Description
This moist and flavorful almond ricotta cake is a rustic Italian dessert made with whole milk ricotta, almond flour, and a touch of almond extract. It’s easy to make, gluten-light, and perfect for brunch, holidays, or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 tsp coarse salt
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature and separated
1 1/4 cups whole milk ricotta
1 1/2 cups almond flour (smooth out the lumps)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
confectioner’s sugar for dusting
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease or spray a 9-inch springform pan and dust with almond flour.
2. In a stand mixer, cream together sugar, butter, salt, almond extract, and vanilla extract until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
3. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, scraping the bowl as needed.
4. Add ricotta cheese and continue mixing until smooth. Blend in the almond flour.
5. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
6. Gently fold egg whites into the batter in two stages, keeping the air in the mixture.
7. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
8. Sprinkle sliced almonds evenly over the top of the batter.
9. Bake for 50–55 minutes or until the center is set and golden. Cover loosely with foil near the end if browning too quickly.
10. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then release the springform. Let cool for another 15 minutes.
11. Dust with confectioner’s sugar just before serving.
Notes
Use whole milk ricotta for best results, it’s creamier and provides better structure.
If using almond meal instead of almond flour, expect a slightly grittier texture.
Cake stays fresh for 3–4 days at room temperature and up to 5–6 days in the fridge.
Freezes well for up to 3 months—wrap slices individually.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian