This is the loaf of the summer. Incredibly moist in texture, and bright in flavor, it is sure to be a hit with the whole crowd – even if you’re not a fan of lemon desserts. The ricotta is an unlikely but welcomed addition to the zesty lemon in this loaf. It pairs perfectly with morning coffee, makes a great late-night snack and is a delicious treat in between.

❤️ Why You’ll Love Lemon + Ricotta Loaf

I’m not much of a “lemon dessert” gal, but I’m always up for trying new pairings. The thought of lemon paired with ricotta cheese sounded summery and delicious- and it was exactly that. This loaf will please everyone from adults to kids. It is sweet and zesty, moist and cakey, and an overall winner for the summer season.

🍲 Ingredients

Sourdough Discard – This is just inactive sourdough starter that hasn’t been fed. It is equal parts flour and water that has already risen and fallen and now can be added to a multitude of recipes.

Flour – unbleached all-purpose flour.

Ricotta – whole milk ricotta cheese, any brand your grocery store carries.

Lemon – the zest + juice of 3 large lemons.

Sugar – granulated sugar works best, but you can use any sugar substitute you prefer.

Salt – we love using pink Himalayan salt.

Baking powder – the leavening agent for the bread, this is what will make your bread rise.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Lemon + Ricotta Loaf

  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients with the lemon zest.
  • In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together your sugar, eggs and ricotta until combined. Add in lemon juice and sourdough discard, whisk until there are no more streaks.
  • Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk until a smooth batter forms.
  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  • Transfer the batter into a 9.5 x 5 loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.
  • While your bread is baking, make your lemon glaze by whisking together powdered sugar and lemon juice. If you want your glaze to be on the thinner side, add a splash of milk until you’ve reached your desired consistency.
  • When your loaf is done baking, let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
  • Pour the glaze directly on top of your loaf, and enjoy!

🪄 Tips and Tricks

  • Zest your lemons before you juice them.
  • If you can, let your batter rest for 15 minutes to let the discard relax and you’ll end up with a fluffier loaf.
  • Let your loaf cool fully before glazing

🗒 Variations

Here are some other lemon-flavored spring/summer desserts that you could try!


🗒 Substitutions

  • Sugar – Sugar substitute
  • Whole milk ricotta- Part skim ricotta


🗒 Best served with

  • Morning coffee
  • Cold glass of milk
  • After dinner dessert

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Store the leftover loaf in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.

🤔 Common Questions

Is sugar a dry ingredient?

Sugar is usually added with the wet ingredients.

5 from 2 votes

Sourdough Discard Lemon + Ricotta Loaf

Print recipe
This is the loaf of the summer. Incredibly moist in texture, and bright in flavor, this loaf is sure to be a hit with the whole crowd – even if you're not a fan of lemon desserts. The ricotta is an unlikely but welcomed combination. It's a delicious loaf that you'll have to make yourself to see just how wonderful it is!
Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:1 hour
Total Time:1 hour 14 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbs lemon zest zest of 3 lemons
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • ¾ cup sourdough discard
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice juice of 2-3 lemons

Lemon Glaze

  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tbs lemon juice

Instructions

  • In a small mixing bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients with the lemon zest.
  • In a medium sized mixing bowl, mix together your sugar, eggs and ricotta until combined. Add in lemon juice and sourdough discard, whisk until there are no more streaks.
  • Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk until a smooth batter forms.
  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  • Transfer the batter into a 9.5 x 5 loaf pan and bake for 1 hour.
  • While your bread is baking, make your lemon glaze by whisking together powdered sugar and lemon juice. If you want your glaze to be on the thinner side, add a splash of milk until you've reached your desired consistency.
  • When your loaf is done baking, let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
  • Pour the glaze directly on top of your loaf, and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 363kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 516mg | Potassium: 91mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 228IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Appetizer, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Bread, discard, Lemon, Sourdough, Sourdough Discard, spring, summer cake
Servings: 8
Calories: 363kcal

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5 from 2 votes

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Recipe Rating




4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    SO yummy and perfect for summer!! I did slightly under an hour in a cast iron loaf pan and it was perfect 🙂

  2. Michelle

    The Real Person!

    Author Michelle acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
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    The Real Person!

    Author Michelle acts as a real person and verified as not a bot.
    Passed all tests against spam bots. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk.
    says:

    Would it be okay to swap ricotta for cottage cheese?
    I do this in lasagna but haven’t in a desert before!