A Light & Airy Almond Cake with A Delicate Texture
Almond lovers, this one’s for you. This Italian almond ricotta cake is rich, tender, and bursting with almond and lemon flavor—yet it still feels light and airy, thanks to whipped egg whites and creamy ricotta. Inspired by a classic Italian ricotta torta, it’s made with almond flour, almond extract, and topped with sliced almonds for just the right amount of crunch. One of my favorite, deceptively simple dessert recipes!
What makes it so special? It’s naturally gluten-free, made without any wheat flour, and gets its dreamy texture from a mix of ricotta and folded egg whites. The result is a delicate, almost gooey center with crisp edges and a light, melt-in-your-mouth bite.
It’s the kind of dessert that feels indulgent without being heavy—and just happens to be perfect for Passover or any celebration where you want something other than a traditional cake.
Love baking with ricotta? Try my one-bowl orange ricotta cake, moist lemon pound cake, or classic Italian ricotta cheesecake next!
Chef-Tested Tips 👩🏻🍳
- Use room temperature ingredients: They mix more evenly and help the cake rise properly.
- Grease the pan well (even springform pans!): We use a standard 9″ round cake pan — just grease the sides thoroughly. To release, invert onto a plate, then flip again onto a serving platter.
- Stick with whole milk ricotta: It gives the batter a rich, creamy consistency you can’t get from low-fat versions.
- Use sliced, not slivered almonds: The paper-thin slices create the perfect crunchy topping.
- Cool before slicing: Wait at least 15 minutes for cleaner cuts and better texture.
Stick To The Recommending Timing!
Please stick to recommended mixing times, as the air incorporated into the batter is what gives the cake its signature texture! Full instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
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Almond Meal vs Almond Flour (You Can Use Either Here!)
Almond flour is made from blanched almonds with the skins removed, resulting in a finer, lighter texture that’s ideal for delicate baked goods. On the other hand, almond meal is typically ground from whole almonds (skins included), giving it a coarser texture and slightly nuttier flavor. If you have fresh almonds, you can even make it yourself at home!
The bottom line: If tested this recipe with both almond flour and almond meal — you can get away with using either for this recipe! 🙌🏻 No need to go out and buy something new (though I do not recommend substituting with all-purpose flour). Save the almond paste for making Italian rainbow cookies.
For more ricotta recipes (to use up any leftovers!), try making homemade cannoli cream, soft, creamy baked ricotta or this light and airy whipped ricotta cream. Can you tell we love ricotta cheese in this house?! 😂
Make-Ahead & Storage
Leftovers will keep in a refrigerator for up to 4 days. The cake, however, is best enjoyed fresh — make it the same day you plan to eat it. Can be enjoyed at room temperature or slightly warm.
A note on freezing: Anything can be frozen, but that doesn’t mean the texture will be the same when you thaw or reheat it. This cake is extremely moist and creamy — it is best enjoyed fresh. Freezing will alter its texture.
I truly cannot put into words just how delicious this Italian dessert is. While chocolate lovers may be running to make a flourless chocolate cake, this cake has stolen my heart and will forever more be my #1 favorite.
Don’t forget to leave a review and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating when you make this creamy almond ricotta cake! You’re going to fall head-over-heels in love!
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Impossibly Tender Almond Ricotta Cake (Gluten-free)
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter softened
- 1⅓ cup (235g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 4 large eggs room temperature, separated
- 10 oz (313g) whole milk ricotta about 1 ¼ cup
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest from 2 large lemons
- 1½ cup (180g) almond flour
- pinch of Kosher salt
- ¼ cup (25g) sliced almonds
- Confectioner's sugar for serving, about 2-3 Tbsp
- Nonstick baking spray or butter for greasing pan
Instructions
- Prepare the cake pan. Preheat an oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 9-inch cake pan or springform pan with parchment, then spray generously with baking spray or butter.
- Cream the butter and sugar. Place ½ cup (113g) softened butter, 1⅓ (235g) cup granulated sugar, 2 tsp vanilla extract, and 1 tsp almond extract into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Begin on medium speed, then increase to medium-high and beat until very smooth, 5 minutes.
