Ricotta Almond Cake

This recipe is from the show Sugar on the Food Network. I've had this recipe for awhile now and I finally decided to try it. It is delicious! Very moist and full of flavor. Definitely a keeper. Only change I made was that I omitted the lemon zest just because I find it too overpowering.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• 4  eggs, room temperature
• 1 1⁄3 cups sugar
• 2⁄3 cup canola oil
• 2⁄3 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1  tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons rum
• 3⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3⁄4 teaspoon  almond extract
• 1  cup  ground almonds
• 2  tablespoons  ground almonds
• 1 1⁄4 cups flour
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder

• Topping

• 3⁄4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1  egg
• 1⁄4 cup sugar, plus
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 2  teaspoons lemon zest
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2  tablespoons milk
• 1  cup  sliced almonds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Butter and line with parchment paper a 10-inch springform pan.
3. With a whisk, beat eggs, sugar and oil until thick and pale. Add ricotta, juice, zest, rum, vanilla extract and almond extract until blended.
4. In a separate bowl combine ground almonds, flour and baking powder. Add to ricotta mixture in 3 additions, whisking after each addition. Pour batter into springform pan and bake until a tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40-45 minutes.
5. Topping:
6. While cake is baking prepare topping. Blend together ricotta, egg, 1/4 cup sugar, zest and vanilla. Heat together milk and 2 tbsp sugar. Pour over sliced almonds and toss to coat.
7. Allow cake to cool 6-8 minutes after coming out of oven. Increase oven to 375°F Spread ricotta topping over cake and sprinkle with glazed almonds. Return cake to oven for 15 minutes until almonds have browned. Cool cake completely before removing from springform pan.