I am always trying to come up with gluten free cakes that taste great and no one suspects are gluten free. Too many recipes use odd ingredients to compensate for the lack of gluten and they end up missing the mark. Sometimes the taste is wrong, sometimes the texture is wrong and sometimes the presentation is wrong.

This one is sensational on all fronts. It’s moist and creamy like a cheesecake and perfect for brunch or an afternoon snack. It actually reminds me of ricotta cheesecake I’ve eaten in Italy but it’s much lighter due to how the eggs are handled.

I’ve made it using lots of different seasonal fruits, from blueberries to nectarines, to figs and on New Year’s Day, frozen organic blackberries from Costco. Fresh raspberries are the easiest to find everywhere, so that’s what I’ve included in the recipe.

Don’t skimp on the lemon and orange zest. Top the finished cake with a light sprinkling of powdered sugar.

Pour into pan. Top with fruit and sliced almonds and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Don’t skimp on the lemon and orange zest.

In a clean mixing bowl, with clean beaters, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Mix in 1/3 cup of sugar and beat until thick and glossy.

Mix a large spoonful of the egg whites into the ricotta mixture to lighten the batter. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix butter, 1/3 cup sugar, both zests and vanilla until pale and fluffy.

RICOTTA, ALMOND, RASPBERRY CAKE

EVENT: New Year’s Day Brunch

YIELDS: One 8-Inch Cake

Ingredients

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

2/3 cup superfine sugar, separated into two 1/3 cup portions

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 large eggs, separated

2 1/4 cups almond meal

1 cup full fat ricotta cheese

1 cup raspberries

2-3 tablespoons sliced almonds

Powdered sugar for the top

Equipment

8-inch springform pan lined, base and sides, with parchment paper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix butter, 1/3 cup sugar, both zests and vanilla until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg yolks, then almond meal.

3. Remove bowl from mixer and by hand, mix in the ricotta cheese.

4. In a clean mixing bowl, with clean beaters, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. Mix in 1/3 cup of sugar and beat until thick and glossy.

5. Mix a large spoonful of the egg whites into the ricotta mixture to lighten the batter. Gently fold in the remaining egg whites.

6. Pour into pan. Top with fruit and sliced almonds and a dusting of powdered sugar.

7. Bake 45-50 minutes until top is golden and tester inserted in center comes out clean.

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