Italian Almond Ricotta Cake is the perfect Italian dessert. This recipe is full of flavor and so simple to make with ricotta cheese and almond extract. Don’t miss this recipe perfected for the best Almond Ricotta Cake!
If you are looking for an Italian treat that’s great for snacking or taking center stage on your dessert buffet, then this is it! So moist and flavorful, you are going to fall in love with Almond Ricotta Cake, guaranteed!
There are a lot of different almond cake recipes out there, but what makes this one so amazing is the ricotta cheese. So, if you love almond cake, then I urge you to try this recipe made with ricotta cheese and it will surely become your new go-to recipe.
Why use Ricotta in Baking?
You may think that cheese and baked goods don’t go together, but think again. Mild and creamy cheeses that are more milk than cheese-like make great additions to baked goods. Ricotta, marscapone, and cream cheese, are all perfect for baking without adding any cheese flavors.
If you are unfamiliar, ricotta is a creamy white, mild, fresh cheese with a soft texture. It has a mildly sweet flavor and is similar to a fine-textured cottage cheese.
Ricotta is especially perfect for baking cakes. When properly incorporated, ricotta can elevate a cakes flavor and texture without adding any flavor. I prefer to use ricotta in baking over mascarpone and cream cheese because it is fluffier and not as dense.
The trick to successfully using ricotta in baking is to whip it up prior to adding the dry ingredients. I recommend beating the ricotta along with butter and sugars so that you incorporate air into the dish. If you don’t cream it, you could be left with a dense cake lacking lift.
Lastly, when it comes to baking with ricotta, always use whole milk ricotta cheese. The part skim version is fine for pastas and fillings, but whole milk is necessary for baking. You need the fat and flavor from whole milk to keep the baked items moist.
Traditional Italian Ricotta Desserts
There are many common flavors that can be found in Italian desserts: coffee, anise, almond, orange, lemon, and pistachio are just a few of them. The focus in on the flavors, not the sweetness. In my experience, Italian desserts are never normally overly sweet as compared to their American counterparts.
Here are some of my favorite Italian desserts that use ricotta cheese:
- Lemon Ricotta Bundt Cake will forever be my favorite Italian ricotta dessert recipe. This light and flavorful recipe is an instant hit for anyone who tries it. So simple and so full of flavor, this cake is perfect for any occasion.
- Probably the most well-known ricotta based dessert is cannoli: a pastry tube filled with a sweetened ricotta mixture and often sprinkled with mini chocolate chips. I think these Cannoli Cheesecake Bars are a great way to get the flavors you love in cannolis, without all of the work. Plus, you can make these ahead and freeze them.
- Italian Ricotta Cookies are a traditional Italian Christmas cookie that’s delicious year round. Simple ingredients and an easy frosting make the most flavorful and mouth-watering Italian cookies.
- And you just can’t go wrong with a ricotta cheesecake. This Italian Cream Cheesecake is a delicious take on traditional cheesecake using whole milk ricotta cheese. This tasty cake is simple to make and perfect to make ahead.
Almond Extract and Chopped Almonds
To really bring the almond flavor to this cake I use a combination of almond extract and chopped almonds. The combination gives the perfect amount of almond flavor without compromising the mouthwatering texture of the cake.
My recipe for Almond Ricotta Cake is a true recipe perfected. I have made this cake with variations so many times and have finally got the perfect combination of flavors and ingredients.
There are many other variations of Almond Cake, most of which use little to no flour and substitute almond flour instead. I personally find that those recipes yield a slightly too dense cake. Also, I never seem to have almond flour on hand either.
That why this recipe is perfect. It is made with simple ingredients you probably already have. The almond extract gives the perfect amount of flavor to the cake, while the diced almonds provide texture.
Moreover, the ricotta cheese seems to bring out all of the flavors. It really is the perfect Italian Almond Cake recipe.
How to Make Almond Ricotta Cake
This recipe has simple ingredients and is easy to make. However, there is one key step that can’t be missed. Read along to see how to master this recipe.
