Almond ricotta cake

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This one-bowl almond ricotta cake is a breeze to make. You’ll love its wonderful moist crumb and out-of-this-world lemon almond flavor. I mean, LOOK AT THAT SLICE.

A fantastic weekend or holiday dessert that is easy, simple, and delicious.

Close-up of a slice of almond ricotta cake in a white background.

I adore all things almond, and I’m a massive ricotta fan, especially this time of year. In Italy, we often use fresh ricotta cheese and almonds around Easter. They are perfect for delicious pies, cookies, and incredible desserts. Remember my easy almond cookies and epic lemon ricotta cake?

So today, I’m excited to celebrate the upcoming spring with this impressive yet simple almond ricotta cake recipe that sounds like the perfect combination of ingredients I love.  

I tested this one quite a few times, so trust me if I say it’s almond ricotta cake perfection. It’s moist and crumbly thanks to almond meal and creamy ricotta, filled with bright lemon and almond flavor, and topped with crisp sliced almonds.

The other thing is that this cake is so EASY. There’s no need to add butter or beat your egg whites. All you have to do is mix the wet and dry ingredients in one bowl, and no mixer is required.

The result is an incredibly moist almond and ricotta cake. I love the texture, the flavor, the flaked almonds, and the sugar on top, which make it beautiful and elegant.

This simple, lovely cake is the perfect weekend dessert and great to impress friends and family. Yep, I know you’ll love this one!

List of the ingredients

  • Ricotta cheese
  • Almond meal + sliced almonds
  • All-purpose flour
  • Sugar
  • Vegetable oil
  • Eggs
  • Lemon
  • Vanilla & almond extract
Top view of the ingredients to make almond ricotta cake.

How to make almond ricotta cake

(Note: this is a quick description; the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)

  • Whisk eggs and sugar until the mixture looks pale. You can use an electric beater or a balloon whisk.
  • Add the ricotta cheese, vegetable oil, lemon juice, almond, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
Top view of a glass bowl with the wet ingredients to make almond ricotta cake.
  • Mix flour, almond meal, salt, baking powder, and lemon zest separately. Then, stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until well combined. The batter is quite thick and not smooth.
  • Transfer to the prepared pan (I recommend a springform pan with a loose bottom), sprinkle with sliced almonds, and bake.
Top view of a the almond ricotta cake batter before baking.
  • Let it cool slightly, transfer the cake to a serving plate, and dust it with powdered sugar to make it elegant and perfect for the holiday table.
  • Serve at room temperature, preferably with fresh raspberries or a dollop of chocolate cream cheese for extra yumminess. And when you’re ready, dive in.
Top view of a white almond ricotta cake cut into slices over a white background.

Recipe Notes & tips

A quick look at the ingredients

Whole-milk ricotta cheese: Either standard ricotta sealed in containers or fresh ricotta from the deli counter is fine for this cake. And if you happen to have ricotta leftovers, these ricotta recipes will give you more ideas for making pasta dishes, dips, or sweet desserts.

Almonds: When I say almond meal, I mean ground almonds. You can find almond meal in the nut section of grocery stores or make your own by blitzing raw almonds in a powerful blender until they become a fine powder. Peeled or unpeeled almonds are fine, but make sure they are unsalted.

Sliced almonds (optional): For sprinkling. Although not essential, these thin almond slices add extra texture, making this almond ricotta cake gorgeous. You can find them in the nut section next to the almond meal. But if you feel confident using a knife, chop or sliver your whole almonds instead of pre-packed flaked almonds.

Vegetable oil: it’s easy to add to the batter. Vegetable oil makes the cake moist and dense.

Flour + baking powder: The recipe uses all-purpose flour mixed with baking powder to make this cake rise nicely.

Eggs: They give structure – use them at room temperature.

Sugar: Caster, superfine, or confectioners’ sugar works well in this recipe as it dissolves correctly into the batter. You can also use granulated sugar for convenience if it’s all you have.

Lemon, vanilla & almond extract: For the best flavor, we use lemon zest for a bright lemon flavor and vanilla and almond extract to enhance the beautiful almond notes. And don’t forget to add a little salt to add extra flavor!

Close-up of a slice of almond ricotta cake that show a moist crumb.

Almond ricotta cake variations

While this cake with almond and ricotta focuses more on the lemon almond flavor, and we love it as is, you’re welcome to add a little twist:

  • Jazz up the flavor: If you’re not a big fan of lemons, use orange juice and zest instead of lemon.
  • Try different mix-ins. Dark chocolate chips or a dash of cinnamon are good additions if you skip the lemon and prefer warmer flavors. Add cranberries or sultanas to the mix.

Storage Tips

This ricotta almond keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days. I recommend using a cake container or wrapping the cake with cling film to protect it from absorbing fridge odors and drying out. It also freezes beautifully, making it an excellent make-ahead dessert.

Close-up of a almond ricotta cake cut into slices.

more sweet ricotta recipes you’ll love!

But where are my ricotta cake lovers?! Don’t forget to check out these epic ricotta dessert recipes and my favorite ricotta treats below!

Lastly, if you make this delicious almond ricotta cake or have any questions, just let me know in the comments or rate the recipe. I would love to hear from you!

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Close-up of a alice of almond ricotta cake over a white background.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Almond Ricotta Cake

This one-bowl almond ricotta cake is a breeze to make. You'll love its wonderful moist crumb and out-of-this-world lemon almond flavor.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: cakes
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: Almond ricotta cake
Servings: 12
Calories: 320kcal
Author: Katia

Ingredients

  • 2 medium-sized eggs
  • ¾ cup (150 grams) caster or fine sugar (granulated is fine too)
  • ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 cup (250 grams) ricotta
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice or milk
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (180 grams) almond meal
  • 1 ½ cup (185 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 lemon zest
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds, to sprinkle before baking

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 355°F/180°C and grease or line a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan with parchment paper. A loose-bottom cake tin would be perfect for this recipe.
  • Use an electric beater or a balloon whisker to beat eggs and sugar in a large bowl until the sugar dissolves and the mixture looks pale.
  • Add the ricotta cheese, vegetable oil, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and vanilla almond, and mix until smooth.
  • Combine the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in a separate bowl.
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir until well combined (the batter is quite thick, not runny, and not smooth).
  • Transfer the cake batter to the prepared cake tin, level the top with the back of a spoon, and sprinkle with flaked or sliced almonds. Bake in the middle rack for 30 minutes or until you insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake and it comes out clean. In my oven, it takes 30 minutes, so make sure to take the cake out of the oven as soon as it's done.
  • Let the cake cool on a wire rack, then remove it from the tin. This is easy if you use a loose-bottom pan; otherwise, turn the pan upside down and gently ease the cake out and onto the cooling rack or plate. Dust with powdered sugar and serve at room temperature. It's delicious on its own or with some fresh berries on the side!

Notes

How to store almond ricotta cake? It keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days. I recommend using a cake container or wrapping the cake with cling film to protect it from absorbing fridge odors and drying out. It also freezes beautifully, making it an excellent make-ahead dessert.
Nutrition facts: the nutrition values are for one serving; they are based on an online nutrition calculator. It’s an estimate only and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. Please see my disclosure policies.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 123mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 133IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 2mg

2 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Made this last weekend and it was delicious! Everyone loved it! 🙂

  2. Joanne Peyton says:

    Is almond meal the same as almond flour?

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