs, pasture-raised if possible.
  • Baking Powder: For leavening. Check to make sure it has not expired.
  • Salt: To balance/bring out flavor.
  • Vanilla Extract: Costco and other wholesale stores sell large bottles for much less per unit volume.
  • Flour: Use all purpose flour, unbleached.
  • Cherries: Use fresh cherries in season, not frozen. Cherry season is typically limited to late spring and early summer.
  • Whipped Cream (optional): Heavy cream, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar.

Variations: A few other ideas to consider: add lemon zest or lemon juice, orange zest, almond extract, or top with toasted almonds

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

📝 How to Make Cherry Ricotta Cake With Vanilla Whipped Cream

Below are the step-by-step instructions for how to make Ricotta Cherry Cake, including making homemade vanilla whipped cream topping.

Note: The recipe card with instructions, ingredient list, and quantities is included further below these step-by-step photos.

A large bowl with creamed butter and sugar and the bowl with the ricotta and eggs added.

Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan. Or line the bottom with buttered parchment paper.

Step 1. Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl combine the softened butter and granulated sugar. This can be done by hand, with a hand mixer, or with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

Step 2. Wet Ingredients: Add the ricotta cheese and eggs and combine.

The bowl with the vanilla, baking powder, and salt added, and the bowl with the flour added.

Step 3. Baking Powder, Salt, and Vanilla: Add the baking powder, salt, and vanilla and combine.

Step 4. Flour: Add the flour and combine until just incorporated. Don't overmix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

The bowl with the halved and pitted cherries added and stirred into the batter.

Step 5. Cherries: Add the halved and pitted cherries and gently combine with a spoon.

Step 6. Assemble: Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Use a spoon to gently spread the batter to the edges of the pan.

Step 7. Bake: Place the pan in the oven and bake at 350°F for 35 minutes or until the top is a medium golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Add more time if the top is not set or golden brown, particularly if your ricotta had a high water content. Allow the cake to cool, or transfer to a wire rack to cool faster.

Optional Whipped Cream: While the cake is cooling, make the whipped cream. Add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar to a large bowl. Whip, starting on low and gradually increasing to medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 5-7 minutes.

Top the cooled cake with the whipped cream and additional cherries for garnish.

✏️ Additional Tips

Don't Overmix: Overmixing the flour will develop gluten, which will create a more dense cake. Developing gluten is a good thing when you want a nice chewy pizza crust, but not when you want a light and fluffy cake.

Ricotta Cheese Water Content: Pay attention to how liquidy your ricotta cheese is. If it is quite liquidy, you may need more baking time than indicated below, up to 10 minutes.

Pitting Cherries: Pit and halve the cherries before starting to make the cake. This way the batter doesn't sit while you spend the time pitting the cherries. This helps the baking powder to be more effective for a better rise.

🍴How to Serve, Store, and Freeze

  • To Serve: Serve on its own, sprinkled with powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar), or topped with fresh whipped cream and additional cherries.
  • To Store: Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge for 2-3 days.
  • To Freeze: If you plan to freeze the cake, do not top the entire cake with whipped cream, as the cream will not freeze well. I'd recommend cutting the cake in slices and freezing a few slices together in an airtight container for freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Ricotta Cherry Cake on a white cake stand topped with whipped cream and extra cherries.

💖 If You're Interested in More Cake Recipes, You May Love These

  • An Olive Oil Carrot Cake with two layers, cream cheese frosting and topped with chopped pecans.
    Olive Oil Carrot Cake
  • A square slice of Banana Cake covered in chocolate frosting on a light background with other cake pieces nearby.
    Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting
  • A two layer Lemon Blueberry Mascarpone Cake with lemon curd filling and mascarpone fosting.
    Lemon Blueberry Mascarpone Cake
  • The Meringue Roulade with a cracked white crispy exterior and a lemon filling on a white marble board.
    Meringue Roulade

If you try this Ricotta Cherry Cake or any other recipe on my site, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Every comment helps!

A slice of Ricotta Cherry Cake topped with whipped cream and a single cherry.

Ricotta Cherry Cake

This easy Ricotta Cherry Cake is made with fresh plump cherries and creamy ricotta cheese. It is topped with whipped cream and additional cherries.
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes mins
Cook Time 35 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Author Lauren Skardal
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 329 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • ¼ cup butter, softened
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1½ cups whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour (175 grams)
  • 3 cups halved and pitted cherries

Whipped Cream (optional)

  • 1½ cups heavy cream
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan.
  • In a large bowl, combine the softened butter and granulated sugar. This can be done by hand, with a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
  • Add the ricotta cheese and eggs and combine.
  • Add the baking powder, salt, and vanilla extract, and combine. Add the flour and combine.
  • Lastly, add the halved and pitted cherries and use a large spoon to gently combine the cherries with the batter.
  • Add the batter to the prepared springform pan, spreading it out to cover the pan. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes or until the top is a medium golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
    Add more time if the top is not set or golden brown, particularly if your ricotta had a high water content.
    See note below for more details about the baking time.

Whipped Cream (optional)

  • While the cake is cooling, make the whipped cream. In a large mixing bowl, add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar. Beat on low until small bubbles start to form, then increase to medium. Continue whipping the cream for 5-7 minutes or until stiff peaks form.
  • Allow the cake to fully cool before topping with whipped cream and additional cherries.

Notes

Ricotta Cheese Water Content: Pay attention to how liquidy your ricotta cheese is. If it is quite liquidy, you may need more baking time than indicated in the recipe, up to 10 minutes.
Don't Overmix: Overmixing the flour will develop gluten, which will create a more dense cake. Developing gluten is a good thing when you want a nice chewy pizza crust, but not when you want a light and fluffy cake.
Pitting Cherries: Pit and halve the cherries before starting to make the cake. This way the batter doesn't sit while you spend the time pitting the cherries. This helps the baking powder to be more effective for a better rise.

Nutrition

Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 382mg | Potassium: 171mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 783IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 157mg | Iron: 1mg
Have you tried this recipe? Leave a comment below and share a photo on instagram and tag @elleandpear or #elleandpear. I'd absolutely love to hear from you and see what you're making!

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Lauren sitting at table in Tuscany with a glass of wine, charcuterie and rolling green hills and winery in the background.

I'm Lauren, I've worked in Finance, earned an MBA, and lived and traveled throughout Europe and the US. I love to cook and bake, and bring our family together around the table. Recipes shared here are real family recipes with real fresh ingredients inspired by our travels.

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