Citrus and almonds is a wonderful pairing, here elevated by the creaminess of ricotta cheese. A gorgeous cake, living proof of what is truly a delicious matchup.
Citrus and almonds are one of my favorite baking combinations. Add ricotta to the mix and I am sold. I just love the more substantial cake you get when baking with almond meal.
I have been wanting to make this recipe for quite some time. I was also intrigued with the method of making a meringue of the egg whites before adding it to the mixture so needed to try it out. 
How to Make Lemon Ricotta Cake with Almonds
Preparation:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the base and sides of an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake tin with parchment paper.
Making the Batter:
Place 1/2 cup of the caster sugar and the lemon zest in a food processor. Blitz until finely ground.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, vanilla extract, and the sugar-lemon zest mixture together for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture is pale and creamy.
Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the almond meal to the mixture and beat until combined.
Gently fold the ricotta into the almond mixture until well incorporated.
Incorporating Egg Whites:
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Gradually add the remaining caster sugar to the egg whites, whisking until stiff peaks form.
Mix one-third of the egg white mixture into the cake batter to lighten it.
Gently fold the remaining egg whites into the batter until no white streaks remain.
Baking:
Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top with a spatula.
Sprinkle flaked almonds evenly over the top of the batter.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin before removing.
Serving:
Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the tin and dust the top with powdered sugar before serving.
Recipe Notes:
- Ensure the butter is softened to create a smooth, creamy mixture when combined with the sugar.
- Folding the egg whites gently helps maintain the cake’s airy texture.
- This cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Lemon Ricotta Cake with Almonds
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
Citrus and almonds is a wonderful pairing, here elevated by the creaminess of ricotta cheese. A gorgeous cake, living proof of what is truly a delicious matchup.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened (120 g)
- 1 cup caster sugar (200 g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup lemon zest
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 2 cups almond meal (240 g)
- 1 1/4 cups ricotta (300 g)
- Flaked almonds for decoration
- Powdered sugar for serving
Instructions
Preparation:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the base and sides of an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake tin with parchment paper.
Making the Batter:
Place 1/2 cup of the caster sugar and the lemon zest in a food processor. Blitz until finely ground.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, vanilla extract, and the sugar-lemon zest mixture together for about 10 minutes, or until the mixture is pale and creamy.
Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the almond meal to the mixture and beat until combined.
Gently fold the ricotta into the almond mixture until well incorporated.
Incorporating Egg Whites:
In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Gradually add the remaining caster sugar to the egg whites, whisking until stiff peaks form.
Mix one-third of the egg white mixture into the cake batter to lighten it.
Gently fold the remaining egg whites into the batter until no white streaks remain.
Baking:
Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top with a spatula.
Sprinkle flaked almonds evenly over the top of the batter.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin before removing.
Serving:
Once the cake has cooled, remove it from the tin and dust the top with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Make sure the butter is softened to ensure it creams well with the sugar.
- Beating the butter and sugar mixture for 10 minutes helps create a light and fluffy texture.
- Folding the egg whites gently is crucial to maintain the airiness of the cake.
- This cake can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Cake, Dessert, Dolci
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American-Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I ensure my meringue forms stiff peaks when incorporating the egg whites?
Make sure to use a clean bowl and beat the egg whites until soft peaks form before gradually adding the remaining caster sugar, then continue whisking until stiff peaks form.
Is it necessary to use caster sugar for this Lemon Ricotta Cake?
Yes, caster sugar is recommended because it dissolves more easily, helping to achieve a smooth batter and a better meringue texture.
Can I substitute the almond meal with all-purpose flour in this recipe?
Substituting almond meal with all-purpose flour is not recommended, as it will change the texture and flavor of the cake significantly.
This is one of my all time favorite desserts. Love it!
I loved this cake, turned out really delicious!
Delicious! And my children actually ate it without complaints. You don’t know how rare that is in my house.
Fantastic recipe, so delicious, and really pretty to look at too. Thanks for this one!
This has become my go to cake recipe, it is completely perfect.
This is fabulous!
My favorite cake recipe, hands down. I have made this so many times, and it always turns out perfectly.
Hi, for scaling the recipe down to 6 servings, how would you adjust the eggs, vanilla extract, and the lemon zest? Thank you.
I suggest you bake the recipe as is and freeze the extra pieces. Scaling down also impacts baking time, tin size etc and increases the chance that the cake does not turn out as it good as it can be.
Hein
I love this recipe. I think I’ll serve this with lemon semifreddo. If I were to cook this a day in advance. What is the best way to store the cake?
OMG, it’s DELICIOUS, absolutely wonderful, thank you so much for sharing this recipe, lots of love from down under!