Ingredients:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾ cup butter, room temperature
1 ½ cups whole milk ricotta cheese
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 ½ tablespoon lemon zest (about 2 large lemons)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Lemon Glaze:
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon whole milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
few pinches of salt
¾ cup powdered sugar
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 5 by 3 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper (click on the following link to see my blog on how to cut parchment paper to seamlessly fit a bread loaf pan). One Sheet Parchment Paper Hack
2. Using a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, ricotta cheese and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined (about 20 seconds per egg). Add lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla. Mix until combined. Add the flour mixture a little at a time until just incorporated, making sure not to over mix.
4. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.
Helpful hint: To keep your pound cake from sinking at the top into a crater. Here is a way to help remove the bubbles in the batter (it will still sink a little, but not nearly as much). Set a kitchen towel on the kitchen counter. After pouring the batter into the loaf pan, pick up the loaf pan by both ends.
A. Tap the loaf pan with a good amount of force on the kitchen towel.
B. Shake and move the loaf pan from your left to your right.
C. Shake and move the loaf pan away from you and then towards you.
Repeat A, B and C about 4 times. Bubbles will now appear on top of the batter and will result in a more evenly baked pound cake.
5. Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove pan from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Place a large plate over the pan and flip the pound cake out. Remove the parchment paper. Place a separate large plate over the pound cake and flip the cake onto the plate right side up. Let cool for 45 minutes.
6. For the lemon glaze: Using a medium size sauce pan on medium heat. Add butter until melted. Add milk, vanilla, lemon juice and a few a pinches of salt, whisk until combined. Whisk in the powdered sugar a little at a time until very well combined. Quickly pour the mixture over the top of the pound cake and use a flat rubber spatula to spread the glaze, letting some of it dribble down the sides.