This almond cake is the perfect dessert for any occasion. Serve it plain for afternoon tea, or top it with whipped cream and fresh fruit for the holidays. All you need are seven simple ingredients, plus a little secret addition that gives it that pure, delicious almond flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Almond Cake
I love a simple cake that’s not overly sweet or loaded with unnecessary ingredients. And that’s exactly what this almond cake is! It’s similar to a Tarta de Santiago (a classic Spanish almond cake), but instead of adding lemon juice or zest, this version really lets the almond flavor shine. Call me a purist, but I want my almond cake to taste like nutty, toasty, slightly sweet almonds! I also love that this dessert is:
- Naturally gluten-free. And you don’t need to blend several different flours. All you need is almond flour—that’s it!
- Completely foolproof. I’ve made this countless times, and it turns out perfectly every time.
- Perfect for any occasion. Because it’s simple and elegant, it’s perfect for any holiday, including Easter, Christmas, and Thanksgiving. But I also just love it for a tea and coffee cake in the morning.
Almond Cake Ingredients
- Dry Ingredients: While some recipes use almond paste or freshly ground almonds, I like to keep things simple with finely ground almond flour. That gives you the same delicious texture with less effort! You’ll also need baking soda and a pinch of kosher salt to balance everything out.
- Eggs: For best results, I always bring my eggs to room temperature. They mix more easily into the batter, help the cake rise properly, and give it a slightly lighter texture.
- Sweetener: You can use maple syrup or honey here. I personally prefer maple syrup since it creates a lighter texture, while honey makes the cake a bit denser.
- Vanilla and Almond Extract: Vanilla extract is a key ingredient and adds sweetness. But if you want to bump up the almond flavor, I highly recommend using almond extract as well.
- Toppings: Top your cake with sliced almonds and a dusting of powdered sugar for that final almond touch. Pro tip: You can make powdered sugar easily from any granulated sugar!
How To Make Almond Cake
First, grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan or springform pan. You can also line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper for easy removal (I love these parchment paper rounds!).
Mix dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking soda, and salt.
Mix wet ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
Combine the ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir them all together until they’re combined into a cake batter.
Bake the cake. Pour the batter into the greased pan and top with sliced almonds. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350°F (175°C), or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then remove it and let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
Almond Cake Toppings
One of my favorite things about this cake is how easy it is to customize with toppings, depending on the occasion!
- Classic Topping: I love keeping it simple with extra sliced almonds and a light dusting of powdered sugar. It’s elegant and perfect for brunch or afternoon tea.
- Fresh & Fruity: For something a little more elevated, I’ll add a dollop of whipped cream or coconut whipped cream and top it with fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries. You can also macerate the berries with a little honey and lemon juice for extra flavor (just like I do in my panna cotta).
- Citrusy & Bright: A light lemon or orange glaze drizzled over the top adds a beautiful brightness that pairs so well with the almond flavor.
- Creamy & Indulgent: If I’m serving this for dessert, I love adding a spoonful of mascarpone, Greek yogurt, or lightly sweetened whipped cream with a drizzle of honey.
- Nutty & Textured: To really lean into the almond flavor, you can add toasted sliced almonds, chopped pistachios (my favorite), or even a drizzle of honey for a little extra crunch and richness.
Common Questions
The dry-to-wet ratio in baking is important. And since this recipe uses a liquid sweetener, you can easily swap maple syrup with honey, date syrup, or liquid erythritol for a keto-friendly option. If you want to use granulated sugar, you’ll need to adjust the liquid in the recipe accordingly.
A traditional almond cake requires almond flour, or a base made of ground almonds or even almond paste. If you can’t find almond flour, hazelnut flour works in a 1:1 substitution. Unfortunately, other flours are not usually an equal substitution and may require some tweaking to find the perfect ratio.
I love using Bob’s Red Mill almond flour (I’ve linked it in the ingredients below). But any brand will work as long as the flour is super fine and blanched. A super-fine almond flour will give you a soft, tender crumb, while coarser almond meal can make the cake feel a bit dense or gritty.
Storage
This almond cake is SO good that it’s rare to have leftovers. But if you do, you can store the cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. For longer storage, let it cool completely, then tightly wrap it, and freeze it for up to 3 months. It’s also a great make-ahead dessert!
More Gluten-Free Cake Recipes
- Gluten-Free Carrot Cake: I love the cream cheese frosting.
- Amazing Paleo Chocolate Cake: A true reader favorite.
- Flourless Chocolate Cake: The texture is so soft and unique!
- Berry Sheet Cake: Perfect for berry season.
- Lemon Blueberry Cake: So bright and lemony.
If you make this almond cake recipe, let me know how it turns out in the comments below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’d like to see more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free email community here.
Description
Video
Equipment
- Wood Cake Stand This is a gorgeous and timeless cake stand!
- 9-inch Springform Pan Springforms are always the best for easy cake recipes
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup maple syrup or honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract , optional but recommended
- ¼ cup sliced almonds, plus more for garnish
- Optional: powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Grease the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch cake pan or springform pan. You can also line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Then pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir together until combined into a cake batter.
- Bake the cake. Pour the batter into the greased pan and top with sliced almonds. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then remove and let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
- Serve. Serve the cake with more sliced almonds and a dusting of powdered sugar, if you'd like.
Lisa’s Tips
- Storage tip: Store in the fridge for up to one week, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Use finely ground almond flour: Blanched, super-fine almond flour will give you the best light and tender texture. Avoid almond meal, which can make the cake dense.
- Watch the bake time: Almond flour browns quickly, so keep an eye on the cake during the last few minutes to prevent over-browning.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally posted August 2023, but updated to include new photos and information for your benefit!
The cake was kind of on the drier side after following the recipe exactly, Is the cake supposed to be on the drier side?
Hi Chris – It shouldn’t be dry on the inside. If it is, it sounds like it was over baked just a bit. Next time, I’d try reducing the cook time by a few minutes and checking on it earlier, as all ovens bake a bit differently. Hope that helps!
This looks so yummy. Is the nutrition information per serve or for the whole cake?
Hi Renee, the nutritional information will always be per serving!
I had to go dairy free for a few months and was looking for some cake to fill the void. I’m so happy I found this recipe. The cake is scrumptious. Made it 5 times in the past 2 weeks. 😀
It’s amazing with honey or maple sirup and I always use more almonds slices.
Oh and the best part? You can whip it up in just few minutes.
Glad you came across this dessert as well! Enjoy, Juli.
So simple, So good. Baked as directed. Clean toothpick. Completely done all the way thru. Almost too moist, which is not what I normally encounter with GF baking. Will definitely bake longer next time. Thanks Lisa.
Thrilled to hear you loved this almond cake so much, Christine!
Just made it!! WOW! Delish! Thank you for all your amazing recipes! How do you recommend this cake to be store?! Can it be out of the fridge. If so how many days?
Thank you!!
Hi Diana – It’s best to store this cake in the fridge for one week!
Thank you for this delicious and easy to make recipe! So simple yet so good.
I’m happy to hear you loved it, Sharon!
This cake was delicious. It was soft and moist. Definitely making it again. Thank you for this yummy recipe.
Thrilled to hear you loved this almond cake, Michelle!
Simple and excellent! Topped it with some leftover chocolate hazelnut ganache.
That ganache sounds amazing! Enjoy, Erica :)
I made this for Christmas dinner with friends who are gluten-free and dairy-free, and who also limit their sugar. It, along with the Flourless Chocolate Cake, was a huge hit with our GF/DF friends as well as my family and our other friends. Thanks for creating recipes I could serve that were enjoyable for many dietary types.
You’re so very welcome, Cori! I’m happy to hear all of your guests enjoyed these healthier cakes and sweet treats. Merry Christmas!
Hi! Do you think the cake would work well with vanilla bean paste instead of vanilla extract? Aldi, do you think it would go well your ‘easy custard’?
Hi Nava – yes, I think that’s a fine substitute. And it goes great with my custard recipe. Enjoy!
Delicious! Easy peasy to make. Light and simple sweet cake with a lovely almond flavor (of course). Would make this again.
Hi April – Glad you loved this almond cake recipe!
Made this cake many times. Every one loooove it in my family and friends..Now I used agave syrup instead of honey since I have to stay away from sugar (sweets..as much as I can, hardest for me) and I cooked it a little less (5min) to have it more fluffy and less dry!!!
also I did it in muffins pans like a “Financier” a French pastry and I added raspberries to it.
That was a total Winner!!!! A desert easy to make, and successful!! Thank you for sharing your birthday cake :) :)
Hi Christine – I’m happy to hear you’ve been enjoying this almond cake recipe! And love that you made it in different pans and shapes as well. Great idea!
