About two weeks ago I bought a container of ricotta cheese intending to make a keto lemon cake, but... life.
So last weekend I used half the container to make a keto lasagna and hoped I'd have time to get around to the cake this week. Which, I didn't. But yesterday I realized had about 30 minutes free to whip up 'something' yummy to snack on for the next couple days and using up the ricotta cheese was my goal.
Although I wasn't in the mood for a cake and my husband isn't a 'cake' eater at all. He loves cake, but it never occurs to him to eat it. Ever. If it's out of sight, it's out of mind and also, as sad as it sounds, he thinks "cutting a piece of cake" is just too much work. But he will eat cupcakes (and muffins), if they are front and center, on the counter, where he can't miss them and can grab one or two 'on the go'.
Lemon Muffins
Great to use up leftover ricotta
2/3 c ricotta (I used about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 c granulated sweetener (I used 1 c So Nourished brand erythritol w/ Monk Fruit)
3 eggs (I used 4)
1 t grated lemon zest (I use 2 t dried lemon zest)
3/4 t lemon extract (I used about 2 heaping capfuls)
1/2 t vanilla extract (I used about teaspoon, didn't measure)
2 c almond flour (I used 3 cups)
1/4 c coconut flour (I used about 1/3 cup)
1 T baking powder (I used about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
1/4 t salt (I used about a teaspoon)
2-4 T water (I didn't use at all)
Preheat oven to 325. Line your muffin tins with paper liners. The original recipe made about 12. My version made 18.
In a food processor bowl, place the ricotta cheese, sweetener, eggs, lemon zest, extracts and blend. Add the dry ingredients and process again just until smooth. Wait about 30 seconds to see how thick your batter is as the coconut flour thickens the batter as it absorbs moisture. If you need to add a little water you can do it now and blend again.
Fill your muffin tins. Bake 25-30 minutes until the tops are firm when you gently touch them. Cool in the pan for about 15-20 minutes and then you can remove to cool on a wire cooling rack (to keep the bottoms from getting soggy).
You can top with a simple glaze if you wish - mix about 1/2 cup powdered natural sweetener with about 2 T lemon juice and drizzle. Mine in the photo are plain.
