Low Carb Keto Almond Ricotta Cake

I first made this on a week where everything else flopped—grainy mug cake, flat eggy muffins, and a protein bar that tasted like regret. Then this happened: a dense, almondy ricotta cake that was rich without being heavy, subtly sweet without the weird aftertaste, and didn’t spike my blood sugar. My non-keto mom had seconds. That’s how I knew it wasn’t just “good for keto”—it was just good.

💡 Why This One Works So Well

This cake leans into what low-carb baking can do well: richness, moisture, and dense texture. No sad, dry sponge here. The ricotta keeps it moist, the almond flour adds body, and folding in whipped egg whites gives it lift without needing starch or baking powder.

This is the kind of cake that actually gets better the second day—something about the almond and lemon melding. You can eat it cold or slightly warm (toasted almond edges = yes).

🧾 What I Used (And Why It Worked)

• Ricotta cheese (1 cup) – Adds creamy moisture and Italian credibility. Full-fat only. Don’t use skim unless you enjoy rubber.
• Blanched almond flour (2.5 cups / 250g) – Keeps it keto, neutral in flavor. Don’t sub coconut flour—wrong texture, wrong moisture balance.
• Butter (1/2 cup, softened) – Fat = flavor. Also helps structure.
• Eggs, separated (4 total) – Yolks for richness, whipped whites for lift. Skipping this step gives you a dense brick.
• Monk Fruit + Allulose confectioners (3/4 cup) – Sweet without spike. I used Lakanto + Allulose blend—no cooling aftertaste.
• Vanilla stevia (1/2 tsp) – Optional but rounds out the sweetness. Liquid stevia is concentrated—don’t eyeball it.
• Almond extract (1 tsp) – Do not skip. This is the flavor hero.
• Lemon zest (1 tsp) – Wakes it up. Don’t swap for juice—too wet.
• Cream of tartar (1/2 tsp) – Stabilizes the whipped whites. Skip it only if your whites whip well.
• Slivered almonds (1/3 cup) – Crunch on top. Optional, but delightful.

🔁 Low-Carb Substitutions That Hold Up

⚠️ Keto Missteps and How I Fixed Them

👩‍🍳 How to Make It (Step-by-Step)

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9″ springform pan.
2. In one bowl: beat softened butter, ricotta, yolks, almond extract, sweetener, stevia, and salt until creamy.
3. Add almond flour + lemon zest. Mix again. Set aside.
4. In a clean bowl, whip egg whites + cream of tartar to stiff peaks (they should hold shape).
5. Fold half of the whites into almond mix. Then gently fold in the rest. Don’t rush this—it’s your lift.
6. Pour into pan. Sprinkle slivered almonds on top.
7. Bake 40–45 min until golden, edges pull slightly, and toothpick comes out mostly clean.
8. Cool 10 min, loosen edges with knife, remove pan sides. Cool fully.
9. Dust with keto confectioners if feeling fancy. (Optional.)

🧠 Smart Moves I Always Use

• Let almond flour batter sit 5–10 minutes before folding in whites. It hydrates and holds shape better.
• Weigh almond flour (250g) if you can—volume can lie.
• Use parchment on bottom of pan for easier release.
• Store cooled cake in fridge uncovered for first 12 hours. It firms up beautifully.

🧊 Freezing + Reheating Without Ruining It

• Fridge: Keeps 5 days, airtight.
• Freezer: Slice and freeze in parchment-wrapped wedges inside a zip bag. Holds up for a month.
• To Reheat: 10 sec in microwave or 5 min in toaster oven = just warm enough without drying.
• Macros after freezing: Still 4g net carbs per slice, no changes.

❓ Can I Eat This on Keto? (Yes, Here’s Why)

• Net Carbs? 4g per slice (based on 12 slices).
• Spikes Blood Sugar? Not for me—and I’m sensitive. Allulose + fat slows absorption.
• Can I skip the stevia? Yes, but up your dry sweetener slightly.
• Does this taste “eggy”? Nope. Whipping the whites solves that.
• Can I make this dairy-free? You can, but ricotta is the soul of this. It won’t be the same.

Nutrition Facts

Per 1 Slice – 1/12 of Cake

Check out More Recipes:

• Low Carb Keto Eggnog (Sugar-Free)
• Low Carb Keto Iced Coffee
• Low Carb Keto Bulletproof Tea
• Low Carb Keto Papaya Smoothie

Low Carb Keto Almond Ricotta Cake

Author: Sarah Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:American Courses:Dessert

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 35 minutesCook time: 45 minutesTotal time:1 hour 20 minutesServings:12 servingsCalories:274 kcal Best Season:Available

Description

Moist, dense, and almond-kissed ricotta cake that’s low-carb, keto-friendly, and secretly decadent—perfect for dessert, brunch, or straight-from-the-fridge snacking.

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1 cup full-fat ricotta
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1 tsp almond extract
• ¾ cup Monk Fruit + Allulose confectioners blend
• ½ tsp vanilla stevia (or more sweetener to taste)
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2½ cups blanched almond flour (250g)
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• ½ tsp cream of tartar
• ⅓ cup slivered almonds

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9″ springform pan.
2. Beat butter, ricotta, yolks, almond extract, sweeteners, and salt.
3. Mix in almond flour and zest.
4. Whip egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff.
5. Fold whites into batter in two parts.
6. Pour into pan, top with almonds.
7. Bake 40–45 minutes until set and golden.
8. Cool 10 min, loosen edges, remove pan ring.
9. Cool fully. Dust with keto sweetener if desired.

Notes

• Let the cake cool fully before slicing—it firms up as it cools. Tastes even better the next day. Don’t skip the almond extract—it makes the flavor pop.

Keywords:almond ricotta cake, keto dessert, low carb cake, gluten free cake, sugar free almond cake, ricotta cake keto, keto baking