Firstly, grease a 9-inch standard springform pan with butter. Dust with powdered sugar and tap out any excess sugar. Set aside. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Next, you will need to cream together the softened butter, sugar, and ricotta cheese. You can use a stand up mixer or handheld electric mixer for this.
Now, here’s the important part: Be sure to cream together the butter, sugar, and ricotta for 5 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients. You need to whip the ricotta for this recipe so that you don’t end up with a dense, flat cake.
Then, beat in the eggs and almond extract. Add in the flour mixture and the finely chopped almonds. I like to use my hand blender’s mini food processor attachment for this. You could use your regular food processor or chop the almonds with a sharp kitchen knife.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes before removing the springform and cooling completely on a wire baking rack.
Easy Almond Ricotta Cake Topping
I like to keep the topping of this cake simple. Once cooled, just add a handful of sliced almonds the top of the cake. (You could also use these almonds for the cake batter, just finely chop before adding.)
Place the powdered sugar in a mini strainer and dust over the top of the cake. To do this, just slightly shake or tap the sugar until the top of the cake is covered.
You can make this cake up to a week in advance. Just store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Great served cold or at room temperature.
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Tried this recipe? Please comment below and let me know what you think!
Almond Ricotta Cake
Equipment
- 9 inch springform pan
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (one stick)
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 15 ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup almonds, finely chopped
Topping
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Greasing pan
- 1 tablespoon butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and position baking rack in the middle of the oven. Use 1 tablespoon of butter to grease a 9-inch standard springform pan. Add in one tablespoon of powdered sugar and move around pound, shaking out excess when coated. Set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl with handheld mixer or stand up mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together the stick of softened butter, sugar, and ricotta cheese until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add in the eggs and almond extract and cream together for another minute. Pour in the flour mixture and mix until combined. Fold in the finely chopped almonds.
- Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake on center rack for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for at least 10 minutes before releasing springform and cooling on wire baking rack completely.
- For the topping, sprinkle sliced almonds on top of cooled cake. Place the powdered sugar in a fine mesh sieve to shake on top of cake just until cake is just covered.
Video
Notes
I just drooled a little. Wish I had a big slice of this cake with my coffee right now!
Because I come from GB, took a while beforehand converting amounts of the ingredients into British ounces and grams and cooking temperature so hence 4 stars.
In addition used an English gluten free self raising flour with added Xanthan gum already in it so did not use plain flour with baking powder. ( Very daring)!
Was a bit worried as some conversion tables American-British are slightly different.
Anyway had a go and I must say I was extremely pleased with the result and so was my gluten free husband. I couldn’t stop taking thin slices and eating it. Whoa to the diet during lockdown.
It looked exactly as the picture.
I have now added it to my handwritten recipe book.
Thank you.
Awesome presentation, super tasty, moist and delicious.
I love almond desserts and I bet the ricotta in this one adds savoriness and moisture. Going to try this for sure!
Not only is this cake a show stopper but has an amazing flavor. I will be making it again at the holidays for the family. Excellent!
So happy you loved the cake! It really is the perfect holiday dessert as well 🙂
Just made this Cake love the flavor looks beautiful just wondering if the texture is supposed to be a little dense I’m not sure what I might have done wrong think I might have under baked?
So the key for this cake to be light and not dense is that you have to cream the ricotta, butter, and sugar for at least five minutes. A stand up mixer is great for this but you could also use a handheld electric mixer on high speed. This will give you a much lighter and fluffier cake than if you were to just combine the ingredients. Almond cake is normally very dense but this one is much lighter than other recipes. Hope this helps… Happy Cooking!
I made this cake and it is delicious. I am wondering if it freezes well?
So happy you loved the recipe! Yes, this is a great cake to freeze. Just be sure it’s completely cooled then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze in an airtight container for up to two months.
Help!!! The written recipe says add cream after almond extract……but cream is not listed in the list of ingredients? Is this an oversight? Am I missing something?
