Rich keto Italian almond cake with the creaminess of ricotta cheese. This deliciously tender cake is a low carb, sugar free marvel.
Can a cake be called creamy? Because that is the word that best describes the wonderful texture of this Keto Almond Ricotta Cake.
Not creamy in a cheesecake kind of way, although I have plenty of keto cheesecake recipes if that’s what you’re up for.
No, this Italian style keto almond cake still has a proper cake-like crumb. But it has a creamy, rich mouthfeel that defies expectations. It’s an experience you will want to repeat over and over.
Ricotta Cake Inspiration
I often buy a tub of ricotta cheese without really knowing what I plan on doing with it. And then it hangs out in my fridge and I suddenly realize I’ve got about 10 seconds to use it up before it goes bad.
Of course, ricotta is delicious in lots of savory recipes, like my Keto Lasagna Skillet or this delicious Spinach Stuffed Chicken.
But it also makes for fabulous baked goods. Poking around my Pinterest boards one day, I noticed that I had saved quite a number of recipes Italian ricotta cakes like this one. So clearly it was time to keto-fy it.
Boy, I am glad I did. I was blown away by both the texture and the flavor. And since it isn’t overly sweet, it’s wonderful as a coffee cake, or as a keto dessert with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream.
How to make keto almond ricotta cake
You will need a springform pan for this tender, delicious cake, and I also recommend lining the bottom with a parchment paper circle. I like these unbleached pre-cut parchment circles.
Beyond that, this ricotta cake is exceptionally easy to make. Here are few extra tips for getting it right.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together first, so that you know they are well combined before adding them to the batter.
- Yes, the protein powder is a vital component of the recipe, as it helps make the cake more light and fluffy, with a traditional cake crumb. The short explanation: gluten is a protein and when you are baking gluten-free, another dry protein helps baked goods rise properly and hold their shape.
- Always have the wet ingredients at room temperature. They mix together more easily and become more creamy. And nothing is worse than carefully creaming your butter, only to add cold eggs and have it clump up again.
- Use full fat (whole milk) ricotta to get the best out of this recipe. Ricotta also often has a lot of watery whey in the container. Try to avoid that and get the good thick cheese in your cup measure.
- Patience, my friends. As with so many keto cakes and cookies, this almond ricotta cake needs to fully cool to have the ideal texture. It may crumble easily when warm.
How to store and serve your keto ricotta cake
Because of the added moisture from the cheese, this cake is best stored in the refrigerator. Let it cool completely first, and store in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap.
I haven’t tried to freeze it but I do believe this would freeze quite well.
I prefer the flavor at room temperature so I let it sit out on the counter for 30 minutes before serving.
It’s delicious with a light sprinkling of powdered sweetener and some fresh berries. It’s also wonderful topped with a dollop of freshly whipped cream.
Ready to make some delicious Keto Almond Ricotta Cake?
More delicious keto recipes that use ricotta cheese
- Keto Cannoli Sheet Cake
- Keto Zucchini Lasagna
- Ricotta Lemon Scones
- Spinach Ricotta Stuffed Mushrooms
- Keto Ricotta Fritters
- Keto Ricotta Meatballs
Keto Almond Ricotta Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour (about 200g)
- ⅓ cup unflavored whey protein powder (can sub egg white protein)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ⅔ cup Swerve Sweetener
- 1 cup full fat ricotta cheese room temperature
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- powdered Swerve Sweetener
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F and grease a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and grease the parchment.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, protein powder, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sweetener until creamy. Beat in the ricotta until well combined. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined, then beat in the almond extract.
- Add the almond flour mixture and beat until smooth. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with sliced almonds. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, until golden brown and the top is firm to the touch.
- Remove and let cool 20 minutes, then run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan and loosen the sides. Let cool completely before slicing.
- Sprinkle with powdered sweetener before serving.
Tania says
Hi 🙂 instead of way protein powder can we sub collagen protein powder?
Carolyn says
No, it will make the cake very gummy and hard to cook through.
Susan Parody says
Dearest Carolyn, THANK YOU. I baked this last night and am celebrating my 65th b-day today with a beautifully moist rich piece of Almond Ricotta cake, of course accompanied with a large mug of dark roast coffee. Your cookbooks have saved me from becoming bored with a keto lifestyle and especially now with an up coming hospital stay that I have to make sure my weight stays down (I just have to look at a bakery and I gain 5 lbs LOL). NB ; I placed 1/2 in the freezer as I also think it will freeze well
Angie smith says
Lovely cake. It kept extremely well, I made it for just us two and it stayed moist. Love it will make again.
Maggie says
I made this cake yesterday! It is so yummy! The texture and flavor is the best. Truly, it is so good! I think it tastes even better on the second day! Great recipe!
