Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yields: 12 cupcakes
Equipment: 1 medium-size mixing bowl, hand-held mixer, rubber spatula, piping bag (disposable with a tip)

Ingredients:
⅔ cup ricotta cheese, whole milk ricotta, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon freshly grated orange zest (Optional)
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Instructions:
Ensure all the ingredients are softened or at room temperature. Add the ricotta and butter to a large bowl.

Beat with an electric mixer on HIGH until fully combined and fluffy.

Next, add the orange zest (optional), vanilla extract, and a pinch of Kosher salt.

Add the powdered sugar. Beat the powdered sugar until combined, starting on low speed and gradually increasing it to high, so it doesn’t fly out of the bowl.

Beat until fluffy.

Frost cupcakes, cakes, or cinnamon rolls with this ricotta frosting.

Notes:
1) Ricotta: Full-fat, whole-milk ricotta makes the best ricotta frosting.
2) Butter: Unsalted butter is the best since we can add salt to our taste.
3) Powdered Sugar: Also called confectioner’s sugar or 10x.
4) Orange Zest: Orange, lemon, or grapefruit zest is all amazing here.
5) Vanilla Extract: If you want to substitute almond extract, use half the amount.
6) Linda Lou Hamel is not a nutritionist or dietitian, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and nutritional value are important to you, I recommend running the ingredients through the online nutritional calculator of your choice. Calories and values can vary depending on the brands you choose.