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 (210 g) almond flour, (about 200g)
- 1/3 cup (36 g) unflavored whey protein powder, (can sub egg white protein)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (113.5 g) butter, softened
- 2/3 cup (121.33 g) Swerve Sweetener
- 1 cup (246 g) full fat ricotta cheese, room temperature
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/4 cup (59.15 g) 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.
Video
Nutrition
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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Love this cake! This time, I doubled the recipe since I had 16oz of ricotta that I had to use up. It went together without a hitch, then I used a 12 inch springform, and it filled it to about 3/4 full. I also subbed in about 1/2 teaspoon of fiori di sicilia extract. It added a wonderful orange-vanilla to the almond extract.
I love almond cakes. I have bought your wonderful recipe book and have made a few recipes. All are great. I wondered if I could use cream cheese or full fat Greek yoghurt instead of ricotta. I will get some ricotta, but I want to try it today. I would make a smaller portion just to try it.
Cream cheese is thicker, and greek yogurt is thinner. So you may find your batter too thick or two thin with these options.
Hi, could you please confirm on which website you generated nutrition label?
I don’t do it on a website. I am explicit about how I calculate my nutrition information in the disclaimer at the bottom of each post. I pay for software that is far more accurate than any free website.
Hi 🙂 instead of way protein powder can we sub collagen protein powder?
No, it will make the cake very gummy and hard to cook through.
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
Lovely cake. It kept extremely well, I made it for just us two and it stayed moist. Love it will make again.
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!
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!
I am sure it will work as cupcakes but I can’t guide the time, you just need to watch them!
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.
Hello, is it possible to make this on a Bundt cake pan?
I think you will need to experiment. I can’t see how it would work well, to be honest.
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?
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?
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.
You might need a new batch of baking powder. Also…. what brand of almond flour are you using?
Ugh.. I accidentally grabbed low fat ricotta. Can I still use it in this recipe?
Probably but I would drain it for a bit to get out some of the excess moisture.
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!
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!
Glad you enjoyed it!
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!
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.
Would there be a big difference if I used cream cheese instead of ricotta?
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.