Lemon Ricotta Cake Almonds (Printable Version)

Moist cake infused with lemon zest and creamy ricotta, topped with crunchy toasted almonds.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 1 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese
02 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
03 - 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil or melted unsalted butter
04 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
05 - Zest of 2 lemons
06 - 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 1 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
09 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

→ Topping

11 - 1/2 cup sliced almonds
12 - 2 tablespoons coarse sugar or powdered sugar for garnish

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line bottom with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk ricotta cheese, eggs, olive oil or melted butter, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a large bowl until smooth.
03 - Mix sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
04 - Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth top, and sprinkle sliced almonds evenly over surface.
06 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and almonds are golden.
07 - Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then release springform and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Dust with coarse sugar or powdered sugar before serving.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The ricotta makes it incredibly moist without being heavy or dense
  • Fresh lemon zest and juice give it this bright sunny flavor that wakes up your tastebuds
  • Its elegant enough for company but simple enough for a Tuesday afternoon
02 -
  • Overmixing will make the cake tough, fold gently and stop as soon as the flour disappears
  • The springs in your springform pan can leak slightly, so place it on a baking sheet just in case
  • This cake actually tastes better the next day as the flavors settle and the texture becomes even more moist
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients incorporate more easily and create a finer crumb
  • Zest your lemons before juicing them, it is much easier to handle the whole fruit
  • The almonds will continue toasting slightly after you remove the cake from the oven

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