flour-less lemon, almond and ricotta cake

When life gives you lemons, make, well, forget the lemonade! Make a lemon cake instead!

Lemon cakes are so yummy. It is probably the tangy aroma and taste that makes one want to tear into the cake.

Today I finally got to bake this cake that I have been meaning to bake for a while.

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It was like the sun, the moon and the stars had all lined up – I had lemons, I had ricotta, and yes, I had almond (ground as well as flakes, no less)!!

Since this is a flour-less cake, it is a great option for those who are gluten intolerant. 

The best part of this cake, though, is how moist it is, as most flour-less cakes are. 

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Let me show you how to make this citrusy cake.

In a bowl of a mixer, cream together butter and sugar until the mixture turns light and fluffy.

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Scrape the vanilla beans from a vanilla pod.

IMG_7608Add the vanilla beans and the lemon zest to the butter/sugar mixture.

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Mix until well-blended.

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Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and beat until well blended. Add the ground almond and mix to combine.

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Add the ricotta and beat to combine. IMG_7619 IMG_7621In a clean mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.

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Gradually add the sugar until stiff peaks form.

Beat 1/3 of the meringue into the egg yolk batter.

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Gently fold in the remaining meringue in 2 batches until no whites remain.

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Pour the batter into a lined and lightly greased 8-inch round baking pan. Sprinkle the almond flakes on the cake. (I was busy cooking 2 other dishes and forgot to do this – don’t be like me!)

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Bake at 160°C for 45-50 minutes or until an inserted skewer emerges cleanly.

When baked, allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.

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Cut yourself a generous slice, and tuck in!

Enjoy!

Flour-Less Lemon, Almond And Ricotta Cake
Serves 10
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Ingredients
  1. 120g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  2. 120g caster sugar
  3. Zest of 3 lemons
  4. Vanilla beans from 1/2 a vanilla pod, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  5. 4 egg yolks
  6. 250 ground almond
  7. 250 ricotta
  8. 45g almond flakes
  9. icing sugar, to serve
  10. 4 egg whites
  11. 75g caster sugar
Instructions
  1. In a bowl of a mixer, cream together butter and sugar until the mixture turns light and fluffy.
  2. Scrape the vanilla beans from a vanilla pod.
  3. Add the vanilla beans and the lemon zest to the butter/sugar mixture.
  4. Mix until well-blended.
  5. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and beat until well blended. Add the ground almond and mix to combine.
  6. Add the ricotta and beat to combine.
  7. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.
  8. Gradually add the sugar until stiff peaks form.
  9. Beat 1/3 of the meringue into the egg yolk batter.
  10. Gently fold in the remaining meringue in 2 batches until no whites remain.
  11. Pour the batter into a lined and lightly greased 8-inch round baking pan. Sprinkle the almond flakes on the cake.
  12. Bake at 160°C for 45-50 minutes or until an inserted skewer emerges cleanly.
  13. When baked, allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring the cake onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Adapted from thelittleloaf
Adapted from thelittleloaf
The Domestic Goddess Wannabe https://thedomesticgoddesswannabe.com/