Maybe I claimed I was doing this last week, but this week I REALLY am getting back to work. I took last week at half speed — sleeping a lot, not really cooking anything of note, cleaning up after the wedding (which I still have much more to do!), etc. I decided you fine folks would forgive me for being a bit absent. But now I really have no excuses, so my week will (hopefully) look something like this: cook, photograph, blog, write thank-you notes, organize the house, run, work on cookbook (details soon!). I figure I can do a little bit of each of those, each day, and feel like I”m actually getting somewhere. Check in next week to see how it went…
Despite accomplishing next-to-nothing last week (besides serious quantities of sleeping, smiling, and generally enjoying married life), I actually DID start marathon training in earnest. I only have 6 weeks… so it wasn’t really a choice. This weekend I did my first long run (details on this soon, too!), then a ladies road ride Sunday for a friends bachelorette party. We followed the ride with a fabulous group-effort lunch, to which I brought this cake. THIS CAKE. Let’s talk about it.
I’ve seen this cake floating all over pinterest, looking amazing and being especially intriguing because it’s gluten-free — pretty much a requirement for any group functions I go to these days. I decided to give it a go, and MEANT to add raspberries before baking, but totally forgot. So, next time I’ll include those!
I stayed pretty true to the original recipe, but I altered a few quantities just simply based on what I had available. Mainly, not enough ricotta and no desire to go buy more. I told you I was lazy, right? Right.
All in all, this cake was a total hit. Not only was the lemon flavor fabulous, the texture was perfect! I was afraid I was over baking it (almond meal, fools me every time!), but it was perfectly moist (don’t hate me) and strangely dense AND fluffy. Don’t give me crazy eyes for saying that, it’s a bit hard to explain. It was light, but with a big crumb and lots of flavor. Even though I’m not gluten-free, I would totally make this cake again for “normal” eating!
- 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1⅓ cups sugar, separated
- 2 tsp ground vanilla
- ¼ cup lemon zest
- 4 eggs, separated and at room temperature
- 9 oz ricotta
- 2½ cups almond meal
- Flaked almonds, to decorated
- Icing sugar, for dusting
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter a 9" springform pan (or other cake pan), and line with buttered parchment paper.
- With a mixer, cream the butter and 1 cup sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and lemon zest, beat again until fully combined.
- Add the egg yolks to the mixture, one at a time, mixing fully between each.
- Mix in the ricotta, until smooth.
- Add the almond meal, and mix until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whip the eggwhites until soft peaks form. Slowly add the remaining ⅓ cup sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. In three batches, fold the egg whites into the almond meal batter. Continue folding until completely smooth and incorporated.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until not longer jiggly in the middle. Remove, and let cool completely before topping with flaked almonds and dusting with powdered sugar.
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I can only imagine how amazing this cake must smell as well as taste! Yum!
How many raspberries would you add: 1 cup or more? Do you think marionberries or blueberries would work too?
I think about 1 cup – I was planning to just drop them into the top of the batter after spreading it in the pan. You could also carefully fold them in. I think ANY berry would work, and be delicious!! Let me know if you try it!
I will definitely try it this weekend. Having a bbq and this would be something I can make ahead. The fruit will be a nice touch and I’ll serve it with some homemde vanilla ice cream. I may even make raspberry sauce to go over the ice cream. Yum.
One more thing. In step (3), you say to add the egg “whites” to the mixture, one at a time. Do you mean the egg “yolks”?
Yes – you are absolutely right! Thanks for pointing that out (should be fixed now!). Have fun with this cake!
Looks great. Can’t wait to try this!
Is it really ¼ cup of lemon zest? Is in it to much?
Thanks
Victoria
It really is 1/4 cup lemon zest! I like it lemony!
In a word yum!!
Just made it! Soon yummy! I’m not use to cooking with almond meal, so I’m wondering how to store it and for how long.
Glad you like it! I’d keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, but it’s definitely best in the first few days!
Mary-
I have what I think is almond meal ( the leftovers from making almond milk). I am toasting at low heat in the oven. Would this work as the almond Mel in your recipe, or do you use more of a fine grain commercial almond flour?
What I have is much more grainy than flour.
Thanks so much!!!
MLM
Hi Michelle — I think that should work! You said yours is much more grainy: could you grind it again and make it more fine? It won’t be anything like AP flour, but you shouldn’t have any almond chunks. Assuming it is ground to a very fine meal, after you dehydrate it I think it should function just like commercial almond flour. That said, I’ve never actually gone through this process (but a little googling seems to support this idea!). Let me know how it goes! – Mary
This Sunday in my country is a festive day.
Every year, the whole family got together to share food.
Each of us cook to share
My menu will be this cake
I hope good news!
thank you!
Good Morning
Just a query as to how much 10 tablespoons of butter is.
Regards
Kaye
In what unit are you hoping for?
grams
can liquid vanilla be substituted for ground vanilla? Where can you purchase ground vanilla anyway?
Yes, you can substitute! You may add just a smidge more almond meal to compensate for having more liquid (like 1 tsp). I get my ground vanilla from Amazon, but I’ve also seen it at William-Sonoma. It’s great!
Really love this one. Found the recipe some time ago and curiosity won, I could not stand it. The lemon note and soft almont texture make a perfect combination. Thank you for a nice reminder. Ricotta is waiting in the fridge already 🙂
Thanks, Anastasiya! Enjoy! xo
Hi there! I know you posted this a while ago but I’m hoping you’ll still respond…do you think coconut sugar would work in place of the refined sugar?? Thank you for your time!
Hi Jen! I’ve only baked with coconut sugar a few times, so I’m definitely not an expert, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work!! Let me know how it goes if you try it out! xo