Gluten-free almond cake

This soft cake will tempt you for any occasion: breakfast, dessert or snack time. Almond notes are hit on by Italian amaretto and are throughout the cake two more times: in almond flour and in almond slices. It’s crunchy almond top is key to this crumbly treat. Three’s a charm!

Yields: 8 slices

Time needed: prep time 20 minutes, oven time 55 minutes

What you’ll need:

• 1/2 cup of butter, softened
• 1 cup of white sugar
• 8 oz of whole milk ricotta
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup of milk, room temp
• 2 tablespoons of Disaronno liquor
• 1 1/2 cups of almond flour (or meal)
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 cup sliced almonds

How to:

Start by pre-heating the oven to 350 degrees F. Make sure the rack is in the center of the oven. We want to start with the wet ingredients in the electric mixer with the mixing paddle attachment. First off, cream the butter and the sugar until fluffy. Next, add ricotta, eggs and milk and liqour. When looking consistent, add almond flour, salt, and baking powder. Now, we are almost done. Next, grease a 9 inch spring foam pan with butter (make sure you butter it REALLY WELL) At the bottom of it, toss in the sliced almonds and even them out in the bottom of the pan-this is what is going to make our gooey crust on the top (we are going to flip it over, you’ll see) Lastly, spread the mixture carefully over the almonds, spreading it with a spatula, so it’s even all around. Bake in the oven for 50-55 minutes. The edges will sort of separate from the pan, but the center will still be a white color. When the cake is done, let it cool for as long as you can in the pan. (Ideally, 1 hr) Now, pop off the spring foam from around the cake. Take a cake stand, flip it, and place it on top of your pretty white cake. Grab the sides and flip it! (see below for step-by-step pictures) Now, for the tricky part. If you are a perfectionist, you may want to find a kitchen tool, like a butter knife and run it around the edge to make sure when you take the pan bottom off, it won’t take chunks of the cake with it. Slowly, “peel” away the bottom of the spring foam pan, and you will have a gorgeous and delicious cake!

How I inverted the cake:

First, I popped off the spring foam from the sides:

Then, I flipped the cake stand up-side down and placed it on top of cake:

Lastly, I held cake stand and remaining bottom of spring foam pan and flipped again:

“Peel” off and you’re left with cake!