- Incorporate egg yolks. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down the sides between additions.
- Whip the ricotta. Add 10oz (313g) ricotta cheese and lemon zest, then continue beating on medium speed until very smooth, an additional 5 minutes. Pour in 1½ cups (180g) almond flour then add a pinch of Kosher salt. Mix until just combined. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, then clean and wipe out the bowl of the stand mixer very well.
- Beat the egg whites. Replace the paddle with the whisk attachment, then beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold half of the egg whites into the cake batter until just mixed in. Repeat with remaining egg whites.
- Bake the cake. Pour the cake batter into the greased cake pan, then use an offset spatula to smooth out the top. Sprinkle ¼ cup (25g) sliced almonds evenly over the top of the cake, then bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the top and sides of the cake are firm and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool, then slice. Allow the cake to cool for 10-15 minutes, then carefully remove the outer ring of the pan. Dust with confectioner’s sugar, then slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Leftovers: This cake will keep in a refrigerator for up to 4 days, though it’s texture is best on the first day.
- Please stick to recommended mixing times, as the air incorporated into the batter is what gives the cake its signature texture!
- Almond meal can be substituted with almond flour, but the texture will be slightly different. Almond flour is finely ground and will yield a more delicate, light cake.
Can cottage cheese be used instead of ricotta if pureed in a foor processor?
Hi Anne! I haven’t tried this, so wouldn’t feel comfortable saying whether it’s an adequate substitution. My guess is that from a textural point, it should work okay. Not sure what it would do to the taste, though. If you try substituting cottage cheese for ricotta, please report back so that others know how it turned out for you! xo, Ari
This is sooooo good. I’ve made it several times (have one in the oven right now), my new favorite recipe, better than cheesecake. So easy, nothing too unhealthy, so delicious, and I’m not even a gluten-free girl. I didn’t have a fresh lemon on hand this time so used lemon oil instead of zest, it will be fine. I’ve made it both in springform and cake pan, comes out beautifully either way but prefer cake pan. Thank you so much for sharing this truly wonderful recipe!
Thank you, Carla!! It is my favorite dessert of all time, PERIOD. I think the texture is just insane! And I’m not gluten-free either (obviously lol), but my god, how amazing to have this recipe on standby for when guests who ARE come over for dinner?! THE BEST. xo, Ari
I’ve tried this recipe a couple times and each time it completely falls apart. I tried cooking it longer, divided into smaller pans and letting cool overnight and still getting this result. Any tips?
Hi Marge! It is definitely a softer cake — this is because of the moisture in the ricotta cheese, as well as it being gluten free. It doesn’t have the same structure or body as a cake that’s made with all purpose flour. Two overall comments: the first is that you can just expect it to be a soft cake and that it will fall apart easily when you slice into it (the first slice is admittedly the sloppiest looking, but the rest are usually fine to get out of a pan). The second is that you can drain the ricotta over cheesecloth for an hour or two to release excess moisture, but it WILL change the texture of the cake. Sounds like it would be a welcomed change for your preferences, but I just made this cake again over the weekend for a dinner party and the texture is exactly what I envisioned during recipe development. Let me know if I can assist further — really appreciate your feedback! xo, Ari
What about removing the parchment?
Hi Jane! This is a soft cake — the structure of it is super delicate due to the ricotta cheese (and also that it’s made without all purpose flour). We recommend leaving the parchment paper when slicing, so when you go to get a slice of the cake, if it crumbles apart a little, it’s caught by the parchment. Hope this helps! xo, Ari
Made this today for a monthly lunch and everyone loved it! This is a keeper and I will definitely make it again.
Thanks, Lisa!! My all-time favorite dessert on Well Seasoned, we make this ALL the time! xo, Ari
I made this as a Passover dessert, and it was delicious! I followed the recipe exactly, and I’m glad I did. I love how moist the cake was and the almond flavor was so nice. My guests loved it too – thanks for the great recipe 🙂
It’s truly such a foolproof (and delicious) cake! xo, Ari
Best, most delicious cake that tastes like a giant marzipan! The texture adds to the deliciousness. It is a keeper in my recipe box.
