A Strawberry Almond Cake recipe made with almond flour and 8 other simple ingredients might come as too good to be true. However, topped off with my 5-minute Maple Whipped Cream and infused with rich vanilla extract, this almond cake is nothing short of perfection. It is my favorite of all the Almond Flour Recipes I have shared over the years.

It is naturally sweetened, fresh, and spongy, which makes it one of my most irresistible paleo desserts. 

Almond flour strawberry cake with a slice being taken out.

Table of Contents

If you’re as in love with this treat as I am, then you’ll fall head over heels for my other easy almond flour cake recipes: Almond Flour Apple Cake, Almond Flour Carrot Cake, Almond Flour Lemon Cake and even Almond Chocolate Cake. They are all based on this Paleo Almond Cake recipe.

Why I Love This Recipe:

I might be biased but I call this “The Best Strawberry Cake Ever” because it is not only delicious, visually impressive, but a versatile dessert.

Here are a few reasons why you should make it:

  • All you need is 9 simple ingredients, two bowls and a whisk to make it. Great recipe to make with kids after a pick-your-own strawberries day.
  • It is minimally sweetened with maple syrup and chunks of fresh strawberries and made with healthy nutrient-packed almond flour. So, it is a great cake recipe if you are following a low carb and low sugar diet.
  • Because it is so light and spongy, it doubles as both an almond sponge cake and a paleo strawberry shortcake.
  • Most almond flour cake recipes you find on the internet use both almond flour and coconut flour. You can cut your shopping list in half because this recipe only uses almond flour.
  • Can be served as an elegant one-layer cake or a fancy two-layer birthday cake. I made sure to include the instructions to bake it in a 6’’, 8’’, or 9’’ cake pan or in a muffin pan, so you are covered.

Ingredients Notes:

As I mentioned earlier, you’ll need 9 simple ingredients to make this strawberry almond cake recipe.

Ingredients for the recipe are on a marble backdrop
  • Dry Ingredients: Gather together almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. 
  • Wet Ingredients: Gather eggs, maple syrup, avocado oil (melted and cooled), vanilla extract, and fresh strawberries.
  • Optional Toppings: I am using my Maple Syrup Whipped Cream and fresh strawberries.

Substitutions: 

Missing an ingredient? No problem! Here are a few handy substitutions:

  • Maple Syrup: Agave nectar can be used instead of maple syrup to naturally sweeten this dish—no refined sugar necessary.
  • Almond Flour & Almond Meal: Almond flour and almond meal can be used interchangeably. Be aware that if you use almond meal the cake will be a bit denser. If you can’t find almond flour or meal, you can also make your own almond flour at home.
  • Oil: Any tasteless oil like coconut oil (melted and cooled) will work for this paleo strawberry cake. Grapeseed oil or avocado oil are great substitutions as well.

How To Make Strawberry Almond Flour Cake?

Using two bowls, a whisk, and a cake tin, this low carb strawberry dessert is quite easy to make.

Person showing how to make the batter for the cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Then, use oil to grease an 8’’ or 9’’ cake tin*. Once the tin is generously greased, line it with parchment paper and set it aside.
  2. Prepare the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, mix together almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
  3. Prepare the wet ingredients. In a separate, small mixing bowl, combine the eggs, maple syrup, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk the ingredients until they are thoroughly combined.
  4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredient mixture. Whisk them together until no lumps remain.
Person folding strawberries into the batter and spreading the batter into the pan
  1. Fold the fresh strawberries into the cake batter.
  2. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. Use a spatula to evenly spread the mixture within the tin.
  3. Bake cake until it turns golden brown and its center is firm to the touch—about 40-45 minutes. 
  4. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Then, gently transfer the cake to a wire rack to finish the cooling process. 
Person assembling cake
  1. Assemble the cake. When the cake has fully cooled, place it in the center of a cake stand or serving plate. Spread an even layer of maple whipped cream frosting over the cake and decorate it with sliced strawberries. For an extra special touch, garnish the cake with fresh mint leaves.

Instructions To Make It a 6” inch Two Layer Cake:

Alternatively, you can use two 6 inch cake tins to bake the cake to turn it into double layer cake, especially if you are planning to serve it as an almond flour birthday cake.

Person serving Almond Flour Shortcake on a cake stand

If you decide to do so you do not need to double the recipe. You can use the same exact recipe you see below but use two cake pans instead of one. Simply:

  1. Pour equal amounts of the batter into two greased and parchment-lined 6’’ cake tins. Place them on a large baking sheet.
  2. Bake the two cakes for 40-45 minutes, until both are golden brown and their centers are firm to the touch. To ensure that the cakes come out evenly baked, rotate the tins halfway through the baking process.
  3. Cool the cakes in their tins for 5 minutes. Then, gently remove the cakes from their tins and transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
  4. To assemble, slice 6-8 strawberries to use in the middle layer of the cake. Place the first 6’’ cake on a cake dish and cover it with half of the maple whipped cream frosting. Spread the whipped cream in an even layer before decorating it with half of the strawberry slices. Then, place the second 6’’ cake on top of the first—directly on top of the whipped cream layer. Spread the remaining whipped cream on top. Finish by decorating the cake with the remaining sliced strawberries and fresh mint leaves.

How To Serve:

If you ask me, I’d say this grain free strawberry cake is the ideal all-purpose dessert and can be served it various ways. Here are a few options:

  • A simple tea time treat: Serve it by itself for an effortless cake. It is perfectly moist and light to stand on its own.
  • A summery almond flour shortcake: Serve it topped off with whipped cream and chunks of strawberries for a guilt free shortcake.
  • Make it a double layer cake: Turn it into a masterpiece by using the same recipe and two 6 inch cake pans or an 8 inch cake pan and doubling the recipe.
  • Serve it as strawberry cupcakes: Bake it in a muffin tin instead to make almond flour strawberry muffins and then top it off with whipped cream to turn them into a cupcake.

Make Ahead, Storage, and Freezing Instructions:

When you’re baking a cake for an event, the last thing you want to do is rush to make it the day of. That’s why I love how easy it is to make this paleo strawberry shortcake recipe ahead of time and store afterward!

Because there is no gluten in this flourless strawberry cake, it comes out incredibly moist. To keep it as fresh as possible, wait until it is completely cool before storing it.

  • Make Ahead: You can make this cake up to one day in advance. Just bring the cake to room temperature after baking, wrap it up, and store it in the fridge until it’s time to eat. Let the cake return to room temperature before frosting it (this will take about 15 minutes). Then, it’s ready to serve.
  • Storage: This frosted cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
  • Freezing: Almond flour baked goods freeze well. In fact, this almond flour white cake can be frozen for up to a month! Just bring the cake to room temperature, wrap it tightly, and store it in the freezer. To unfreeze, take the cake out of the freezer and wait about fifteen minutes for it to return to room temperature.
strawberry almond cake is served on a plate with a slice on a plate in the background

Variations:

  • Add orange zest: Add orange zest (or lemon zest) to your cake batter to add a more luscious tang to its flavor. 
  • Make it chocolate-y: Instead of using whipped cream, use my vegan chocolate frosting recipe for a cake that tastes just like chocolate-coated strawberries!
  • Spread it with cream cheese frosting instead: Use my maple cream cheese frosting for a delectable gluten free almond flour cake.
  • Use almond extract: Can’t get enough of the almond flours? Add in ¼ teaspoon almond extract into the batter.
  • Switch up your berries: Strawberries aren’t the only berry in season during the summer months. Play around with which berries you use to top this healthy almond cake to keep its fruit flavor fresh.
  • Go berry-free: Not a berry fan? Make this recipe without strawberries for a more classic almond flour vanilla cake.
  • Experiment with the maple whipped cream topping: Cover the whole cake with the topping for a light and creamy twist or cover it partially for a subtler maple taste. You can even serve the whipped cream on the side.
  • For a dairy free version: Use coconut milk whipped cream instead.

