Want a taste of Italian lemon ricotta cake that’s baby friendly? Then give these a try! They’re also iron rich thanks to the eggs and almond flour plus high in vitamin C with the addition of lemon zest and juice. The texture of the mini cakes makes them suitable for babies from 6 months. They contain eggs, dairy and almonds which are allergens so just be mindful to successfully test them prior to offering the mini cakes to your baby.

EQUIPMENT YOU NEED:

Grater
Electric egg beater
Large bowl
12 hole silicone muffin tray

INGREDIENTS:

120g butter, softened
1 TSP vanilla extract
Zest of 3 lemons
2 TBSP lemon juice
4 eggs, separated
1 medium ripe banana
1 ¼ cups smooth ricotta
2 cups almond meal

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, vanilla extract and lemon zest together for about 6 minutes, or until the mixture is pale and creamy.
3. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add the banana and lemon juice and mix until a smooth mash.
5. Add the almond meal to the mixture and beat until combined.
6. Gently fold the ricotta into the almond mixture until combined.
7. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
8. Mix one-third of the egg white mixture into the cake batter to lighten it.
9. Gently fold the remaining egg whites into the batter until no white streaks remain.
10. Place into a 12 hole silicone muffin tray and sprinkle with flaked almonds over cakes if toddlers or parents and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
11. Remove from the oven and enjoy! 

Note: For a toddler or adult version you could dust with icing sugar after baking. Just avoid adding flaked almonds to your baby’s cakes as the flakes are a potential choking risk. 

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