Thanks, Judy! It’s got the most amazing texture! xo, Ari
This cake is fantastic! I used allulose sweetener instead of sugar and it turned out great. Finally a dessert made with almond flour that tastes good. Will make this again. Thank you!
Yessss, it’s my all-time fav cake! So glad you enjoyed. The best almond flavor! xo, Ari
Wow! This cake was a huge hit! So delicious and easy! Adding it to the rotation! Thank you!
Making me want to go bake one up right now hah. Thanks for the review, Ellen! xo, Ari
Great recipe, not surprisingly, always had great success with your blog. Delicious!
Thank you, Dee, it’s my favorite! xo, Ari
Even though I didn’t have any almond extract, I followed everything else exactly and ended up with a terrific dessert!! My husband and mother and I just loved it and I will definitely make this again. Thank you for the delicious recipe!!
Love to hear this! It’s the absolute best cake, hands down. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! xo, Ari
Fantastic recipe! I made it for a dinner party. The host is gluten free. The process of making it was easy to follow with the steps provided. It’s not an easy bake, but it’s not the most complicated either. I made the mistake of overfilling my cake tin so the top got a little browner than desired and the middle a little less cooked. Can’t wait to try this again and correct my mistakes. Strong almond flavor and great texture. Thank you!
Truly my favorite gluten-free dessert! Thanks, Lauren! xo, Ari
The flavor of this cake was delicious but the texture seemed off. I used Almond Flour (recipe also gives option of almond meal). Instead of being smooth it had a different texture. Sounds like there have been positive reviews on texture but mine was off.
Hi Lisa! What kind of texture did you end up with? I’ve made this cake probably 2 dozen times and the bake time is extremely important. If under baked, it is too mushy, and if over-baked it will be firm. It should have a tender, pillowy texture. Best, Ari
Thanks for getting back to me… sounds like it was underbaked. It was mushy and had a somewhat mealy texture. Definitely wasn’t pillowy. Would it be better to try the almond meal next time. I baked for 55 minutes. I am not a baker but love to cook. I tested the cake using a toothpick and came out pretty clean but was somewhat what so I bet that’s what happened. House smelled great for our bookclub but I was disappointed that I didn’t get it right .
Can I make this the day before due to time restraints, or will it flop? I want a special GF dessert for my sister’s 60th birthday.
Yes, absolutely! I’d wait to dust it with powdered sugar until the day you serve it, but it can absolutely be made ahead of time. It has a soft texture which is best enjoyed fresh or room temperature, so if you’re refrigerating it, just be sure to let it sit out at room temperature for an hour or two before serving. Enjoy and report back! (And happy birthday to your sister!) Cheers, Ari
It turned out absolutely delicious!
Thank you♥️
Oh it’s gorgeous!! I’m so happy you loved. Thanks for sharing this photo! Ari
Is the texture supposed to be rather dense and almost custard-y? Mine came out kind of like that. And it’s pretty heavy. Don’t know if that’s the way it’s meant to be or if I did something wrong. I baked it for about 55 minutes and it came out pretty-looking. The top was golden brown and it was cooked all the way through, although it was very moist, and therefore crumbled/cracked a little when I transferred it to a plate. It tastes delicious although I think next time I would make it with less sugar. It’s pretty sweet, or maybe the allulose is a better option as someone in these comments mentioned. Almost wondering if there’s too much butter as well. Please let me know if my description matches or comes close to your results! Mine looks like the your photo. Thank you for the recipe, I always love lemony – almond taste sensations.
Hi Jeanne! Yes, the cake almost feels underbaked in the center — it eats like a luscious, rich almond-lemon bar. Certainly you can bake it a bit more if that’s to your liking, but the inspiration for this recipe was an amazing little bakery in Montclair, NJ whose cake was soft at the center, and I truly love it this way. And agree: almond and lemon together is always a winning flavor combo! Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it! Cheers, Ari