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Apple Ricotta Cake (Gluten-Free Cake)

Name: Apple Ricotta Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 4 eggs (large); 3/4 cup sugar; 1 cups ricotta cheese (whole milk); 1 tsp vanilla extract; 3/4 cup olive oil; 1/4 tsp salt; 2 tsp cinnamon; 2 cups almond meal (or almond flour); 1 tbsp baking powder; 4 apples; 4 tbsp brown sugar

Published: Oct 5, 2019 · Modified: Oct 5, 2021 by Colleen 28 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Want to do More Gluten-Free Baking?

Try some of these mouthwatering goodies: