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Home » Recipes » Baking Recipes

Apple Ricotta Cake (Gluten-Free Cake)

Published: Oct 5, 2019 · Modified: Oct 5, 2021 by Colleen 34 Comments

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Apple Ricotta Cake is a delicious way to celebrate apple season. Although lemon is the traditional flavour for a ricotta cake, the apples worked beautifully. This cake is moist and tender, and not too sweet, with loads of apple flavour.

Apple Ricotta Cake topped with Apple Slices

What is Ricotta Cake?

A ricotta cake is an Italian dessert, usually made with semolina or almond flour. My best description is that it's somewhere between a cheesecake and a pound cake. Its texture is dense, yet tender, and has a nice crumb, so it slices beautifully into perfect wedges.

A close up of a cake on a table

Using Almond Meal

You can certainly make this cake with all-purpose or semolina flour, but this recipe is using almond meal, which is simply finely ground almonds. I like the flavour that the almond meals gives the cake, and it means that this apple ricotta cake is gluten-free.

A bowl of apples sitting on a table, with a Cake

What does Ricotta Cake Taste Like?

This apple ricotta cake tastes, obviously, like apples and cinnamon. Along with the almond flavour from the flour, there is a creamy, cheesy flavour from the ricotta. All in all, it's a beautiful combo.

A cake on a plate with a slice cut out

What is Ricotta?

Ricotta is a mild, creamy white cheese with a texture like a very fine curd cottage cheese. It is a common ingredient in savory Italian recipes, like this Perfect Meat Lasagna, but also in dessert recipes, like cannoli. In desserts, ricotta goes well with chocolate, fruit, and honey.

And did you know, it's really easy to make your own homemade ricotta? Check it out here: How to Make Homemade Ricotta.

Apple Ricotta Cake with a Slice Taken Out

Can You Substitute Cottage Cheese for For The Ricotta in This Cake?

For this cake, I prefer not to substitute cottage cheese for the ricotta. Although it tastes similar, ricotta is richer and creamier than cottage cheese. However, you can substitute cottage cheese in this recipe, if you want to. But because it has a much larger curd than ricotta, put the cottage cheese into the blender for a few seconds before using it.

A cake on a table, with a slice of cake on a plate

How To Enjoy Apple Ricotta Cake

This simple cake is perfect just as is with coffee or tea, and because it isn't overly sweet, you can even have it for breakfast. The almonds and cheese pack a nice protein hit to start the day.

As a dessert, you can drizzle the cake with salted caramel, honey, or top it with macerated fruit.

And, if you love apple desserts, you may also want to try Apple Walnut Spice Cake or Skillet Caramel Apple Crisp.

A close up of a slice of cake and a cup of coffee

How to Store Your Cake

Store your cake well wrapped at room temperature for up to two days. It will last longer in the fridge, but the texture will become denser. You can also freeze the cake for up to three months if properly wrapped. It's nice to freeze some in individual portions for coffee breaks.

Slice of Apple Ricotta Cake on a Plate with Cup of Coffee

Want to do More Gluten-Free Baking?

Try some of these mouthwatering goodies:

  • Gluten-Free Carrot Cake Recipe
  • Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
  • Pumpkin Pecan Muffins (Gluten-Free)
  • Cherry Almond Clafoutis (Gluten Free)
An apple sitting on top of a wooden cutting board, with Cake

Apple Ricotta Cake

Apple Ricotta Cake is a delicious but simple, not overly sweet, and gluten-free cake. Perfect for breakfast, snacking, or dessert.
4.84 from 24 votes
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Course: Cakes
Cuisine: Italian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 380kcal
Author: Colleen Milne

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs large
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 cups ricotta cheese whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 2 cups almond meal or almond flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 4 apples
  • 4 tablespoon brown sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° and prepare a 9" spring form pan by spraying with cooking spray
  • Slice the apples into thin slices
  • Combine eggs, sugar, ricotta and vanilla in a large mixing bowl
  • Stir in oil, salt, and cinnamon
  • Gradually stir in almond meal and baking powder, mixing until combined
  • Fold in slices of three of the apples
  • Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking pan
  • Arrange slices of the fourth apple on top of the cake, then sprinkle with brown sugar
  • Bake in center of oven 60 minutes, or until apple slices are browned, and a butter knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 90mg | Potassium: 213mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 203IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 1mg
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rosie

    December 24, 2022 at 1:00 am

    Hello 👋
    In general, I am very pleased with the recipe, but there are some improvements that I will definitely make for myself, maybe it will come in handy for someone too. 1. Next time I'll remove any moisture from the ricotta by squeezing it into a sieve or through a nut milk bag. 2. I will fry the apples in a pan with butter and a little brown sugar. The goal is to enhance the aroma of apples and again, to remove excess water. 3. 175 C and 60 minutes is not enough precisely because of the abundance of moisture 4. After about 70 minutes, I smeared the surface a little with butter and sprinkled with brown sugar, after which I put it in the oven for another 10 minutes. (do not sprinkle with sugar before baking so that it does not burn)

    Reply
  2. Barb

    November 25, 2022 at 4:39 am

    this was delicious but somehow, my cake did not hold together. It did not slice into firm slices - more like a firm exterior with crumbling interior.
    It did not taste undercooked. Perhaps the apples were too moist?
    I have been told that almond flour is difficult to bake with --ideas? I would like to make this again but would like it to hold together better.

    Reply
    • Colleen

      November 25, 2022 at 1:42 pm

      Hi Barb, I'm sorry to hear that your cake turned out crumbly. Ricotta cakes are usually dense, but moist, and this one is no exception. There could be one of a few reasons for the crumbling texture. Here are ones that come to mind: Baking at too high temperature; ovens vary and often run hotter than your settings. Overmixing: the batter should be mixed until just combined. Measuring: almond flour shouldn't be packed in the measuring scoop; it will result in using too much flour. I hope it turns out better for you next time. Thank you for sharing. I plan to update the recipe with those tips.

      Reply
  3. Carol C.

    July 21, 2022 at 6:44 am

    I baked this cake for the first time and brought it to my sister's house for a family dinner.
    Everyone loved the cake! I can't wait to make it again it was delicious.

    Reply
    • Colleen

      July 21, 2022 at 6:50 am

      Hi Carol! I'm so happy to hear that everyone loved the ricotta cake. It's a family favorite for us, too. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment.

      Reply
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