Ricotta, Almond and Rhubarb Cake

, from Issue #62. September, 2015
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Ricotta, Almond and Rhubarb Cake

This Italian-style dense, rich cake is perfect for a large gathering and keeps well for 2-3 days. I like to serve it with a raspberry coulis, but this is optional.

INGREDIENTS

150 grams butter at room temperature
½ cup caster sugar
finely grated zest 1 orange and 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 eggs, separated
360 grams ground almonds
375 grams ricotta (I use Clevedon Valley Buffalo brand)
½ cup caster sugar
6 slim stalks fresh red rhubarb, sliced ½ cm pieces on the diagonal
3 tablespoons sliced almonds

To serve
icing sugar, to dust
softly whipped cream
raspberry coulis (recipe below)

24cm spring form cake tin greased and sides and base lined with baking paper 

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake.

Beat the butter, first measure of caster sugar, both zests and the vanilla until pale and creamy. Beat in the egg yolks then the almonds.

Add the ricotta and mix to combine. The mixture will be very thick. 

Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks then beat in the second measure of sugar until thick and glossy.

Mix a large spoonful of the whites through the almond batter to loosen, then gently but thoroughly fold in the remaining egg whites in two lots. 

Spoon half the batter into the tin and top with half the rhubarb. 

Spoon over the remaining batter and smooth the top. Scatter over the remaining rhubarb then the sliced almonds. 

Bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes or until golden and firm and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cover the top lightly with foil if the cake is getting too brown. 

Cool the cake completely in the tin. 

Serve dusted with icing sugar, softly whipped cream and the raspberry coulis if using. Makes 1 large cake 

Coulis: Process 2 cups thawed, frozen raspberries with a spoonful of icing sugar and a good squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Press through a fine sieve and discard the seeds. Adjust the sugar and juice to taste.