By “cream” I mean “mix – sorry for the confusion. No additional cream in the recipe.
Hi there says 1/2 cup butter and one stick but from what I can see that would be 1/4 cup for a stick. Can you confirm? Dying to make this delicious looking cake!
The total amount is 1/2 a cup… which is one stick. Hope this helps!
Excellent recipe, so moist and flavorful!! I went away for the weekend to my friends house in Maine and it was just perfect for dessert and breakfast with a hot cup of coffee!!
Thank you for sharing this recipe 😋😋
Excellent recipe, so moist and flavorful!! I went away for the weekend to my friends house in Maine and it was just perfect for dessert and breakfast with a hot cup of coffee!!
Thank you for sharing this recipe 😋😋
Great recipe! Very light and moist. Loved it and will definitely make again.
Recently made this cake and it was delicious. Mine looked exactly like the one pictured above so it was appetizing. I tested it with a toothpick at 45 minutes and decided to leave 10 more minutes to make sure it was done. I do plan to bake another one, but will only cook for 45 minutes as it was a little dry. My husband thought it was very good as did some friends of mine.
So happy you enjoyed this recipe! I find that 45 minutes is the magic number for me when I bake it. Thanks for your comment 🙂
I tried this recipe last night and it was absolutely delicious! Easy to make, these are ingredients that I have at home all the time. I took a picture I’ll see if I can post it. Thanks fir such an amazing recipe!
Thanks for the comment! So happy you loved it
I made this cake a few weeks ago and am making it again to bring for Thanksgiving dinner.
It is very delicious!
So happy you love it! Happy Thanksgiving!
Just made. This recipe is definitely going in my dessert rotation. Easy and delicious! Thanks.
Thanks so much for the comment, Lynn! So happy you loved this recipe. It’s definitely one of my favorites!
What size pan do you use? Does it have to be spring form? Thanks
You could use a 9 inch round cake pan instead, but make sure it has high sides. You could also do a 9 inch square baking pan. Hope this helps!
Do you think this would make a good layer cake with an almond buttercream? I want to make it for my sister’s birthday but not sure if it’s too heavy or dense to layer?
That sounds like a great idea! I think it would be delicious and the texture is perfect for a layer cake. Let me know how it goes.
Easy and delicious! Guests were raving!
It was served with fresh strawberries on the side as they are in season now. When they ask for the recipe, you know it was a big hit!
Thank you! Also have made the
Lemon Ricotta Cookies and they were super good with guests raving for days.
Thanks for the comment, Mac! So happy you loved this Almond Cake and the cookies too! They are both favorites of mine as well 🙂
Has anyone tried wrapping and freezing individual slices to thaw and enjoy sometime later?
Hi Linda. I have definitely frozen individual slices of this almond cake! Just be sure to wrap tightly so that no air gets into the cake. It’s tastes delicious cold as well! Enjoy
I had a tub of ricotta and it was either going to be part of a lasagna dish or a sweet treat. I’m glad I found your recipe, so good! The only thing I did different was adding the sliced almonds before I baked the cake then after it cooled I dusted on the powdered sugar. Thanks Angela! ✅
So happy you tried this recipe. It’s one of my absolute favorites. Great idea to put the almonds on the bottom of the pan before baking!
I know you say not to use part skim ricotta, but these times are different, and certain things are not always in stock at the store. No whole milk ricotta was available. So I decided to chance it. Wow! It was perfect! Texture great, taste wonderful! Served for Easter dessert and it was a hit. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
What is your favorite brand of almond extract??
I like McCormick brand
not only was this cake delicious, it looked absolutely beautiful on my cake stand. i can’t wait to make it again!
Hi, how much ricotta do I need in grams or oz? It’s different in Israel.
I believe it’s 425 grams.
My daughter and I made this using a gluten free 1 for 1 flour, and it worked beautifully! I will definitely be keeping this recipe.
Thank you, this recipe bc is a keeper for me. Cake was delicious and very simple to do. I didn’t have almonds and put raisins instead and just sprinkled the powdered sugar on top. Family loved it.
