Made with almond and cashew flours, this gluten free fig cake is infused with almond extract and kept super moist thanks to ricotta. It’s subtle sweetness makes it perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack.
There are a handful of recipes on here (like this paleo strawberry almond galette and these Christmas morning muffins to name a couple) that no matter what words I write or how perfect the pictures are, trying to accurately convey the flavors, taste, texture or experience of eating it is just impossible.
This ricotta almond fig cake is one of those recipes.
When figs make their way onto the summer scene, I feel a sense of giddiness that’s almost embarrassing. It’s a fruit, Gina, get a hold of yourself.
If I’m not eating them by the handful, I’m enjoying them in things like this fig frozen yogurt or making fig preserves to slather on all the things like easy oat bread.
But figs embody this mid-late summer perfection that makes me feel like I live a way more exotic, European life than suburban New York actually affords.
When a pint of them is in my hands, I can imagine I’m sitting cafe side somewhere in Italy with an afternoon espresso in front of me listening to the beautiful cadence of the Italian language being thrown around by locals while I pick up every tenth word or so and pretend to know what’s going on.
They’re just such a romantic, transportive fruit.
The first pint that didn’t cost more than a plane ticket to Italy itself therefore made its way into my shopping cart as grand ideas swirled around in my head.
The outcome became this gluten free ricotta almond fig cake.
It’s tempting to call it a breakfast or snack cake even. Light and fluffy, moist and not overly sweet, it lends itself very well to either of those meals alongside a cup of coffee or tea.
That said, a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream for a more decadent dessert would do it no disservice either.
This is where words will fail me; the almond extract and ricotta do something indescribable in this cake. The aroma that fills the house from the almond extract as it bakes is just magical.
Its strong perfume permeates the cake and pairs so incredibly well with the figs.
The ricotta keeps the entire cake light, fluffy and so perfectly moist. Pairing it with the denser almond and cashew meal really does wonders for the texture.
If you’ve only explored using ricotta in savory recipes (like my go to ricotta pasta with lemon) I highly encourage you to try baking with it too!
It’s also incredible when used as the base for dessert dips like this whipped pumpkin ricotta dip in place of a more traditional ingredient like yogurt.
When I think of summer desserts, a slice of this fig cake (or this basil nectarine upside down cake) epitomizes perfection.
Simplistic, whole food ingredients showcasing the best the season has to offer, not sure it gets much better than that.
Love this ricotta almond fig cake recipe?
Try other fig recipes like Fig and Orange Oat Bread, Goat Cheese Sweet Potato Noodles with Caramelized Figs or, Chocolate Covered Figs.
Ricotta Almond Fig Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond meal
- 1/2 cup cashew meal
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 cup chopped dried figs, dates or raisins will work just as well
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons boiling water
- 1 cup ricotta
- 1/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk, I used macadamia nut milk but almond, cashew or any other nut milk will work
- 2 eggs
- 3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 3-4 figs, quartered
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×9 or similar baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine the almond and cashew meals with the cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and cardamom in a large bowl.
- Stir the chopped figs, maple syrup and boiling water together in a small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.
- Combine the ricotta, milk, eggs, coconut oil, vanilla bean paste and almond extract together in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Add the fig mixture to the large bowl with the dry ingredients.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the large bowl as well and mix until everything is thoroughly combined.
- Transfer the batter to the parchment lined baking pan and spread evenly into the corners.
- Press the quartered figs into the top of the batter.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until middle of the cake is set.
- Remove from oven and using the sides of the parchment, pull the cake out of the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
- Garnish with powdered sugar if desired before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Items used in this recipe:
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Udi’s Gluten Free. The opinions and text are all mine.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
Fresh figs are like a drug to me! I love them so much and with the almonds and ricotta–I know this recipe is killer good!
What a beautiful cake! I have to say, I’ve loved the taste of figs ever since I tried a fig newton back when I was in grade school! I’m sure they pair perfectly with ricotta in this cake!
I’d love to sit down to a slice of this with a nice cup of tea!
seriously one of the most lovely cakes ever. Figs are one of the prettiest foods we can devour!
I love anything and everything with figs in it. I need to try these!
I totally have to make this for my dad, a second generation Italian immigrant. When I was growing up he had a fig tree in his Wisconsin garden and every fall he would dig up the entire root ball and bury it!! That way it would make it through the winter and we would get figs in the summer. They are absolutely amazing and this cake would be packed with nostalgia for him :)
My grandparents had a fig tree as well and seeing them every season always brings such nostalgia for me too!
This looks delicious! I Love that it doesn’t seem to be too sweet! YUM!
I have a ridiculous obsession with fresh figs when I see them in the store. I’m that person that also puts all of the best looking ones plus a couple extras in my container because when I’m pay $5 for them, I’m getting the best. This cake looks so tender! I love the flours, ricotta, almond extract and of course the figs!
Figs are so difficult to get around here, so when I do, I scoop them and savor, like you. They are such a unique fruit! I can only imagine how soft this cake is with the ricotta + almond flour combo. Yum.
Girl! This is figgy perfection. Definitely worthy of breakfast, snack AND dessert. So obsessed with figs right now, but I definitely wish they didn’t cost so much. Especially because I could just eat a whole pint in about 10 seconds!