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
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Oh my ! I made this cake today and it is truly delicious. The cake is so moist and the texture is wonderful. I did not sprinkle any powdered sweetner on top and did not miss it. I think I’m going to have to eat a piece for breakfast with whipped cream and blueberries! Thank you Caroline, your recipes never disappoint!
Made this a couple times and it is delicious. I was worried that the new Swerve with allulose in it would turn it too brown especially with the long baking time, but it came out fine. Thanks!
Great to hear!
So good! My husband says it reminds him of Chinese almond cookies, which are something he loves. Of note, I used vanilla whey protein powder because I didn’t have unflavored.
Oh my goodness! Is this now my favourite cake? I think so! I normally do not mess with your recipes – particularly baking – but in this case my springform was 10 inches so I multiplied the recipe by 50% so that it wasn’t too flat. I then found myself with not enough ricotta (I only had 250g), so I cobbled together some cottage cheese and sour cream I had in the fridge to make up the missing ricotta. THE CAKE IS HEAVEN! I can’t stop eating it! So creamy! Next time I’ll make sure I have enough ricotta!
From Australia……
Made this for a morning tea. Everyone loved it. Absolutely yummy, thank you x
Glad you enjoyed it!
Absolutely delicious and very easy to make. Buttery tasting, reminds me of pound cake, which I love. I served it to a friend who does not need to keep a low carb diet and she loved it. I love the hint of salt. Definitely a winner! Caution: even though the batter is thick the melting butter leaked a bit and got on the floor of the oven and smoked up my apartment. Next time I will either wrap the bottom with foil or place the springform pan on a tray.
That’s strange about the butter, it should not be leaking out. It should be full incorporated into the batter…
Um, this was fantastic! I made a couple of substitutions. I didn’t have whey protein. So I used pea protein Which I was a little nervous to do, but I don’t regret it at all. The other substitution was I did not have baking powder so I substituted baking soda and cream of tartar using a recipe I found online for making your own baking powder. Other than that, I followed your recipe to a tea and it was awesome. The only thing I might change next time is the sweetener, as I am sensitive to all sugar alcohols, including erythritol. Thank you so much for posting this.
what is the purpose of whey protein powder? any substitutes
Please read the blog post as I discuss this already. Thanks!
I accidentally bought part skim ricotta. Can I use it instead of whole milk ricotta?
Try draining it in a sieve for an hour first, to remove some of the excess liquid.
When you say powdered egg white protein can be used instead of whey protein, are you talking about powdered egg whites that come in a can or is the egg white protein powder different?
Egg white protein powder… you can use meringue powder (powdered egg whites) but make sure they don’t contain sugar!
I always wonder why eggs cannot be added all at once?? It’s the same with cream puffs — but why? what is the purpose of only adding one at a time, please?
I always wonder why eggs cannot be added all at once??
https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/why-do-you-have-to-add-eggs-one-at-a-time-in-baking/
I can’t find my comment. If I make this Thursday will it still be good Sunday?
Thank you,
Lynnita
This recipe looks so good. Just wondering, how long will it keep in the refrigerator?
Thank You,
Lynnita
Should be good for 10 days or so.
I made this receipe as written and I was blown away at how delicious it was. It was moist and the texture was tender and kind of creamy, melt in your mouth good. I had non-keto friends over for dinner and I wanted to enjoy dessert and coffee after dinner with them, so I made this so I too could have a piece. My friend said it reminded her of a torte she had at a French Bistro when she visited Paris. This is my go to, got to impress dessert! Thank you
Thank you!
This has to be a new family favorite! So moist and delicious, I just love the flavor with the almond extract . Great with ice or whipped cream but stands alone proudly!