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    Home » Keto Cakes » Keto Almond Ricotta Cake

    Published: Aug 16, 2020 · Modified: Jan 12, 2023 by Carolyn

    Keto Almond Ricotta Cake

    This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    24.9K shares
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    Rich keto Italian almond cake with the creaminess of ricotta cheese. This deliciously tender cake is a low carb, sugar free marvel.

    Titled image of keto almond ricotta cake. A slice of cake on a white plate with a strawberry, the rest of the cake on a stand in the background.

    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.

    Powdered sweetener being dusted down over keto almond ricotta cake

    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.

    Top down photo of keto almond cake dusted in powdered sweetener, with one slice partway removed

    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.

    1. Whisk the dry ingredients together first, so that you know they are well combined before adding them to the batter.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. 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.
    Close up shot of a slice of keto Italian ricotta cake on a white plate with a strawberry.

    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
    Top down photo of keto almond cake dusted in powdered sweetener, with one slice partway removed

    Keto Almond Ricotta Cake

    Rich keto Italian almond cake with the creaminess of ricotta cheese. This deliciously tender cake is a low carb, sugar free marvel.
    4.85 from 53 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: keto almond cake, ricotta almond cake
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 40 minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 260kcal

    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
    US Customary – Metric

    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.

    Video

    Nutrition Facts
    Keto Almond Ricotta Cake
    Amount Per Serving (1 serving = 1/12th of cake)
    Calories 260 Calories from Fat 194
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 21.6g33%
    Carbohydrates 5.8g2%
    Fiber 2.3g9%
    Protein 10.5g21%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    24.9K shares

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    Nutritional Disclaimer

    Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.

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    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Michelle says

      March 13, 2022 at 1:11 pm

      What, if anything, could I use in place of the whey protein/egg white protein?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        March 13, 2022 at 1:20 pm

        Nothing. I recommend it if you want light fluffy keto cakes.

        Reply
        • Erin says

          May 06, 2022 at 5:06 pm

          This may be a silly question, but is “egg white protein” just an egg white, or something in powder form?

          Reply
          • Carolyn says

            May 08, 2022 at 8:14 am

            It’s a protein powder.

            Reply
    2. Beth Wood says

      February 26, 2022 at 10:46 pm

      5 stars
      Made this for hubby’s birthday, but added dark chocolate (keto approved) chips. He loved it! So did I. Next time I bake it I will cut a half a teaspoon of almond extract out. Or maybe try dark chocolate and orange extract! Really one of the best keto cakes I’ve tried! Thanks so much for the delicious recipes!

      Reply
    3. Frankie Bolander says

      February 19, 2022 at 6:02 am

      5 stars
      Beautiful and easy to make but you would never know it by how pretty and delicious it is. I will make this often.
      I used Monkfruit sweeteners and then 1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp almond extract in
      place of 1 1/2 tsp almond extract. 🙂
      Thank-you Carolyn!!

      Reply
    4. Thecla says

      February 16, 2022 at 10:08 am

      5 stars
      I made this recipe and even my non keto familymemers thought it was very yummy, but… the perfectionist as I try to be noticed that in the middle th pie was still raw or not baked enough.
      Used my convection oven (not my gas stove) could that be the ‘problem’ that my pie was soft in the middle. Is it better to use my gas stove and place the spring form on a rack instead of a baking sheet as I did in the convection oveN.

      Regards,
      Thecla

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        February 16, 2022 at 1:12 pm

        Since I created mine exactly as written, it’s hard to say. Is it a smaller counter-top convection oven? Those definitely don’t bake the same way a regular oven does.

        Reply
        • Thecla says

          February 17, 2022 at 4:25 am

          5 stars
          Hi Carolyn,
          It is indeed a counter-top combination over with convection and microwave. Next time I will use my gas stove oven.

          Thanks for you quick reply 🙂 🙂

          Regards,
          Thecla

          Reply
    5. Carmella Goodman says

      February 14, 2022 at 7:53 pm

      5 stars
      This cake was so amazing! My family loved it and they are not doing keto only me. I do have one question about the macros, when I copied your recipe into Carb Manager it came up with 13.5 carbs per serving of a 12 serving cake. Your recipe says it’s 5.5 or something like that carbs per serving. Any ideas what I could’ve done wrong or is this really just higher in carbs from what I was looking for? I appreciate you for your time and effort you put in and I’m thinking it’s just user error, but thought I’d mention it in case someone else experienced the same. It’s a wonderful cake, I can only have half a serving if the carbs are that high.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        February 14, 2022 at 10:45 pm

        DO NOT TRUST CARB MANAGER!!! It usually counts all of the erythritol, which shouldn’t be counted.

        Reply
    6. Terri says

      February 13, 2022 at 11:57 pm

      I want to make this for our dessert for Valentine’s Day tomorrow. Just discovered that I am out of unflavored protein powder. Can I substitute vanilla?

