Lemon Ricotta Cake Almonds (Printable)

A moist, lemony ricotta cake with crunchy almonds offers a tender, flavorful treat.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
07 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
08 - Zest of 2 lemons
09 - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Topping

11 - 1/2 cup sliced almonds
12 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, optional

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
03 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Mix in ricotta cheese until fully blended into the butter mixture.
05 - Beat in eggs one at a time, ensuring thorough incorporation after each addition.
06 - Blend in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until uniform.
07 - Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined. Avoid overmixing to preserve texture.
08 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth surface evenly.
09 - Sprinkle sliced almonds uniformly over batter. Add 2 tablespoons sugar for crispier topping if desired.
10 - Bake for 40-45 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and top is golden brown.
11 - Let cake cool in pan for 15 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The ricotta creates an incredibly moist crumb that stays tender for days unlike traditional butter cakes that dry out
  • That combination of tangy lemon and nutty almonds creates sophisticated flavor layers that impress without being fussy
02 -
  • Cold ingredients will ruin the texture so bring everything to room temperature before starting
  • Overmixing once flour is added makes the cake tough so stop as soon as flour disappears
03 -
  • Zest your lemons before juicing them so you do not lose any of those precious oils
  • Toast the sliced almonds for 3 minutes at 350F before sprinkling for even more crunch

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