Could I use Allulose as a sweetener in this recipe? I appreciate your work and recipes very much Lisa. Thank you 🙏
I made a double batch of this simple and delicious cake and gifted one to my neighbor for Mother’s Day. It takes no effort to make this recipe. Easy and elegant! Another winner! I am on a low carb diet, I might try substitute the maple syrup to keto Yum syrup next time to lower the carbs and sugar a bit. Thanks Lisa.
What a great gift idea, Luciana! Happy to hear everyone is loving this almond cake. Enjoy!
Do you think this would taste good if it was topped with lemon curd?
(the recipe from your thumbprint cookie recipe)
I was asked to make a lemon curd GF birthday cake for my friends husband and we love your blog and your recipes are the best!!!!
I was thinking this cake, baked and then when cooled topped with lemon curd before serving and then a dusting of powdered sugar or whipped cream.
What do you think??? I’m so grateful for your amazing recipes and would really appreciate your input.
Thank you!
Hi Jenny – yes, I think the lemon curd would be delicious on this cake! Enjoy!
Yummy dessert … love Almond flavor :)
Hi Tammy – I’m so glad you’re loving this almond cake!
Best cake, thank you I make it every week:)
Happy to hear you’re loving this almond cake, Kay!
Pretty tasty cake and easy to make. I cooked the cake for 25 minutes and it was way overcooked. I would make again but would pair it with some berries to add a bit of moisture.
Hi Tracy – I’m glad you enjoyed this almond cake! This is a naturally dryer cake than others, but berries would be a great addition. Also, all ovens cook slightly differently, with some cooking faster/hotter than others. So next time you might want to check it 5 minutes earlier to see if it’s done. Enjoy!
Cake was excellent! I wish mine had been a little sweeter, but I know that was because I didn’t have the two cups of maple syrup. Great and simple recipe! 😋
I’m so glad you enjoyed this almond cake (despite the missing maple syrup!).
This cake was very dry and not worth repeating. Sadly. Your recipes are always delicious. With this one exception.
Thank you so much for this gluten free, sugar free cake recipe. I love the almond flavor and serve it with a dollop of whipped cream and cup of tea just as the recipe suggests. It’s perfect!!!
You’re more than welcome, Judy! It really is a great cake to enjoy with tea.
Very easy to make, and tasted great! Not too sweet, but just the right amount. Family loved it!
I’m glad you and your family enjoyed it, Lindsay!
Wonderfully easy to make and eat with a smile!!!
Yay, love to hear that!
I made the almond cake and it turned out great. It was even better the next day. I sprinkled powdered sugar on top and arranged fresh berries on top. It looked beautiful.
Hi Candy – Happy to hear your almond cake turned out great!
Made for the 2nd time last night. I only baked for 20 min this time and it came out perfect. Last time the full 30 min overcooked it. My oven is def hotter. So glad I made it again. Super easy and super tasty. I’ll try and pretend I haven’t eaten almost the entire cake from just last night. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Hi Clark – It’s always a good idea to know how hot your oven cooks. Glad your second time making this almond cake was a hit!
This was almost great! So simple and perfect texture, had with freshly picked strawberries and lightly sweetened whipped cream. However, it tasted heavily of baking soda and I know I measured correctly and it’s not old. I’ll try again with less but curious that no one else has mentioned this.
Perfect, quick and an easy desert even for baking beginners. One of my favourite for friends and everyone love it.
Hi Veronika – Thrilled to hear you enjoyed this almond cake!
Easy, I always have these ingredients in the house. Light perfect dessert. Thank you.
Hi Hollis – Happy to hear you love this almond cake!
I made this last weekend for a dinner party with an entire anti-inflammatory menu. Everyone loved it and the consistency was perfect!
Hi Leigh – Wonderful! I’m glad this almond cake was a hit.
Can I make this in a number silicone mold for a #3 cake?
Hi Aline – I haven’t tried, but I think it should be okay!
Hi Lisa, instead of maple syrup or honey can I use monk fruit sweetener, if so would I add yoghurt or something to makeup for the liquid
Hi Kay – yes, you’d definitely need to add liquid back in to balance the dry ingredients.
I made the Almond cake for our Women’s Bible Study, it was quite easy and delicious. Had hardly any leftovers to take home to hubby, son & MIL.
Hi Debbie – I’m glad everyone enjoyed this almond cake!
Hi Lisa, i love how simple this recipe is and would love to give it a try. Do you think it would turn out okay if i add strawberry slices in the mixture?
I haven’t tried that, but I’m thinking it could be okay! Let us know how it turns out.
Cake turned out very spongy. Followed recipe exactly. What did I do wrong?