Almond Flour Lemon Cake

You all know how much I am a fan of recipes with ground almonds instead of flour. With respect to my almond flour carrot cake, strawberry almond cake, almond flour vanilla cake, and chocolate almond cake, this almond lemon cake recipe is another one to add to my library of easy almond flour recipes.

If you are a fan of ground almond recipes and want to try your hand at making the ultimate spring dessert, read on! 

Why Should You Try This Recipe?

This flourless lemon cake made with almond flour is such a cinch to make. You’ll love it because:

• Bursting with lemon flavor: We make good use of lemon zest from fresh lemons in this recipe and the end result is well worth the effort.
• Light, bright, and sunny almond lemon cake: Nothing says spring and summer more than citrus cake, and this one surely hits the spot.
• Serving is super versatile: Enjoy it plain as a simple breakfast or afternoon snack, or really jazz it up for a showstopping dessert for dinner parties, Easter, picnics, and more.
• Special diet friendly: This refined sugar free and low carb lemon cake is a great recipe to have on hand to satisfy your sweet tooth if you are following a low sugar and low carb diet.

Ingredients

This gluten-free lemon almond cake recipe is made with only 10 simple ingredients. Gather together large eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, almond extract, almond flour, cornstarch, baking powder, lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and fine sea salt.

How to Make

Patience is key with this gluten free lemon cake using ground almonds since much of the lift and texture comes from whipped egg whites. Here’s how to make this healthy lemon cake with almond flour in just a few easy steps:

1. Prep equipment: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place a circle of parchment paper on the bottom of an 8 or 9-inch cake round pan or springform pan. Lightly grease the paper and sides of the pan with oil and set it aside.
2. Separate the eggs: Separate the egg yolks and whites, placing the egg whites in a large mixing bowl and the egg yolks in a separate bowl.
3. Whisk wet ingredients: In the bowl with the egg yolks, add the maple syrup, vanilla extract, and almond extract, if using, and whisk until smooth.
4. Make batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Fold into the egg yolk mixture, along with the lemon zest. The batter will be thick.

5. Whip egg whites: To the bowl of egg whites, add the lemon juice and salt. Beat with the whisk attachment or hand mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.
6. Lighten up the batter: Stir ⅓ of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten it. Then, gently fold the remaining egg whites in with a rubber spatula until just combined. The batter should be evenly moistened with no streak of egg whites remaining, but it will not be completely smooth. Do not overmix. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and gently spread it into an even layer.
7. Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges of the cake have begun to pull away from the pan, the top is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.

8. Serve: To serve, run a sharp knife around the cake to loosen it. If using a springform pan, release the sides of the pan. If using a cake pan, gently flip the cake onto a plate, peel away the parchment, then flip it back over onto a serving plate. Serve warm by itself or at room temperature, topped with whipped cream, berries (or any other seasonal fruit), and small lemon slices, if desired.

How to Serve

This citrus almond cake can be served warm or at room temperature. Some of my favorite ways include:

• Plain and simple: Slice and enjoy with a hot cup of coffee or tea.

• Whipped cream and berries: Allow the cake cool completely, then layer the top of the cake with maple whipped cream and summer berries.
• Blueberry Sauce or puree: It is no secret that lemon and blueberries go so well together. If you want to change it up serve it with homemade blueberry sauce or blueberry puree on the side or as a drizzle on top.

Variations

• Lemon Cardamom: Add ½ teaspoon ground cardamom powder along with the dry ingredients.
• Lemon Poppyseed: Add 1 Tablespoon poppy seeds into the dry ingredients for more of an Italian Lemon Almond Flour Cake recipe.
• Honey Cake: Swap out the maple syrup for an equal amount of honey.
• Winter Citrus Cake: Get creative with citrus and use orange, grapefruit, clementine, or tangerine zest, or Meyer lemons when in season.
• Paleo Birthday Cake: Use my notes for making it a paleo layer cake, make a double batch, and layer it with coconut whipped cream and fresh berries.
• Keto Lemon Cake: Use an equal amount of a keto-approved liquid sweetener.
• Muffins: Scoop the batter into a parchment-lined muffin tin. Bake 15-18 minutes, or until the center springs back to the touch. The recipe will make 10-11 muffins.

How to Store

This healthy flourless almond cake will keep well on the kitchen counter, in the fridge, or even frozen for later. Here’s how:

• Room temperature: Keep it under a cake dome or wrapped in plastic wrap for up to two days.
• Fridge: Store in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 1 week.
• Freezer: Double-wrap the cooled almond cake in plastic wrap, then wrap in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or right on your kitchen counter.

