Almond Ricotta Cake
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour | Serves: 10
Ricotta cakes are super-delicious and super-moist. There are many variations of these Italian cakes out there. I wanted to create something with a tender, almost melt-in-your-mouth texture and use the flavors of a delicious wedding cake – almond and vanilla.
If you are a ricotta aficionado, try my Plum Ricotta Cake (LINK). It’s moist and delicious with gorgeous plums. It was loved by all who were able to taste it.
You could actually use this recipe as a “base” and create other ricotta cakes. Omit the almond extract and sliced almonds, and have a delicious and aromatic vanilla ricotta cake. Substitute lemon oil extract for the almond flavoring, add zest of a lemon (or two) and you have a citrusy ricotta cake. So many ideas!
A few helpful tips…As with most every cake, do not overmix your batter or overcook your cake. Use room temperature ingredients; they will blend together much easier and you’ll end up with a more uniform cake. Use a springform pan so that you do not have to invert the cake and lose those gorgeous almonds on top.
This recipe won 2nd place in a Taste of Home contest. I was super-thrilled of course.
I like that this cake can be put together fairly quickly and served while still warm. You’re not layering or frosting. It’s a great dessert to make and serve within a couple of hours.
I used a store-bought canister of full-fat ricotta. You can make your own ricotta, if you’d like. It’s not very difficult at all and takes a few ingredients. I like Ina Garten’s recipe for homemade ricotta. You can also use the fresh ricotta in lasagna, and other dishes that call for ricotta cheese.
Now, I think I’m ready to pop one in the oven myself! I can just smell it!
Almond Ricotta Cake
Equipment
- 9" springform pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperture
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 15-ounce carton ricotta cheese, full-fat
- 3/4 cup sliced almonds, (also called flaked almonds)
- 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Butter or spray the sides and bottom of a 9” springform pan, set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and flavorings until light and airy, approximately 3 minutes.
- In a separate medium mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Set aside.
- With the mixer on low, add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.
- Maintaining the speed, add about half of the flour mixture.
- Add the ricotta, then add the remaining flour mixture.
- Stop the mixer and blend the last of the flour in by hand, so as not to overmix.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared springform pan, spreading the top smooth.
- Evenly sprinkle the sliced almonds across the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes. (Timing may vary depending on your own oven. Remove from the oven when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.)
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes. Use a sharp knife, being careful not to cut into your metal pan, loosen the cake from the sides of the springform. Gently remove the ring and let it cool completely before slicing into the cake.
- Sift powdered sugar through a sieve over the top of the cake before serving.
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