Almond, Lemon & Ricotta Cake
Submitted by lilkel
Italian almond-ricotta cake with lemon zest and juice throughout. Moist, tender cake with light crumb from folded egg whites, baked at low temperature.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
25 minCOOK
35 minREADY
60 minCoarsely chopped almonds and lemon zest get creamed with butter and sugar before egg yolks enrich the batter.
Fresh ricotta lightened with lemon juice folds in just before beaten egg whites, creating a tender cake that’s neither too dense nor too airy.
Baking at a gentle temperature ensures the cake sets evenly without drying out, producing slices that stay moist for days.
Kitchen Tips
- Use fresh ricotta cheese rather than the supermarket kind for best flavor and texture
- Fold egg whites gently to preserve the air bubbles that make the cake light
- Test doneness with a skewer as the cake should be just set and still moist
- Cool in the pan briefly before removing to prevent the delicate cake from breaking
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2. Butter a 25.5cm/10in round cake tin and line with greaseproof paper.
Coarsely chop the almonds in a food processor. Combine with the flour and lemon zest.
Beat the butter and sugar together in a mixer until pale and light. Add the egg yolks one by one, then add the almond mixture.
Put the ricotta in a bowl and lightly beat with a fork. Add the lemon juice. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Fold the egg whites into the almond mixture and finally stir in the ricotta.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until set. Test by inserting a skewer, which should come out clean. Remove from tin while warm, and cool on a rack.
Comments
