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.
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.
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.
Scrape the vanilla beans from a vanilla pod.
Add the vanilla beans and the lemon zest to the butter/sugar mixture.
Mix until well-blended.
Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and beat until well blended. Add the ground almond and mix to combine.
Add the ricotta and beat to combine.
In a clean mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Gradually add the sugar until stiff peaks form.
Beat 1/3 of the meringue into the egg yolk batter.
Gently fold in the remaining meringue in 2 batches until no whites remain.
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!)
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.
Cut yourself a generous slice, and tuck in!
Enjoy!
- 120g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 120g caster sugar
- Zest of 3 lemons
- Vanilla beans from 1/2 a vanilla pod, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 egg yolks
- 250 ground almond
- 250 ricotta
- 45g almond flakes
- icing sugar, to serve
- 4 egg whites
- 75g caster sugar
- In a bowl of a mixer, cream together butter and sugar until the mixture turns light and fluffy.
- Scrape the vanilla beans from a vanilla pod.
- Add the vanilla beans and the lemon zest to the butter/sugar mixture.
- Mix until well-blended.
- Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and beat until well blended. Add the ground almond and mix to combine.
- Add the ricotta and beat to combine.
- Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form.
- Gradually add the sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Beat 1/3 of the meringue into the egg yolk batter.
- Gently fold in the remaining meringue in 2 batches until no whites remain.
- Pour the batter into a lined and lightly greased 8-inch round baking pan. Sprinkle the almond flakes on the cake.
- 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.
hi seems like a great recipe!
Could I substitute the ricotta for yoghurt or sth else?