Tips For Success:

  • Bring the cake to room temperature: It’s important that the cake is fully room temperature before frosting it so that the frosting doesn’t melt.
  • It will turn golden brown: Towards the end of baking time, the cake will turn golden brown and your kitchen will smell amazing. Don’t be alarmed by the changing of the color. It’s normal for the cake to look darker than cakes made with all-purpose flour because almond flour changes its color as it bakes.

FAQs:

Can I make make Almond Flour Strawberry Cupcakes using this recipe?

Yes, you can. To do so, divide the batter in a 12-cup muffin tin. Bake at 325 degrees F. for 25-27 minutes. Let it come to room temperature. Spread each muffin with whipped cream and garnish with strawberries and mint leaves, if using.

Can I substitute almond flour for regular flour in a cake?

Almond flour and all purpose flour have different textures and different ways of interacting with the rest of the ingredients, mainly because almond flour has no gluten and all purpose flour does. Therefore, it is not recommended to use one in place of the other.

How do you make almond flour cake rise?

Half a teaspoon baking powder for every cup of almond flour will help rise the cake. You can also use psyllium husk and ground flax seeds to add body to almond flour baked goods. With that being said, compared to cakes baked with all purpose flour, almond flour does not rise as much.

Equipment I Used:

Below you will find the equipment I used to make this recipe. Please know that these are affiliate links.

Other Naturally Sweetened Almond Flour Recipes You Might Like

Almond Flour Chocolate Cake – Foolproof Living ~ Almond Dutch Baby with Honeyed Kumquats – Snixy Kitchen ~ Low-Carb Double Chocolate Blender Muffins – All Day I Dream About Food ~ How To Make Almond Flour – Foolproof Living ~ Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes – Foolproof Living

Almond Flour Strawberry Cake on a serving plate
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Almond Flour Strawberry Cake Recipe

4.90 from 37 votes
By: Aysegul Sanford
Yields8 slices
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
An easy to make recipe for strawberry almond flour cake. Made with almond flour and sweetened with maple syrup, this strawberry shortcake is gluten free, refined sugar free, and paleo friendly. No special equipment needed, all you need is two bowls and a whisk.

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
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • ⅔ cup maple syrup, or honey
  • ¼ cup avocado oil, plus more for greasing the pans
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

For Maple Whipped Cream

  • 1  cup heavy cream, (8 fluid ounces), cold
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

As Garnish:

  • 1 cup fresh strawberries, cut into quarters
  • 4-5 leaves fresh mint

Instructions 

  • Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8 or 9 inch can pan generously with oil. Line with parchment paper and set aside.
  • To Prepare the dry ingredients: Mix together the almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a large bowl.
  • To the wet ingredients: Whisk together eggs, maple syrup, oil and vanilla extract in a bowl until emulsified.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Fold in 1/2 cup of the strawberries. Stir just until fully combined.
  • Pour batter into the prepared pan. Using a spatula (or back of a spoon), spread evenly.
  • Bake for 40-45 minutes making sure to rotate the pan halfway through the baking for even baking. In the end, the cake should turn golden brown with its center firm to the touch.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then take it out and cool on a wire rack. Make sure that it is fully cooled down to room temperature before assembling the cake.
  • To make the Whipped Cream: Attach the whisk attachment to a standing mixer or a hand mixer. Add all the ingredients into a mixing bowl.Whisk in medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to high and whip until soft peaks form, 1-2 minutes.
  • To assemble: Place cake on a serving plate. Spread it with the whipped cream using a spatula. Garnish with the rest of the sliced strawberries and fresh mint leaves, if using.
  • Serve with a few dollops of whipped cream on the side.

