Lemon Ricotta Cake Almonds (Print Version)

A moist lemon and ricotta cake featuring toasted almond crunch in every slice.

# What You 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line bottom with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together ricotta, eggs, olive oil or melted butter, vanilla, 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 almonds evenly. Bake 35-40 minutes until toothpick inserted center comes out clean and almonds are golden.
06 - Cool in pan 15 minutes, release springform, transfer to wire rack. Dust with sugar before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The ricotta keeps this cake incredibly moist for days, unlike traditional butter cakes that dry out
  • It comes together in one bowl with no mixer required, making it perfect for last minute guests
  • The combination of bright lemon and nutty almonds feels sophisticated but tastes like home
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients blend together seamlessly, while cold ingredients can cause the batter to seize and create pockets of unmixed flour
  • The cake may appear slightly underbaked when you first pull it out but it continues to set as it cools, so trust the toothpick test over your eyes
03 -
  • Zest your lemons before juicing them, or you will find yourself in a frustrating situation trying to zest a squishy squeezed out lemon
  • Let the finished cake cool completely before dusting with sugar, otherwise the moisture will dissolve the powder into a glaze

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