A delicious and moist Gluten Free Lemon, Ricotta and Almond Cake that has a scrumptious topping of sliced, crispy and crunchy almonds!
If you are gluten free then you loveΒ (or will come to) love almonds!
These little healthy treasures become your new best friend when you realise just how wonderful gluten free baking can be when using almond meal or almond flour....(butΒ what is the difference between almond meal and almond flour ??)
The difference is that almond meal has the skins of the almonds left on before grinding (and is a little courser) and the almond flour has the almond skins removed and are blanched.
For me, it doesn't bother me which type is used in baking because I love the moist, nutty taste and texture. Sometimes you may not want the little dark flecks of the almond skin in your baking ...so go for the almond flour.
So, we love this cake....not just because it is moist and delicious (and gluten free), but we all love the sliced almonds on top.
I say 'we' because my family just hovers around the oven when this cake is baking, so when it comes out they can pick off the top of the cake- the warm, crunchy, crispy, sweet almonds slices.
I love the way when cutting the cake the almonds tumble with the knife and press into the cake slice...(yes, see I have a love affair with these thinly sliced, crispy almonds....weird, right! πΒ )
Just try it...you will too!
Ingredients for Gluten FreeLemon, Ricotta and Almond Cake
- 120g butter (at room temperature)
- ΒΎ cup of caster sugar plus another β of a cup of caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons of lemon zest (you can add more if you prefer)
- 4 eggs, separated (and at room temperature)
- 2 Β½ cups of almond meal
- 300g fresh ricotta
- 1 cupΒ of thinly sliced almonds
- Icing sugar for dusting on top
How to makeΒ Gluten Free Lemon, Ricotta and Almond Cake
- Preheat the oven to 160ΒΊ Celsius.
- With a 20cm round cake tin, line the base with with baking paper and and to grease the sides, rub the sides with butter.
- In a electric mixer, place the butter, ΒΎ cup of caster sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest and mix beat until pale and creamy.
- Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and keep the egg whites to one side.
Add in the egg yolks (one at a time is best) to the butter mixture and beat until it combines. - Then add in the almond meal and beat to combine and then fold in the fresh ricotta
- In another bowl whisk the egg whites (I use a hand-held electric mixer) until soft peaks form. Then gradually add the other β of caster sugar to the egg whites and then whisk until stiff peaks form. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down and no egg white mixture falls out.
- Carefully fold Β½ of the egg whites into the cake mixture. Try not to mix too hard otherwise the egg whites will loose their air and your cake will not be as fluffy. Then add in the rest of the egg whites.
- Pour the cake mixture into the cake tin and smooth the top and sprinkle with almond flakes.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked and firm to touch. (sometimes I need to let it bake a few minutes longer, depends on how moist the mixture is.) Β Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 mins and then cool on a cake rack till cool. ... dust with lots of icing sugar!
- 120g butter (at room temperature)
- ¾ cup of caster sugar plus another ⅓ of a cup of caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons of lemon zest (you can add more if you prefer)
- 4 eggs, separated and at room temperature
- 2½ cups of almond meal
- 300g fresh ricotta
- 1 cup of thinly sliced almonds
- Icing sugar for dusting on top
- Preheat the oven to 160 degree Celsius .
- With a 20cm round cake tin, line the base with with baking paper and and to grease the sides, rub the sides with butter.
- In a electric mixer, place the butter, ¾ cup of caster sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest and mix beat until pale and creamy.
- Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and keep the egg whites to one side.
- Add in the egg yolks (one at a time is best) to the butter mixture and beat until it combines.
- Then add in the almond meal and beat to combine and then fold in the fresh ricotta
- In another bowl whisk the egg whites (I use a hand-held electric mixer) until soft peaks form. Then gradually add the other ⅓ of caster sugar to the egg whites and then whisk until stiff peaks form. You should be able to turn the bowl upside down and no egg white mixture falls out.
- Carefully fold ½ of the egg whites into the cake mixture. Try not to mix too hard otherwise the egg whites will loose their air and your cake will not be as fluffy. Then add in the rest of the egg whites.
- Pour the cake mixture into the cake tin and smooth the top and sprinkle with almond slices.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked and firm to touch. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 mins and then cool on a cake rack till cool. ... dust with lots of icing sugar!
Β
Bet you can't stop yourself from nibbling the almonds off the top of this gluten free lemon, ricotta and almond cake!
Enjoy! π
You can pin this Gluten FreeΒ Lemon, Ricotta and Almond CakeΒ recipe to your Pinterest page, to remind you when you are in the mood for a cake that is easy to make, gluten free and has a delicious,Β crispyΒ topping.Β
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Midgie
This looks lovely! Definitely going to pin this to make for my bestie who is gluten free but can eat dairy & eggs... She would love this!
Laurie Sanders
I am not gluten free...but this still looks delicious! I'm definitely going to have to give it a try. I'm guessing with all of the almonds it would be pretty high in protein, vitamin e, and other good things.
Hannah
Such delicious combination of flavoursβ¦β¦The cake looks absolutely divine and rich! I wish I could reach into my screen and grab a slice! Pinning!!