Can’t wait to make this cake just wondering if I could use almond flour instead of all purpose flour?
I don’t have a lot of experience in substituting almond flour when baking. I would imagine that if you did it with this recipe, the cake would be much more dense. Sorry, wish I could help more.
Thanks for the amazing recipe goes great with coffee and tea!
Thank you for the recipe. My cake tasted absolutely delicious! Needed to use up leftover ricotta. I didn’t have a baking pan so I risked using one of my square ceramic baking dishes and I read these don’t bake cakes as easily. The cake looked a little dense and undercooked, but didn’t taste like it was at all!
And the toothpick came out perfectly so who knows? I’ll try to get a regular pan, because I will definitely be making it again! 🙂
I am anxious to try this cake. Sounds delightful. Just can’t find the oven temperature listed in the recipe. Please help. Thanks
Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes. Enjoy!
I’ve made this cake twice now and both times it’s too dense and seems uncooked inside. I followed the instructions exactly. Please tell me what I am doing wrong.
Sorry to hear that this cake didn’t turn out for you. There are a bunch of different reasons that cakes turn dense, including elevation and expired leavening agents. Without knowing the specifics, I can only surmise that perhaps you didn’t beat the ricotta enough. I have done that before and was left with a dense cake, although it was still delicious! Also, make sure that you are using whole milk ricotta. I hope that you will try more of my recipes. Thanks for the comment.
Hi !
Do you need to drain the ricotta ??
Also do you think i can add in some diced pears in the batter ?
Thank you
Hi. I never usually drain the ricotta… just pour off any liquid that forms on the top of the container. I think diced pears would be excellent in this recipe!
I made this cake today, and Oh my, it is so delicious and so easy to make. We love it. Question: does it have to be always refrigerated in airtight container or can I leave outside in the airtight container? Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe.
So happy you loved the cake! Yes, you can store it in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.
1 15 ounce?? How much in grams? Thanks
425 grams
I was wondering if you can bake this in a loaf pan?
This should be fine to bake in a loaf pan, you will just need to adjust the baking time. Or if you have a square baking pan, that would work too.
Hi … I wanted to know if you can make this cake in a loaf pan?
Thanks
Hi! We loved this cake, but it did seem a bit under baked. Our oven is a bit inconsistent, so we checked it with a toothpick and it came out clean, so I was wondering if there is another means to check for doneness. We’re anxious to try to perfect it. It was delicious all the same as is!
Thanks!
This is a slightly dense cake, so it’s possible you cooked it correctly. Next time, be sure you are adequately whipping the ricotta before adding the rest of the ingredients. So happy you loved it otherwise 🙂
Just made this cake. It’s lovely! I substituted a quarter of the flour for almond meal and left out the chopped almonds. I scattered the flaked almonds on the cake before baking. It all turned out perfectly. I’ll make this again. Thanks!
The cake was delicious! Because I had almond flour I used 3/4 cup in the recipe and the rest was AP. It was somewhat dense but still tasted yummy. Also, I added 1 tsp Amoretta liquor in addition to the almond extract. We really like almond flavor so thought it wouldn’t hurt. Next time I’ll use all AP to see how differently it turns out.
This cake was a smashing success! I’m still getting compliments on it. I served this after an Italian meal with fresh berries and whipped cream. The only thing I changed was salted butter. I will definitely make this again!
So happy you loved it!
I’d really like to try this recipe but my mother can’t quite handle ricotta cheese. Would cream cheese work in this? And if you think it would would it take to 8oz bars or less since it’s more dense? Thank you.
You could try 8 ounces of cream cheese in place of the ricotta. The cake may turn out slightly more dense. Good luck!
So delicious! I followed the instructions as-is and it was the perfect birthday cake for my dad. We all love almond sweets like marzipan, so I’m happy to find that flavor in a new form that’s much less effort than something like prinsesstårta. I didn’t have time to frost a cake, and despite the shortened decorating time on this recipe, the outcome was just as pretty. I thought something fresh would complement the richness of the cake, so I served it with strawberries on the side, which I would definitely recommend! Saving this recipe as no doubt I will make it again and again. Thank you so much!
