recipe: dairy/gluten free ricotta, almond, lemon cake
When I first cut out dairy back in 2013 it was not only because I was trying to decrease the inflammation in my body, but also because I found out I had been lactose-intolerant…for my entire life. I cut out gluten purely for inflammatory reasons- not because I had a sensitivity.
It was devastating for me to suddenly stop eating things I had been eating my entire life like pasta, yogurt, bagels, candy and other gluten and dairy filled delights; I felt like my life was over.
It took me about a year to fully adjust and stop complaining about my new dietary restrictions. Eventually it was no big deal that I couldn’t eat these things because I found excellent and healthy alternatives, including amazing desserts.
I usually do not eat sugar (refined or unrefined) but once in a while I will have something with honey or maple syrup. For Easter, we had this amazing cake sweetened with a small amount of maple and it was a perfect with a cup of chamomile tea.
Recipe
- 1 stick soy-free earth balance butter, softened or 1/2 cup organic coconut oil
- 2/3 cup of pure grade-A maple syrup (if you want a sweet cake, add 1 cup)
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
- zest from one lemon
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 2-1/2 cup almond meal
- 1-1/2 cups (10-1/2 oz) kite hill ricotta
- 6 oz slivered almonds
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line the base of 9 inch springform cake pan with parchment paper. Use coconut oil to grease the sides of pan.
- Place the softened butter, ⅔ cup maple, vanilla and lemon zest in a mixing bowl and beat with electric mixer for 5 minutes. Add egg yolks, one at a time, continuing to beat until fluffy and combined.
- Add almond meal and mix again to combine. Fold in ricotta cheese
- Beat egg whites in a separate clean bowl with electric mixer until peaks form.
- Gently fold egg whites into cake batter until egg whites are combined.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Smooth the top, sprinkle cake with almond slivers and bake for 45-50 minutes or until cake if firm to touch.
- Remove from oven and cool completely before releasing cake from pan.
- Serve and enjoy!
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