This Kerrygold Almond Breakfast Cake is moist, light, and delicious thanks to Irish butter, ricotta cheese, and a vivid spark of lemon.
I found the original version of this recipe on the Kerrygold website and modified it quite a bit to make it work for a square 9-inch pan. I also added a glaze because, well, I thought it needed one–and it does. Not only does it boost the sweetness, but it helps that layer of sliced almonds adhere more.
Using ricotta cheese in a cake like this doesn’t make it taste cheesy. The ricotta adds moisture, creating a soft, tender crumb, and it plays beautifully with the potent Kerrygold butter.
Now, about that Kerrygold. For baking purposes, I like to buy it at Costco when it goes on sale a few times a year. Stash it in the freezer and it keeps for a long, long time. It’s sure more cost-effective than buying it at the grocery store.
This cake is lemony-bright in flavor with a crisp-top crust thanks to the almonds. It keeps at room temperature for a few days or can be frozen for later.
Bready or Not: Kerrygold Almond Breakfast Cake
Equipment
- 9-inch square pan
- aluminum foil
- uneven spatula
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 Tablespoons Kerrygold unsalted butter (1 stick) 1/2 cup, room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk ricotta cheese
- 3/4 cup sliced almonds
Glaze
- 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees. Line 9-inch pan with foil extended up all four sides. Apply nonstick spray.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs and almond extract.
- To the mixing bowl, alternatively add the flour mixture and the ricotta. Batter will be thick.
- Pour it into the prepared pan. Level off with an uneven spatula. Sprinkle sliced almonds to cover the top.
- Bake for 33 to 38 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test.
- Cool in pan for at least 45 minutes, then use foil to lift it onto a rack to completely cool at room temperature.
- Make glaze and drizzle across the top. Let set for 30 minutes before cutting. Cake will keep at least two days at room temperature, or pieces can be individually wrapped and frozen for later.
