Can’t get enough? Be sure to check out all of my almond flour desserts! Plus, if you live in a place where you can’t get your hands on almond flour, be sure to check out my guide on How To Make Almond Flour At Home.
Why Should You Make This Recipe?
Looking for a dessert as easy as it is scrumptious? Look no further! Moist, fluffy, and irresistibly sweet, my almond flour vanilla cake recipe is one that you’ll come back to again and again.
- Easy and quick to make, almond flour sponge cake only requires 2 bowls, 1 whisk, and 1 hour to put together.
- This simple almond flour cake recipe can be served in countless ways, whether as a keto-friendly birthday cake, a morning coffee cake, or a healthy flourless cake with whipped cream or frosting on top! Below, I made sure to cover all of the recipe variations to make this basic recipe work for your occasion.
- Low-carb, gluten-free, and grain-free, this paleo almond cake recipe is a good idea for anyone following a special diet (or just looking for a sugar-free treat!).
Ingredients Notes
There’s a reason why this is the best almond flour cake recipe out there. With only a few natural, pantry-ready ingredients, you can whip up this cake any day of the week.
- Dry Ingredients: Gather together almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
- Wet Ingredients: For this recipe, you’ll need large eggs, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and lemon zest.
- Optional Toppings: If you want to turn this into a birthday cake or want to simply jazz-it-up, top it off with my Maple Whipped Cream, Vegan Chocolate Frosting, and seasonal fruit.
Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
- Honey: Got a sweet tooth? Just use honey instead of maple syrup for an almond flour honey cake you can’t get enough of. (Tip: Honey cake will turn out darker than the original version, so don’t worry if it looks burnt.)
- Almond Meal: You can use almond meal and almond flour interchangeably and easily turn this recipe into a ground almond cake with no sugar. Plus, you can even make ground almonds using blanched almonds at home!
- Oil: Any vegetable oil will work for this recipe. Though I use coconut oil, both avocado oil and olive oil (a light-flavored one) can be used as easy substitutions.
- Almond extract (optional): Add a rich, nutty flavor to your cake by replacing the vanilla extract with 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract. Though keep in mind that a little goes a long way, so don’t be tempted to put more.
- Orange zest: Want a milder citrus flavor in your almond flour cake mix recipe? Orange zest can be used instead of lemon zest to give your cake a softer taste. Or if you can’t get enough of the zesty flavors, try my Almond Flour Lemon Cake for even more lemony goodness.
How To Make Cake with Almond Flour?
With one whisk, two bowls, and a baking tin, you can have this almond cake ready to eat in less than an hour.
Step 1 – Preheat the oven & prepare the cake tin: Set the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9-inch pan (I used this springform pan) with parchment paper.
Be sure to oil the pan generously going into the corners and crevices so that you can easily get it out after it is baked.
Step 2 – Mix the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, mix the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt until fully combined.
Step 3 – Mix the wet ingredients: Whisk the eggs, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl, making sure the ingredients are fully blended.
Step 4 – Combine the ingredients: Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk until no lumps remain.
When baking with almond flour, it is important that you whisk the batter until everything is thoroughly mixed and no chunks of almond flour are left.
Step 5 – Transfer the mixture: Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. If necessary, use a spatula to even out the layer.
Step 6 – Bake: Place the pan in the center rack of the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and its center is firm.
Step 7 – Let it Cool: Let the cake rest in the pan for 5-10 minutes before removing the cake and transferring it to a wire cooling rack. Let the cake cool before adding any desired toppings.
Don’t worry if your cake turns a dark color once it’s baked. Since we are using maple syrup or honey, it is normal for it to be darker than compared to a cake made with granulated sugar.
Be sure to let your cake fully cool on a wire rack after baking. If you cut into it too soon, the middle will be wet, look like it is underbaked, and it won’t maintain its spongy consistency when stored.
- Decorate the cake – optional: If preferred, spread it with whipped cream and seasonal fruit like fresh blueberries, or even pomegranate arils.
Ways to Serve
- Powdered sugar and fresh seasonal fruit: Add these two simple ingredients on top of the cake for a scrumptious, picture-perfect dessert. (Who can say no to fresh berries?)
- Sliced almonds and coconut sugar: Add a little crunch to this simple almond meal cake by adding sliced almonds and a sprinkling of 1-2 tablespoons of coconut sugar.
- Layered cake: Turn this fluffy almond cake into a 2-layer masterpiece by doubling the recipe and adding Maple Cream Cheese Frosting, Maple Whipped Cream, or even Chocolate Icing Without Butter!
- 6-inch almond cake recipe: Got something to celebrate? Turn this recipe into a layered almond flour birthday cake by splitting the batter between two 6-inch cake tins and baking for 40-45 minutes.
Almond Flour Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Almond Flour Cake
- 2 cups almond flour, 8.4 oz.
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- ⅔ cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup, at room temperature
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing the pan
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Optional Toppings
- 2 tablespoons Sliced Almonds
- Maple Whipped Cream
- Fresh seasonal fruit
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 9-inch cake pan or a springform cake pan generously with oil. Line it with parchment paper and set it aside.*
- For the dry ingredients: Mix together almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a large bowl.
- For the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla extract until emulsified.
- Pour wet ingredients into the dry ones and whisk until thoroughly combined and no lumps remaining.
- Transfer the cake batter into the prepared pan. Distribute it evenly throughout the pan evenly using a spatula. If preferred, sprinkle it with sliced almonds.
- Bake in the center rack for 40-45 minutes or until it turns golden brown with its center firm to the touch. It will look darker in color and perhaps even a bit underbaked. That is normal.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then take it out and let it cool on a wire rack. Make sure it is fully cooled before topping with any of the optional toppings.
- Slice and serve.
Video
Notes
- 6-Inch Almond Cake Recipe: If you want to make a two-layered 6-inch cake, just split the batter equally between two 6-inch tins. Then, bake both tins for 40-45 minutes at 325 degrees F., making sure to rotate them halfway through. Let the cakes fully cool on a rack before adding any toppings.
- Will this recipe work without eggs (or with flax eggs)? No. Eggs are necessary to help this gluten-free almond flour cake rise and give it shape. Also, because almond flour is heavier than all-purpose flour, flax eggs—lighter than regular eggs—won’t work, either.
- Storage: Bring your cake to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container for up to 2 days on the kitchen counter.
-
- To Thaw: When ready to eat, take the cake out of the freezer and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. To warm it up, heat the cake in a low-temperature oven (250 degrees F) for 10 minutes or thoroughly warmed.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
