Creamy, almost custardy and set with almond flour rather than starch, this Italian-style bake skips cane sugar entirely and uses xylitol instead. Thin apple slices fan across the top and turn golden in the oven, giving a lighter slice for tea or dessert.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Resting
- 1 hr 30 min
- Total
- 2 hr 35 min
- Serves
- 1 cake (22 cm), 10 slices
You will need 22 cm springform tin · Large mixing bowl · Electric whisk · Spatula · Fine sieve · Baking paper
Ingredients
Cake
For the tin and topping
Method
Heat the oven to 160°C. Grease a 22 cm springform tin with the butter and dust it with 1 tbsp almond flour, or line the base with baking paper.
Tip the ricotta into a large bowl and work it with a fork for a minute until soft and smooth.
Add the eggs, 150 g xylitol, 100 g sifted almond flour, baking powder, milk, vanilla and salt. Beat with an electric whisk for 2 to 3 minutes until the batter is creamy and free of lumps.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top with a spatula.
Peel and core the apples, slice them thinly and fan the slices over the surface in overlapping rows, pressing them in very lightly.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until golden and just set with a slight wobble in the centre. If the top browns too fast, cover loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes.
Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin, about 1 hour, then chill for at least 30 minutes so it firms up and slices cleanly.
Unclip the tin, slide the cake onto a plate and dust with the powdered xylitol just before cutting into 10 slices.
Tips
- Xylitol is highly toxic to dogs, so keep the cake, crumbs and the xylitol tub well out of reach of pets.
- Erythritol or a 1:1 allulose blend works in place of xylitol at the same weight.
- If your ricotta is wet, leave it in a sieve lined with a paper towel for 30 minutes so the cake sets properly.
- The cake keeps covered in the fridge for up to 4 days and tastes even creamier on day two.
Sugar-Free Ricotta and Apple Cake: your questions answered
Can I use cottage cheese instead of ricotta?
Smooth cottage cheese blitzed until creamy will work, but drain it well first because it holds more liquid than ricotta.
Why is my ricotta cake still wobbly in the middle?
A slight wobble is normal when it comes out of the oven; it firms up as it cools and chills, so give it the full resting time before slicing.
Can I make this cake a day ahead?
Yes, it is better made ahead; keep it covered in the fridge and dust with powdered xylitol just before serving.
Enjoyed this story? We need your help.
Add Saffarazzi as a preferred source. You’ll see more of our stories on Google, and you’ll help us grow.