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Blueberry Ricotta Pudding Cake: A fluffy, airy cake batter made with butter, lemon, creamy ricotta cheese, and vanilla, swirled with sweet blueberries and baked into an almost pudding-like texture. This blueberry pudding cake is extra special thanks to ribbons of blueberry jam and whipped egg whites that create its unique, melt-in-your-mouth feel. It’s light, delicious, and just a little unexpected. Top with flaked sea salt and plenty of whipped cream for the perfect anytime treat!
When I first decided to bake this cake, I honestly thought—this could either be amazing…or a complete disaster.
I was trying to combine a few different cake ideas into one. And with baking, you just never know until you pull it out of the oven! I had this vision of a fluffy, soft cake with a slightly pudding-like center—light, tender, and filled with juicy blueberries.
I’ll admit, I was a little nervous. But to my surprise (and total excitement!), the very first version turned out just right! It was pretty, delicious, and actually not too tricky to make.
The inspiration for this recipe came from my mom. She loves anything with a creamy, pudding-like texture, so the minute she heard what I was dreaming up, she insisted I had to make it.
And honestly, I think this would make the perfect Mother’s Day cake. A little more special than your typical blueberry cake, but still simple and so, so good!
Let me tell you the details
- salted butter
- granulated sugar
- lemon zest
- whole milk ricotta cheese – or you can use sour cream too
- eggs – be sure to separate the whites from the yolks
- vanilla extract
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- fresh or frozen blueberries – if using frozen blueberries, do not thaw
- blueberry jam
- so much whipped cream
Ingredients for the glaze
- lemon juice
- powdered sugar
- course sugar
- flaked or coarse salt
Special Tools
It’s helpful to have an electric mixer. I use a hand mixer to make the batter, then a stand mixer to whip the egg whites. But you could certainly use one or the other for both. You’ll also need a mixing bowl, 9-inch cake pan or springform, and a spatula.
Steps
Step 1: make the batter
In a bowl, beat the butter with the sugar and lemon zest until it’s well whipped. Now add in 3 egg yolks, the ricotta cheese, and vanilla. Next, add the dry ingredients, then mix in the milk.
Get the batter as smooth as possible to make mixing in the egg whites easy.
Step 2: whip the egg whites
Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. This will take around 3 minutes.
Now, gently and slowly use a spatula to mix the whipped whites into the batter. The whipped eggs will help create a pudding-like center to the cake.
Step 3: the blueberries and the swirl
Before mixing the blueberries into the batter, I like to toss them with a small amount of flour. This prevents the berries from sinking to the bottom of the cake as it bakes.
Now mix the berries into the batter.
Finally, swirl the top with blueberry jam. The extra jam will make the cake really pretty. Don’t skip!
Step 4: baking
Now it’s time to bake. This will take about 50 to 60 minutes. The more you bake the cake, the less pudding-like the center will be. I bake mine for 55 minutes and tent the cake with foil at 30 minutes to prevent the top from browning too much.
Step 5: the glaze
This is a very very light glaze. Just lemon juice, a little powdered sugar, coarse sugar, and the flaked salt.
Pour the glaze over the warm cake. Let set for a few minutes.
Step 6: serving with so much whipped cream
I love to slice the cake while it’s still warm and dollop it with lightly whipped vanilla cream. I use A LOT of whipped cream. It’s our favorite!
Vanilla ice cream would be yummy too, but we prefer whipped cream for this cake!
Make Ahead
If you’d like to prepare the cake a few days in advance, it stores really well. Just be sure to keep it covered and in a cool place (with no whipped cream on top). Making this the perfect make-ahead cake for brunch or dessert!
Looking for other baking recipes? Here are my favorites:
Chocolate Chip Espresso Yogurt Cake
5 Minute Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Mug Cake
Maple Banana Bread with Cinnamon Spice Butter
Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake
Lemon Strawberry Dutch Baby with Ricotta Cream
Lastly, if you make this Blueberry Ricotta Pudding Cake, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Bursting Blueberry Ricotta Pudding Cake
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 358 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons) salted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup milk or cream, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 tablespoon whole wheat or all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons blueberry jam
- whipped cream, for serving
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons coarse sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- flaked salt
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. 2. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the egg yolks, beating to combine. Mix in the ricotta and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat until smooth, then stream in the milk. Mix until combined.3. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, whisk the eggs whites until stiff peaks form, 3 to 5 minutes. Gently mix the whites into the batter until the batter is smooth with no streaks.4. Toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour. Mix the berries into the batter. 5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Swirl in the blueberry jam, leaving streaks of jam throughout the batter. Bake 50-60 minutes, tenting with foil at 30 minutes. The longer you bake, the more set your cake will become. I bake mine for 55 minutes. 6. To make the glaze. In a bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together all ingredients. The glaze will be thin. Pour the glaze over the cake. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
This post was originally published on April 29, 2025
Cake tasted good, but mine was not a moist texture like pudding cake usually is. I left it in for 55 min, I probably should have removed around 45 min. It tasted good thought, I just put double the icing on the top to try to add some moisture back into the cake.
Thanks so much for making this recipe, Anne! So glad to hear it was enjoyed. Yes, I would definitely just reduce your bake time next time! xx
Brought this to my cooking club and everyone seemed to like it. Likely will make again this spring with a few mods. Couple thoughts for others: -If one is using frozen blueberries, the frozen blueberries makes it almost impossible to swirl in blueberry jam as the butter freezes in the cake and the batter becomes stiff. -You must tent this cake or it is very brown. -If you want any chance of a pudding cake texture, start checking on your cake at 45 min. I have a cooler oven and usually have to add time but not with this recipe. -If your cake is a little dry, add more lemon juice to your glaze and that could help with texture. I double the lemon juice in the glaze. -Cake pairs well if you substitute half the vanilla extract for almost extract in your whipped cream recipe.
