• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Food Blog
  • Home
  • About
    • Contact Me
  • Work With Me
  • Recipe Index
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Hello and Welcome!
  • Work With Me
  • Contact Me
×

Home » Recipes » Baking Recipes

Apple Ricotta Cake (Gluten-Free Cake)

Published: Oct 5, 2019 · Modified: Oct 5, 2021 by Colleen 29 Comments

Sharing is caring!

545 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
Jump to Recipe

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.
4.82 from 22 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prevent your screen from going dark
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
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @TheFoodBlog or tag #thefoodblog!
« Pepper Jelly Recipe
Beet Soup Recipe - Ukrainian Borscht »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. eileen

    March 20, 2022 at 4:22 pm

    Followed the directions but the result was a grainy texture to the cake. I used Red Mill almond flour. Perhaps I should have sieved the ricotta cheese??

    Reply
  2. Janice

    September 28, 2020 at 8:10 pm

    Made exactly as written with Gala apples and LOVED it! So apple-y! 😉 And the olive oil flavor came through nicely. My only change for next time will be to coarsely chop the apples that go in the cake. Even thinly sliced, the apples in the cake were big and bulky looking and hard to cut through. Thanks for sharing this keeper. As someone with Celiac I'm always on the lookout for a good gluten free recipe....I also found the cherry clafoutis recipe on your site and am looking forward to trying that one day. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      September 29, 2020 at 6:49 am

      Hi Janice. I'm so happy that you loved this cake. It's a favorite at my house. Great tip about chopping the apples. I use a mandolin to slice them super thin, but not everyone has one. You will love the cherry clafoutis recipe, and you can find a lot of gluten-free recipes here. Thanks for coming back to drop a note. 😊

      Reply
  3. Lisa

    September 26, 2020 at 7:35 am

    Apples and almond flour in a delicious cake is definitely a lovely combination! Thanks for sharing this recipe!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      September 26, 2020 at 3:54 pm

      You're so welcome, Lisa!

      Reply
  4. Vanessa

    September 22, 2020 at 8:53 pm

    Nothing better than cake that you can eat for breakfast! Delicious 😋

    Reply
    • Colleen

      September 26, 2020 at 3:54 pm

      I agree, Vanessa!

      Reply
  5. Wanda

    September 22, 2020 at 7:28 pm

    What a gorgeous looking cake! Ricotta is such a delicious ingredient to add, I'll bet it tastes amazing!

    Reply
  6. dishnthekitchen

    September 22, 2020 at 5:19 pm

    Great looking cake Colleen...so perfect for any fall celebration. Ricotta cakes really have a wonderful texture to them.

    Reply
    • Colleen

      September 22, 2020 at 5:46 pm

      Thanks so much, Bernice! We love this cake!

      Reply
  7. Shailaja DESAI

    September 22, 2020 at 2:27 pm

    How beautiful is this cake Colleen and best that its gluten free too!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      September 22, 2020 at 5:45 pm

      Hi Shy, Thank you! Gluten-free can be so yummy, right?

      Reply
  8. Elaine Nessman

    September 22, 2020 at 1:27 pm

    Such a tender and moist cake! It's a favourite recipe in our house!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      September 22, 2020 at 5:44 pm

      Thanks, Elaine! So happy that you love this recipe!

      Reply
  9. JustineCelina

    September 22, 2020 at 8:45 am

    This looks absolutely decadent, Colleen! I would have never thought to combine these seasonal ingredients in this way -- what an inventive recipe. Beautiful work!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      September 22, 2020 at 5:43 pm

      Thanks so much, Justine! Hope you give this recipe a try!

      Reply
    • Boo

      August 07, 2021 at 3:45 am

      I just made this cake exactly according to the recipe and it is divine. It looks great, is moist and truly delicious. We didn't wait for it to cook down totally...had it with ice cream. Thanks so much. I will be making this again and again. I love the way the almond flavour really comes through too. Cannot praise this enough 🙂

      Reply
      • Colleen

        August 07, 2021 at 6:18 pm

        I'm so happy to hear that you love this cake as much as we do, Boo! Thanks so much for coming back to share. Your comment is much appreciated!

  10. Janice

    September 14, 2020 at 11:13 am

    Looking forward to trying but seriously - why do people rate a recipe they haven't made?? Makes it really hard to figure out what people think of the recipe.

    Reply
  11. Corina Blum

    October 16, 2019 at 3:19 am

    This cake sounds delicious! I know I'd love it as I made a similar cake yesterday but not with ricotta! I wish I had some left and I'd love to try this one too.

    Reply
    • Colleen

      October 16, 2019 at 7:37 am

      Corina, ricotta really makes this cake special. Definitely give this recipe a try!

      Reply
  12. Alexandra

    October 16, 2019 at 2:23 am

    Loved enjoying this with my cup of coffee! It is delicious and moist, and love that it is gluten-free so my whole family can enjoy it.

    Reply
    • Colleen

      October 16, 2019 at 7:36 am

      So glad to hear that you loved it, Alexandra!

      Reply
  13. Sara Welch

    October 15, 2019 at 8:53 pm

    Wow! What a decadent dessert and perfect for fall! Looking forward to enjoying this all season long!

    Reply
    • Colleen

      October 16, 2019 at 7:36 am

      This cake is great any time of year, Sara, but it's so ideal for the fall, I agree. Enjoy!

      Reply
  14. Veena Azmanov

    October 15, 2019 at 8:20 pm

    This slice of cake will surely go well with my cup of Tea. Looks delicious and moist.

    Reply
    • Colleen

      October 15, 2019 at 8:24 pm

      Veena, this is a perfect slice with a cup of tea or coffee, promise!

      Reply
  15. Whitney

    October 15, 2019 at 8:18 pm

    I have never tried ricotta cheese for baking desserts, although I have swapped ricotta for cottage cheese and it seems to work just as well. Thanks for the tip.

    Reply
    • Colleen

      October 16, 2019 at 7:35 am

      Hi Whitney. Ricotta is amazing for desserts, hope you give it a try!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Colleen, the creator of The Food Blog.

Hi, I'm Colleen!  I’m glad you stopped by. I hope that you’re here because you love delicious, simple, mostly healthy recipes . Because that’s what I do and I want to share it with you.

More about me →

Trending Now

  • Meyer Lemon Curd Tart (Gluten-Free)
  • Vegan Asparagus Soup
  • Gluten Free Blueberry Scones (Lemon Glazed)
  • Spring Chicken Salad

In Season Now

  • Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breasts
  • Steak & Asparagus Stir Fry Recipe
  • Vegan Asparagus Soup
  • Air Fryer Asparagus Fries
The Food Blog has been featured in

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright
  • Accessibility

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact
  • Work with me

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2022 The Food Blog

545 shares