Flourless Orange, Ricotta & Almond Cake is a very moist cake that relies on air beaten into the butter mixture & the egg white mixture to help it rise. I’ve given a sauce recipe to serve with the cake but this is optional. The sauce is delicious but the cake is equally as good served with some clotted or whipped cream, even just a little drizzle of heavy pouring cream is good. Make it a day ahead of serving & serve the cake at room temperature & the sauce warmed.
These orange slices are sitting on the back of a picture mum had painted for me years ago – almost 30 years. Our names were spelled slightly differently because my Pa made a mistake when he was filling out the form for her birth certificate. She never changed the spelling but it should be ‘Lovoni’, like mine as I’m named after her & a place in Fiji.
FLOURLESS ORANGE, RICOTTA & ALMOND CAKE
Ingredients
- 1 stick (4oz/113g/1/2 cup) butter, softened
- 1 1/3 cups (266g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons finely grated orange rind
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 2 cups ground almonds, almond flour or meal (240g)
- 1 cup (250ml) whole milk ricotta
- 1/2 cup (36g) slivered almonds
- icing sugar for dusting
- dried or candied orange slices for serving optional
- cream for serving optional
ORANGE BUTTER SAUCE
- 2/3 cup (180ml) orange juice
- 1/3 cup (66g) sugar
- 1/3 cup (76g) butter
Instructions
- Grease an 8-inch (20cm) deep, round cake pan & line base & side with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C/gas mark 3).
- Beat butter, 1/3 cup of sugar, vanilla & orange rind in a large bowl of electric mixer for 7 to 10 minutes, scraping the side of the bowl down a couple of times during beating, until light & creamy. Add the yolks & beat 2 to 3 minutes until well combined & mixture is slightly fluffy.
- Add almond flour & ricotta & beat until well combined.
- Using a clean, dry balloon whisk attachment, beat egg whites in a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar & beat until thick & glossy.
- Fold one-third of the egg white mixture into the almond mixture. Add the remaining egg white mixture, making sure to gently fold the mixture until combined. Spoon mixture into cake pan; smooth top. Sprinkle with slivered almonds. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until cake is a light golden-brown color & a thin skewer comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake. Place cake on a wire rack & let the cake cool completely before turning onto a serving platter. The cake can be kept at room temperature for a day or stored, covered in the fridge. Serve the cake cold or at room temperature.
- Just before serving, dust cake with icing sugar. Serve with dried orange slices, cream & sauce. Serves 6 to 8.
To make the Orange Butter Sauce:
- Combine juice & sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, let boil for 5 minutes to thicken a little. Whisk in butter 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking constantly & waiting until butter has melted before adding another tablespoon. Serve sauce warm with the cake.