Anu says
Gosh, I’ve looked through all the comments to see if I have reviewed this before, and I am SO sorry that I have not! I have made these loads of times and they are always sooooo good! I’m usually partial to chocolatey desserts, and my partner loves all things lemony, but we happily inhale this embarrassingly quickly… help! The only change I make is to add a bit of vanilla extract as well (often the same amount as the almond extract), as it seems to balance out the flavours nicely — it could just be a personal taste thing 🙂 Btw… I would love to know if this will work as muffins/cupcakes, obviously with a shorter baking time? What are your thoughts on this, please, Carolyn? Thank you again for so many marvellous recipes, you are a genious!
Carolyn says
I am sure it will work as cupcakes but I can’t guide the time, you just need to watch them!
Jody Spivey says
Oh my this cake was delicious. I made it exactly as the recipe called for and it was perfect. It raised well and looked beautiful. Best part of all is everyone keto and non-keto loved it.
Delika says
Hello, is it possible to make this on a Bundt cake pan?
Carolyn says
I think you will need to experiment. I can’t see how it would work well, to be honest.
Debra says
Hi have just baked the Ricotta cake and followed the list of ingredients as well as the video but it did not rise like yours. It only rose to 2cm high!!! I don’t know what I have done wrong. The pan size I used measured 9 inches. I’m so disappointed as I was going to take it to my friends place tomorrow for afternoon tea.
Any ideas what may have happened?
Carolyn says
2 centimeters? I am not sure how that’s possible when the batter itself is higher than 2cm in the pan. It would have to shrink! Are you sure you didn’t mismeasure something?
Debra says
Thanks Carolyn. I just checked above ingredients and didn’t miss anything and I’m positive I didn’t leave anything out. I thought the pan must be too big but double checked the diameter and it is 9 inches (23cms).
Oh well, only thing I can do it try it again in a while. I’ll let you know.
Thanks again.
Carolyn says
You might need a new batch of baking powder. Also…. what brand of almond flour are you using?
Traci says
Ugh.. I accidentally grabbed low fat ricotta. Can I still use it in this recipe?
Carolyn says
Probably but I would drain it for a bit to get out some of the excess moisture.
Traci says
I took your advise and it turned out amazing!! It was a hit. Can’t wait to make it again. Love your recopies. You have made me look good so many times. haha. Thank you!
Sandi says
This is delicious! I made it yesterday, had it last night with a scoop of my Keto strawberry ice cream I made the day before. This morning I had a piece with my coffee and a spoonful of mixed berries on top. I used the ‘It’s Just Egg White Powder’ and it rose beautifully. This is a keeper!
Carolyn says
Glad you enjoyed it!
Sandi says
What is the purpose of the whey or egg protein. Is it just to add more protein to the cake? I looked today and it is very pricey. Can I just leave it out or sub for something else? I’m looking forward to making this!
Carolyn says
It helps it rise and it is critical to making keto cakes lighter and fluffier. If you plan on doing any amount of keto baking, I highly suggest getting some. It will last a long time, too. I bake more than anyone, and a bag of whey protein lasts me 4 months or so.
Lynn says
Would there be a big difference if I used cream cheese instead of ricotta?
Linda says
Very moist and delicious. I increased the almond extract to a full tablespoon; I find that I enjoy more flavor from extracts, spices and seasonings than recipes call for. I also baked them in silicone muffin cups for ease of portions, freezing, serving, etc.
Karen Pearson says
Delicious! Made it twice and got rave reviews. My daughter in law tasted it and wants it for her birthday cake! Tried it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream with strawberries and hot fudge and heaven! Thanks for sharing this wonderful cake!
Carolyn says
Ohhhh, love what you did there with the ice cream and strawberries!
Ann says
This recipe is great! Thank you, Carolyn! It is such a nice, moist, versatile cake. As with most keto baked goods, the right baking time is critical, and I tend to err on the extra minute or two side, sometimes resulting a slightly drier end product. But that’s for me to work on. I’ve already made it three times for different occasions, and always received positive comments from both keto and non-keto guests. Thank you for all your work developing recipes that are reliable, delicious, and healthy!
Anne Marie Smith says
Just made this and it was fabulous. Great crumb and moisture from the ricotta. It’s perfect with an almond milk latte. Thanks, Carolyn! The flavor is ideal when completely cooled. Will make it again soon 🙂
Sheila says
This is a good looking cake with a very nice Cake texture. I thought the almond extract was a bit overpowering with a flavor that reminded me of cherry (never had it before). I think that This would make a nice lemon cake; may try lemon extract next time.
Annabelle says
Yes, the almond extract Queen brand is horrible. I’ve ruined this cake using this extract. I’ve written to the company to complain that it tastes like artificial cherry and NOT almond. They disagreed, saying its fine as is.
Carolyn says
Oh my… I am so sorry to hear that. I’ve never heard of that brand, I always use Frontier https://amzn.to/3EQxASa