Lemon ricotta Cake With Almonds

120g unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds removed
1/4 cup lemon zest
Lemon juice from 1/2 medium lemon
4 eggs, at room temperature (separate yolks from whites)
2 1/2 cups almond meal
300g ricotta
Flaked almonds for the top

Line one 9 x 2 inch cake pan with greaseproof paper. Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and turn on oven to 160 c fan forced.

Place the butter, sugar, vanilla seeds and lemon zest in an bowl and beat together until light and pale in colour.  Add the lemon juice, and mix well.  Then add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well each time to ensure the mixture is smooth and creamy.  Fold in the almond meal and ricotta.

In another bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff, and then gently fold into ricotta mixture.

Pour the mixture into cake pan, level the surface, sprinkle almonds, and then place into oven for 50 - 55mins.

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