Almond Lemon Curd Cake with Ricotta & Berries

When life gives you lemons, you make our Almond Lemon Curd Cake topped with Ricotta and Berries. A scrumptious spread made with only five ingredients, our dairy-free lemon curd is sweet and tangy, rich and decadent, and a staple that'll brighten any brunch dish in less than 15 minutes. 

When it comes to spring recipes we think of citrus fruit. Fresh, bright, and golden, zesty and sweet, lemons especially are a sure sign of warmer weather with spring desserts from lemon sorbet, lemon squares, and Lemon Crème Brûlée. And if you love lemons as much we do, then our lemon curd is sure to satisfy your tastebuds and brighten any brunch dish.

What is Lemon Curd?

But what exactly is lemon curd? It's a preserve or condiment traditionally made with lemon juice, eggs, sugar, and butter. While we opted for pure honey instead of added sugar and coconut oil instead of butter, it's a quick stove-top mix of ingredients including lemon juice and zest, warmed so the eggs thicken and then cooled to a smooth and luscious consistency and a sweet tangy finish.

As simple as it is, the fun part is deciding what to use the lemon curd for. Smeared on toast, baked in a scone or enjoyed with meringue, lemon curd is the versatile spread that is ideal for any dessert or brunch dish from pancakes to waffles to cakes, and that's just as we did.

Using our traditional Flourless Almond Cake as a base, each layer has a burst of fresh homemade ricotta cheese to balance the tanginess of the lemon curd with black and blueberries to compliment the sweetness and finished with basil leaves. But what makes this the ideal spring brunch dish is the simplicity of the almond olive oil cake. While more savory than sweet, this light and airy cake is similar to moist banana bread and is the ultimate vehicle for lemon curd.

If cake isn't your jam, then using the lemon curd as a waffle or pancake topping is just as delicious. Skip the maple syrup, dollop a spoon of curd and serve with freshly whipped cream. This simple recipe is quick and easy to make and is impactful enough to gift for easter, Mother's Day or during the holiday season. Using a sealable jar or mason jar, gift your lemon curd while sharing the recipe and uses on an accompanying notecard. Trust us, this is sure to brighten anyone's day.

Bon appetit,

Chef Sous Chef

Ingredient List

• Lemons
• Honey
• Eggs
• Coconut oil
• Almond flour
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Light olive oil
• Ricotta cheese
• Fresh berries
• Basil for garnish

How to Make Our Almond Lemon Curd Cake with Ricotta & Berries

Step 1. Make the Lemon Curd

In a small saucepan combine ½ cup of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, ⅔ cup of honey, 3 eggs and ¼ cup of coconut oil. Place on medium heat and continually whisk until the curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature.

Step 2. Make the Almond Cake

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup almond flour, ½ teaspoon of baking soda and baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt and set aside. In a larger mixing bowl, whisk together 3 eggs, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest, ⅓ cup of honey and ½ cup of light olive oil. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.

Line the bottom of a 7" spring form pan with parchment paper and grease the sides with olive oil or coconut oil. Pour the batter into the pan and bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Step 3. Cool, Style, and Serve

Once baked, allow the cake to cool for 30 minutes. Remove from the pan and transfer to the freezer for 30 minutes. This will allow the cake to firm up to make slicing it in half easier and cleaner.

To decorate, slice the cake in half horizontally. Spread a layer of ricotta cheese on the first half of the cake and top with lemon curd. Place half the berries on top, then top with the other half of the cake. Repeat with another layer of ricotta, lemon curd and berries. Finish with a sprinkling of icing sugar and a few leaves of basil.

Recipe Card