The Nuns’ Cake is a delicate and fragrant dessert, made without flour or yeast, characterized by a light and pleasantly moist texture: perfect not only at the end of a meal but also for a sweet break at any time of the day. Ancient recipe – it seems to have originated in Tuscany during the medieval era – this dessert has recently been rediscovered by renowned chefs such as Giorgione, who have highlighted its authentic and simple goodness. The Nuns’ Cake is indeed based on genuine ingredients, which were once easy to find, at least in central Italy: eggs, ricotta, and almonds, enriched by the scent of lemon zest and, if desired, by a tablespoon of liquor. The preparation is extremely simple, and the result – like other ricotta desserts like the ricotta and cocoa cake or the orange and ricotta cake – delivers a pleasant lightness to the palate. For these reasons, the Nuns’ Cake continues to captivate with its unmistakable taste, making it ideal for any occasion.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
- Energy 383.36 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 32.40 (g) of which sugars 29.11 (g)
- Proteins 14.96 (g)
- Fat 21.52 (g) of which saturated 4.85 (g)of which unsaturated 3.12 (g)
- Fibers 2.48 (g)
- Sodium 88.25 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 100 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for a 20 cm diameter Nuns’ Cake
If you are celiac, the Nuns’ Cake is perfect as it is made with naturally gluten-free ingredients. Just make sure that the chosen liquor and powdered sugar have the “gluten-free” label (for liquors, the label is not required if they are distillates like rum, cognac, grappa, whiskey, etc., without added flavors or other substances).
- 1.5 cups ricotta
- 1.5 cups peeled almonds
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 eggs (medium)
- 1 lemon (only the grated zest)
- 1 tablespoon liquor (optional; I used white rum)
- to taste powdered sugar
Tools
- 1 Mixer
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Sieve
- Electric Whisks
- 1 Spatula
- 1 Cake Pan 20 cm diameter
- Parchment Paper
- 1 Grater
How to Make the Nuns’ Cake
To make the Nuns’ Cake, start by letting the ricotta drain for at least 2 hours (if you have time, even overnight) in a sieve in the refrigerator, placing a plate underneath to catch the whey. Keep the eggs at room temperature for at least half an hour: this way they will whip better. Place the peeled almonds in a mixer along with a tablespoon of the sugar provided by the recipe. Blend everything until you obtain a very fine mixture. Adding sugar at this stage helps absorb any oil released by the almonds when they are blended.
Grate the lemon zest, avoiding the white part (1). In a large bowl, crack the eggs and add a pinch of salt and the sugar (2). Whip them thoroughly with the electric whisks, until you get a puffy and frothy mixture (3).
Add the ricotta (4), lemon zest, and if you like, a tablespoon of liquor (5). Leave the electric whisks and incorporate the ricotta using a spatula, using gentle movements to avoid deflating the eggs. In the end, you should obtain a smooth and homogeneous batter (6).
It’s time to add the ground almonds (7). Again, gently mix with a spatula to incorporate the almonds into the batter (8), which will be quite fluid but not liquid (9).
Line a 20 cm diameter cake pan with parchment paper and pour the batter into it (10). If you don’t have one of this size, consult the guide that helps you recalculate the doses based on the size of your cake pan. Level it well with a spatula (11). Bake the Nuns’ Cake in the preheated oven at 340°F (static) for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. In the end, the cake should be amber on the surface and still slightly moist inside (12). Not containing yeast, it will have risen but not very much.
Let it cool completely – even overnight if you have time – then unmold and sprinkle with plenty of powdered sugar. You can serve the Nuns’ Cake as a dessert at the end of a meal or even as a snack.
How to Store the Nuns’ Cake
The cake keeps at room temperature, covered with a cake net, for 3 or 4 days.
Tips
The secret to the goodness of this cake lies in the ricotta: choose a high-quality one and let it drain well from its whey; normally, ricotta that is already a couple of days old (but still good, of course) is more suitable to be used in this dessert because it is drier.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use almond flour instead of ground almonds?
The Nuns’ Cake also works with almond flour, however, freshly ground almonds are preferred as they retain more flavor and fragrance compared to the flour.
The Nuns’ Cake also works with almond flour, however, freshly ground almonds are preferred as they retain more flavor and fragrance compared to the flour.
Which ricotta to use for the Nuns’ Cake?
Sheep ricotta will give the cake a stronger taste, while cow’s milk ricotta will be more delicate. You can also mix them at will, maintaining a total weight of 350 g.
Sheep ricotta will give the cake a stronger taste, while cow’s milk ricotta will be more delicate. You can also mix them at will, maintaining a total weight of 350 g.
