Almond Ricotta Cake

 

To end the Thanksgiving meal I put together an almond ricotta cake which was a nice tie-in to everything else because it ended up not being too sweet. I love desserts but sometimes you want to end your meal with a little something and not with a super sugary option. The texture of this cake is really light, unlike other desserts. The almonds on top added a nice crunch.

Recipe from Cooking with Manuela. 

Ingredients:

-4 ounces unsalted butter, softened

-3/4 cup granulated sugar

-2 teaspoons vanilla extract

-1/2 teaspoon almond extract

-4 large eggs, separated

-15 ounces whole milk ricotta

-2 large lemons, finely grated zest

-2 cups almond flour

-pinch of salt

-1/2 cup sliced almonds

-1 tablespoon powdered sugar for serving

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a springform pan with parchment paper and grease/prepare the sides of the pan.

In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and sugar, and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the ricotta cheese and beat with the mixer again.

Next add the egg yolks, lemon zest, vanilla, and almond extracts. Continue beating on medium speed until very smooth. Add the salt and almond flour then mix until just combined.

In a separate bowl (with clean beaters), beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add a third of the whipped egg whites into the batter and gently fold. Repeat with the remaining 2/3 until all has been incorporated.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the top with the sliced almonds and bake at 350F for 55-60 minutes, until set and golden brown on top. Let the cake cool to room temperature, then carefully remove the outer ring of the pan. Dust with confectioner’s sugar before serving.