Expert Tips

• Use a metal or glass bowl for whipping egg whites. Egg whites don’t whisk properly in plastic bowls.
• Use room temperature ingredients. This ensures the lemon and almond meal cake batter is mixed properly. I pull out the eggs and maple syrup from the fridge while I gather the remaining ingredients.
• Separate the eggs while still cold. Use gentle hands and make sure there is no yolk present in the bowl.
• Make sure the bowl and whisk are squeaky clean. Egg whites will not whisk to stiff peaks if there is even a speckle of fat or dust on your bowl or whisk. Clean and dry thoroughly just before using.
• Fold in the lemon zest with a spatula. I like to add the lemon zest along with the dry ingredients and fold them in with a spatula. This prevents it from getting stuck in the wires of your whisk.
• Use precut parchment paper: If you are a regular baker and like me, not a fan of having to cut parchment to fit in the cake tin, use 9-inch precut parchment paper (affiliate link). It is surely a timesaver.
• Cool cake completely on a cooling rack if you are planning to spread it with whipped cream.

Other Ground Almond Recipes You’ll Enjoy:

• Almond Flour Bread
• Pancakes with Almond Flour
• Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Almond Butter Cookies
• And if you are in need of more almond flour cake recipes, be sure to also try my Almond Flour Banana Bread and Almond Flour Zucchini Bread.
• Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies

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Almond Flour Lemon Cake Recipe

5 from 8 votes

By: Aysegul Sanford

Yields8 slices

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time35 minutes mins

Cooling time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

This Almond Flour Lemon Cake recipe is an easy to make flourless cake that can be served by itself or with whipped cream and berries on top. Light, fluffy and refreshing, it is also a gluten free, grain free and paleo-friendly cake that is perfect for spring and summer.

Ingredients 

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• ▢ 4 large eggs, separated and at room temperature
• ▢ ½ cup maple syrup *, at room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ ½ teaspoon almond extract, optional
• ▢ 1 ¾ cups almond flour, (7.35 oz)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon cornstarch, use arrowroot starch for grain-free version
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder, (see notes for paleo option)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons lemon zest, (about 2 lemons)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon lemon juice , or ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Optional Toppings

• ▢ 1 cup maple whipped cream
• ▢ 1 cup berries, or any other seasonal fruit

Instructions 

• Prep equipment: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place a round of parchment paper on the bottom of an 8 or 9-inch cake pan or springform pan. Lightly grease the paper and sides of the pan with oil and set it aside.
• Separate the eggs: Separate the egg yolks and whites, placing the egg whites in a large bowl and the egg yolks in a separate mixing bowl.
• Whisk wet ingredients: In the bowl with the egg yolks, add the maple syrup, vanilla extract, and almond extract, if using, and whisk until smooth.
• Make the batter: In a separate bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Fold into the egg yolk mixture, along with the lemon zest. The batter will be thick.
• Whip egg whites: To the bowl of egg whites, add the lemon juice and salt. Beat with the whisk attachment or hand mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes.
• Lighten up the batter: Stir ⅓ of the beaten egg whites into the batter to lighten it. Then, gently fold the remaining egg whites in with a rubber spatula until just combined. The batter should be evenly moistened with no streak of egg whites remaining, but it will not be completely smooth. Do not overmix. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and gently spread it into an even layer.
• Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges of the cake have begun to pull away from the pan, the top is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes
• To serve, run a knife around the cake to loosen it. If using a springform pan, release the sides of the pan. If using a cake pan, gently flip the cake onto a plate, peel away the parchment, then flip it back over onto a serving plate. Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with whipped cream and berries, if desired.

Video

Notes

• To make it paleo diet friendly: Keep it paleo by replacing the cornstarch with arrowroot powder or tapioca starch, and the baking powder with ½ teaspoon cream of tartar and ¼ teaspoon baking soda.
• Sweetener: Replace the maple syrup with an equal amount of honey instead for a delicious lemon almond flour honey cake.
• Turn them into muffins: Scoop the batter into a parchment-lined muffin tin. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the center springs back to the touch. The recipe will make 10-11 muffins.
• DIY Almond flour: Use your favorite brand of almond flour or follow my easy guide on how to make almond flour at home.
• Almond flour vs. Almond Meal: You can use almond meal instead of almond flour in this recipe. However, be aware that lemon and almond meal cake is a bit denser and less airy than its version made with almond meal.
• Separate the eggs while still cold. Use gentle hands and make sure there is no yolk present in the bowl.
• Storage Instructions
  Room temperature: Keep it under a cake dome or wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 2 days.
  Fridge: Store in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 1 week.
  Freezer: Double-wrap the cooled almond cake in plastic wrap, then wrap in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or right on your kitchen counter.

Nutrition

Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 159mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Naturally sweetened dessert

Cuisine: American

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