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        February 14, 2022 at 8:41 am

        It may have a much stronger vanilla flavor.

        Reply
    7. Eve says

      February 11, 2022 at 1:30 pm

      5 stars
      Great recipe – so many pop-up advertisements on the page it was hard to read most of the time.

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        February 11, 2022 at 3:18 pm

        I only have one pop up, so if that’s happening to you, you might want to update your browser.

        Reply
    8. Nikki says

      February 10, 2022 at 10:05 pm

      5 stars
      Everyone loved it. Thank you!

      Reply
    9. Louisa says

      January 15, 2022 at 11:45 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing cake. Thanks for another great recipe.

      Reply
    10. Arcangela says

      December 23, 2021 at 4:19 pm

      5 stars
      Made this today for Christmas Eve. I doubled the recipe! I had batter leftover and made a mini one in my ramekin. So good!!! Loved it! I wish I can show you a picture!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        December 23, 2021 at 10:15 pm

        So glad to hear it!

        Reply
    11. Margaret McCasland says

      November 25, 2021 at 4:23 pm

      Made this for Thankskgiving. So delicious with a great texture. Thanks, Carolyn!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        November 25, 2021 at 4:25 pm

        Fantastic!

        Reply
    12. Fariba says

      November 21, 2021 at 12:09 pm

      5 stars
      Beautiful, delish cake. I made this beauty for my birthday last night. It was so good nobody guessed if it’s any different than regular cake. Every body asked for the second. I added some whipped cream and strawberries for decoration. Thanks Carolyn.

      Reply
    13. Alison Dallon says

      November 18, 2021 at 10:48 am

      5 stars
      This was AMAZING. the texture was perfect. The almond flavor was perfect. You have renewed my hope in low carb!

      Reply
      • Carolyn says

        November 18, 2021 at 12:31 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    14. Jill P says

      November 08, 2021 at 2:56 pm

      5 stars
      Delish!! Made this for a dinner party and it was a hit. I substituted grass-fed collagen protein for the whey protein, same weight, and it seemed to work fine. Baked it for the full 50 minutes. Will definitely make this again. Thanks Carolyn!!

      Reply
    15. Ravi says

      September 12, 2021 at 10:19 am

      5 stars
      I have never baked a cake before and was looking for a keto friendly cake treat. I tired this and it came out great. The only changes I made were add a tablespoon of mct oil to make it wetter and I used “cookies an RV creme” whey powder as I didn’t have plain or vanilla. I love it. There are some random slightly bitter tasting bites,, I guess it’s my baking powder

      Reply
    16. Anu says

      September 05, 2021 at 9:42 am

      5 stars
      This was delicious! The only change I made was to add half a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the mix along with almond extract and that really mellowed the flavours so well. Thank you for another fab recipe, truly appreciated. I off to make your apple caramel scones now…

      Reply
    17. Linda Besmer says

      July 25, 2021 at 5:46 pm

      5 stars
      FABULOUS RECIPE. MOIST CRUMB. I LOVE ALMOND, BUT DISCOVERED THAT I HAD VERY LITTLE ALMOND EXTRACT LEFT, SO I SUBSTITUTED COCONUT EXTRACT AND SHREDDED UNSWEETENED COCONUT ON TOP, SIMPLE TO MAKE.

      Reply
    18. Nancy MacRae says

      May 16, 2021 at 10:35 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my gosh! This cake is fabulous. I didn’t have any Swerve, so I used a combination of Lakanto monk fruit sweetener and some Xylitol (just because I like Xylitol.) I plan to try Swerve to see if it really is better. Keto breads and pastries have not been favorites of mine, so I wonder if the protein powder is the magic ingredient? Have you tried adding it to other Keto bread recipes?
      P.S. We had the Keto Crustless Pizza for Two- another winning recipe – followed by the almond cake for dessert.
      Your website never disappoints.

      Reply
    19. Angelin says

      April 27, 2021 at 7:40 pm

      5 stars
      Loved the cake very much it was very easy to make and it just tastes like tea cake. Amazing recipe, great going!

      Reply
    20. Sandy says

      April 07, 2021 at 12:55 pm

      5 stars
      I, too, often have a tub of ricotta in my frig and have to figure out what to do.
      I made this cake yesterday and it was delicious. Also, delicious today.
      Just as moist and flavorful. My son ate it for breakfast.
      Just a thought. I was reading another recipe for a chocolate cake and
      the writer mentioned leaving her batter to rest for about 30 minutes before baking.
      I did that just to see and I think it does help tone down the inevitable
      slight graininess of the almond flour.
      This is a keeper. Going to try and make it lemon and then chocolate.
      Why not! So Good.

      Reply
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