Notes

  • For the paleo version, in place of 1 teaspoon of baking powder, you can mix together 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda with 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar.
Instructions to make it as a 6-inch two layer cake: If you’d rather make a two layer cake, you do not need to double the recipe. You can use the same exact recipe but use two cake pans instead of one. Simply:
  1. Pour equal amounts of the batter into two greased and parchment-lined 6’’ cake tins.  Place them on a large baking sheet.
  2. Bake the two cakes for 40-45 minutes, until both are golden brown and their centers are firm to the touch. To ensure that the cakes come out evenly baked, rotate the tins halfway through the baking process.
  3. Cool the cakes in their tins for 5 minutes. Then, gently remove the cakes from their tins and transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
  4. To assemble, slice 6-8 strawberries to use in the middle layer of the cake. Place the first 6’’ cake on a cake dish and cover it with half of the maple whipped cream frosting. Spread the whipped cream in an even layer before decorating it with half of the strawberry slices. Then, place the second 6’’ cake on top of the first—directly on top of the whipped cream layer. Spread the remaining whipped cream on top. Finish by decorating the cake with the remaining sliced strawberries and fresh mint leaves.
You can make cupcakes using this recipe: To do so, simply divide the batter in a 12-cup muffin pan and bake for 25-27 minutes. Frost each muffin with whipped cream and garnish with strawberries and mint.
  • Make Ahead: You can make this cake up to one day in advance. Just bring the cake to room temperature after baking, wrap it up, and store it in the fridge until it’s time to eat. Let the cake return to room temperature before frosting it (this will take about 15 minutes). Then, it’s ready to serve.
  • Storage: This frosted cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
  • Freezing: Almond flour baked goods freeze well. In fact, this almond flour white cake can be frozen for up to a month! Just bring the cake to room temperature, wrap it tightly, and store it in the freezer. To unfreeze, take the cake out of the freezer and wait about fifteen minutes for it to return to room temperature.
An earlier version of this recipe used Mascarpone Whipped Cream instead of Heavy Cream Whipped Cream. Since mascarpone whipped cream (made with maple syrup) is prone to curdling, in the updated version I used maple syrup whipped cream instead. If you prefer that version, you can follow the recipe below:
Place 8 ounces of mascarpone cheese  in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and whip it for 1 minute. Slowly add 3/4 cup heavy cream (at room temperature), 1/4 cup maple syrup, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in the bowl and mix until it turns light and fluffy.

Nutrition

Calories: 559kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 318mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 814IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 198mg | Iron: 2mg

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

Additional Info

Course: Cakes, Naturally Sweetened
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @foolproofliving or tag #foolproofeats!

This Gluten Free Strawberry Almond Cake Recipe was initially published on June 2017, but I have tested a few more times and now (in June 2021) updating it with some additional helpful information and a few new photographs to help you as you make it in your own kitchen.

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About Aysegul Sanford

Hello Friend! I'm Aysegul but you can call me “Ice." I’m the cook/recipe-tester/photographer behind this site.

If you’re looking for approachable, yet creative recipes made with everyday ingredients, you’ve come to the right place. Here, we’re all about recipes that’s been meticulously tested to provide you with a truly foolproof cooking experience regardless of your level of cooking.

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4.90 from 37 votes (19 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




80 Comments

  1. 4 stars
    Mine was very fragile and couldn’t trasfer it to a cake plate. But still very delicious! Just wish it was so soft and falling apart when trying to transfer it. Maybe less liquid of some kind. 😛

    Reply

  2. This was SO delicious. So simple to put together and a huge hit. I added lemon & orange zest, almond extract, and blackberries. I did a simple coconut whipped cream on top & added some pieces of sugared lemon pith that’s been sitting in my pantry from an old project 🙂

    Reply

  3. Can I use olive oil or vegetable oil instead of the avocado oil which I don’t usually use or keep in stock. Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hello Helen,
      Yes, you can use any vegetable oil. However, if you decide to use olive oil, I would recommend using one that has a mild flavor.
      I hope this helps.