Hey Shal,
Happy Monday! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, so glad it turned out well! Thanks for sharing all of your notes. xx
On your Instagram stories you added raspberries to this as well as yogurt instead of ricotta. If I want to modify to what you did, what adjustments do I need to make for the additional moisture from the berries?
Hi Morgan,
I used the same amount of ingredients, I didn’t change any of measurements. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx
So did you do 1 1/2 cups total of blueberries and raspberries, or 1 1/2 cups each?
I did 1 1/2 cups total berries:)
what about the yogurt? where is it? you mean instead of the ricotta cheese? the same amount? thanks a lot!
Yes, I used an equal amount of yogurt in place of the ricotta. You can also use sour cream:)
hi, is it better to use cake flour if I have or better using all purpose flour for this cake? thanks!
I personally have not tested this recipe with cake flour, so I would do the all purpose flour for best results:)
Have you ever tried using 1:1 gluten free flour in this recipe? I need to keep recipes GF. Think it will translate without modification?
Hi Diane,
I haven’t tested this myself, but it should work for you. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try! xx
Amazing I threw in some raspberries as well. A definite keeper It was so moist and bursting with so much flavor. I put some coconut whipped cream on top. Heaven
Thanks so much, Marie! Love to hear this:) Happy Monday! xT
How many ways can you say YUM😋. I don’t even like blueberries or cake and I love this recipe! I made this for my husband who loves anything blueberry and it was a big hit. I followed the recipe exactly (except substituted blackberry jam for the blueberry jam as I could not find any). It came out perfectly, including the pudding center. I baked it for 56 minutes. Of course I topped it with homemade vanilla whipped cream. I wouldn’t change a thing and will definitely be making this again!
Thanks so much, Tracy! Love to hear this recipe turned out well for you. I appreciate you making it! Have a great weekend! xx
I made this cake last night- it was flavorful and delicious! I’ll be saving the recipe to make again.
Hey Susan,
Happy Friday!! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe and your comment, I’m so glad to hear it was enjoyed! xx
The flavor was ok, but mine didn’t turn out pudding like either.
Hi Janet,
Thanks for trying this cake and sharing your feedback, sorry to hear you didn’t love it! xx
Can this be frozen?
Hi Esther,
Yes, you can freeze this:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
How was this tested more than once when you said “ I’ll admit, I was a little nervous. But to my surprise (and total excitement!), the very first version turned out just right! It was pretty, delicious, and actually not too tricky to make.”
Hi Janet,
This turned out well the first time, but I still continue to test my recipes after the first round just to be sure:) Let me know if you give this cake a try! xx
This cake tasted good but was not a pudding cake really. I baked for 50 min because I wanted it to be super moist and soft like pudding cakes are. This was actually more of a regular cake texture. It’s a good cake but def not a pudding cake.
Hi Joan,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! Sorry it wasn’t as you expected! xx
Did you make a version of the cake with sour cream and a version with ricotta cheese?
Hi Casey,
I did, it works well with either or:) Let me know if you give this cake a try, I hope you love it! xx
I love the way you use a large piece of parchment instead of just a round. Which direction is the bottom of the springform pan placed? Can’t wait to bake this!
Hey Karen! I use a square of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan. It doesn’t go up the sides of the pan. Does that make sense? It just lays flat.
Let know if you have other questions. Hope you love the cake! Have a great weekend!!
If I sub sour cream, how much should I be using since sour cream and ricotta are very different textures?
Hi Saly,
I recommend using the same amount of sour cream:) I hope you love this cake, please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
This recipe looks perfect for Mother’s Day! If I make the cake ahead of time, would you recommend drizzling the glaze on top once if finishes baking (before putting in the fridge), or do you recommend heating the cake up and drizzling the glaze over top prior to serving (after taking it out of the fridge)?
Thanks in advance, I can’t wait to try this!
Hi Amber-Rose,
You could go ahead and do the glaze on the cake finishes baking, just save the whipped topping for serving:) I hope you love this recipe! xT
Looking forward to making this! I made your Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake for Easter and it was a HUGE hit!! Some of your pictures look like you spread the whip cream on top of the cake with the blueberry jam swirled in, is that correct?
Thanks so much, Carla! Yes, I had some extra blueberry jam so I added it to the whipped cream, totally not necessary:) I hope you love this recipe! xx
What are the glaze ingredients? I don’t see them listed.
Hi Lisa,
The glaze ingredients are the lemon, coarse sugar, and powdered sugar. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Can you use granulated sugar instead of coarse sugar for the glaze?
Hi Ashley,
Sure, that would be just fine for you to do! I hope you love this recipe, let me know if you give it a try! xx
Hi Tiegan,
Since the center is supposed to have a pudding like texture, is there a good way to test to see if it’s done baking? Am I looking for wet crumbs? Dry crumbs? Don’t want to over or under bake when I make it =) Thanks for any tips with that!
Hey Paige!! For more of a pudding like cake, I would say you want a wet crumb for sure! I would bake 50 minutes for more of a pudding like cake. The cake should wiggle a bit in the middle when you remove it from the oven.
And 55-60 for a cake with a dry crumb. This cake should be set in the center.
Hope this is helpful! Let me know if you have other questions. Enjoy the cake!!
Have you tried this with other fruit? I just realized that we don’t have a lemon on hand, but do have a lime. Do you think it would work if I swapped the lemon with lime, and the blueberries with cherries?
Hi there,
So sorry, I have never tried this, but you could certainly give it a try! Let me know how the cake turns out! xT