So happy you loved it! 🙂
Thanks for the recipe! It came out beautifully, and it was a big hit! I baked one two days ago and I’m baking another one today because it was so successful and garnered plenty of requests. Thanks again!
So happy you loved it!
did the recipe say 1 15 ounce container whole milk ricotta cheese? 115 ounce = 3260.195grams? That’s a lot?
Please can you clarify? Perhaps you can help me to translate the entire recipe into grams please.
Much appreciated.
Yes, this recipe calls for an entire 15 ounce container of ricotta.
This is a beautiful cake and recipe and came out just perfect! The texture of the cake is mouth watering. My batter was slightly thicker than I saw on the video, dont know why. I decorated the cake in the same way and it looked fab! Thanks for the share!
Very excited to try this cake, which looks amazing! One quick question – you call for “1/2 cup almonds, finely chopped” in the batter, but there is no indication of what type of almonds – whole, slivered, sliced? One can maybe assume sliced since those are also needed for the topping, but I wanted to confirm, as 1/2 cup of whole almonds chopped would be a lot less than 1/2 cup of slivered almonds chopped. Or should it be 1/2 cup after chopping? Looking forward to the answer so I am make this great looking cake! (Beautiful photos, BTW).
I used just regular almonds (skin on), but any type of almonds work. I usually measure the nuts before chopping them.
Can you substitute apple sauce instead of sugar?
I’m not sure that would work. I think it would make the cake too watery. Sorry
This is such a great recipe!! I added the zest of one orange and followed the instructions to the letter. This cake was moist and delicious !! My family loved it!! I will be making it again and again. Thanks for sharing this recipe !!
Do you drain the ricotta in cheesecloth first?
I don’t usually drain because I use store-bought ricotta like Galbani which is not very wet to begin with. However, if your ricotta seems really wet or if it’s homemade, then it would be good to drain in a cheesecloth beforehand.
Can this be made with almond flour instead of regular flour?? If so how much would I need?
I’ve never made with almond flour. I imagine it would work but may be dense.
Can this cake be made using a bundt pan?
Thanks
Yes! Just be sure to adjust the cooking time. Check with a toothpick for doneness. Enjoy!
Cannot wait to make this! I’ve been scouring the internet for a sweet recipe to use up my ricotta! I see the butter should be brought to room temp to soften; do you recommend bringing the eggs and ricotta to room temp as well? Thank you!
You can bring them to room temperature but it’s not necessary. I hope you love the cake! It’s one of my absolute favorites.
Can’t wait to try your recipe. Sounds delicious!
Had a container of unopened ricotta and decided to try and find a different dessert to make with it. Well, I must say, your recipe is fantastic! The cake came out perfectly moist and delicious and not too sweet. I did find it a bit dense but I think that’s the result if the ricotta, not under beating the batter since I did beat it at least 5 mins. My husband and family loved it, so it will definitely be showing up again in my house! Thank you for sharing.
Yea! So happy you all loved it!
So easy and tasty. I loved making this. The instructions were perfectly clear and my end result was wonderful. The texture and flavor is spot on. It looks lovely. There was hardly any work. Thank you!
So happy you loved it! Thanks for the comment 🙂
Excellent cake, very easy to make by following the clearly written directions. I was afraid the almonds wouldn’t adhere to the top of the cake, but most of them did. Definitely will make this delicious cake again.
Thanks for the comment! So happy you loved the cake.
The cake was so yummy and easy to make! My husband and friends loved it! I tested it at 45 mins and since my toothpick didn’t come out clean I went to 55 mins. I think that is too long as the sides of the cake were a little too brown. I will make this again and pull it out at 45 mins, plus you still leave it in the pan for 10 mins after which should bake it perfectly. This is a 5 star recipe!