      Reply

  4. 5 stars
    Hi. I made this for Mother’s Day to take to my daughters to use up fresh strawberries. I love traditional almond cake and have made it before but is a bit time consuming.
    This recipe is super easy. I used grape seed oil because I had it and made 2 8” layer cake pans. Just as the recipe said I divided the batter into the 2 pans. For the icing I cheated and used fluffy white premade frosting between the layers with sliced strawberries. Strawberries on top with sprigs of mint then stored it in the refrigerator until the next day. Everyone loved it. I’ll make the frosting next time.

    Reply

    1. YAY! That makes me so happy Joan. Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.

      Reply

  5. Any suggestions on making this without oil? I usually replace with applesauce but thought I would check.

    Reply

    1. I’ll be honest, I have not tried this almond flour cake with applesauce but I think applesauce would work. Since almond flour has a high-fat content I suspect that it should be fine.
      Please let me know if you end up trying.
      Thanks for coming by.

      Reply

      1. 5 stars
        It was a huge hit! The applesauce worked really well. A couple people even asked me for the recipe. Definitely something I will make again and again.

      2. So good to know. Thanks SO much for coming back and letting us know that this strawberry cake would work with applesauce. Cheers!

      1. Hello Edith,
        You can use them both. Almond extract is optional, while (I think) using vanilla extract is a must for great flavor. If you decide to use almond extract, please keep in mind that a little goes a long way.
        Hope this helps.

  6. Greetings, Ice:
    I love this recipe. Thank you. The texture is amazing. I’ve tried it several times. However, I live in Denver and usually have to adjust for our altitude. I can’t seem to find the right balance, as the cake always falls in the center. Can you suggest a solution. After re-reading your current recipe, I noted that I have not been adding the 1/2 cup of sliced strawberries to the batter. Don’t know if that would have an effect.
    Neal

    Reply

    1. Hi Neal,
      I am happy to hear that you enjoy this recipe.
      I have had another reader who lives in Colorado say that she had the same issue. I have not tried this but she told me that increasing the number of eggs used from three to four helped.
      When you add the strawberries be sure to cut them into very small pieces before incorporating them into the batter. If you live them in big slices then they might be too heavy and sink at the bottom.
      Hope this helps. Please let me know if you end up trying.
      Best,
      Ice

      Reply

  7. Hi, have you ever tried to double this to use a 8 x 13 pan (which has roughly double the area of a 8 x 8 round cake)? If so, are there any adjustments or issues I should know about? Thanks.

    Reply

    1. Hi Jinny,
      I have doubled the recipe but never baked it in the same pan. I baked it in two different pans. It is hard to say without trying but I would keep a close eye on it after the first 30-minute mark. Be sure to cut the strawberries into small pieces and distribute them evenly so they won’t sink to the bottom of the cake.
      I’d love to know how it turns out if you try.
      Hope this helps.

      Reply

  8. 5 stars
    This is the best gluten strawberry cake out there. I had no idea almond flour would make such a great cake. Now, I will try your other almond flour cakes. This recipe is a winner people. Make it now!

    Reply

    1. So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe Kelley. Thanks for coming by and taking the time to leave a review.

      Reply

  9. I’ve made this recipe several times and while the taste is amazing, my cake always sinks in the middle no matter what. Any suggestions to prevent that from happening? Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hello Zlata,
      There are a few things you can do:
      1. Make sure the temperature of the oven is exactly 325 F. Sometimes if the temperature is lower it won’t bake enough.
      2. You can put fewer (or no) strawberries in the batter. Perhaps, 1/4 cup.
      3. Add in one more egg to the batter. I have had this problem with my almond flour cake recipe in the past and increasing it to 4 eggs solved the problem.
      4. If none of that works, bake it a bit longer (while keeping a close eye on it)

      With all this being said, I have made this recipe many times and never had that issue. So, I would appreciate it if you try these tips and let me know if they fix the issue.

      Please do not hesitate to let me know if I can answer any other questions.

      Aysegul

      Reply