My Easy Gluten-Free Almond Cake is sure to impress! If you think that using a packet mix is the fastest and easiest way to make a cake, this recipe will absolutely change your mind! This is one of the easiest cake recipes ever and it produces amazing results. It is deceptively simple; so quick to make that you can have it prepared by the time the oven pre-heats.
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Why we love this recipe:
I love a recipe that’s easy to prepare, tastes good and can be used in several ways. This fabulous cake more than adequately meets those criteria.
It takes just a few simple ingredients to make the cake and all of them are readily available in supermarkets.
As well, you have the satisfaction of knowing that you made it yourself and you know exactly what it contains; there are no artificial colours, flavours or other unnecessary additives.
My Easy Almond Cake is versatile. It is ideal to serve with tea or coffee but it also makes a lovely dessert served with some berries and whipped cream.
And if you don’t need to eat gluten-free, you can use regular wheat flour.
Ingredients in this recipe:
Please see the recipe card further along in the post for exact quantities of ingredients and the full method.
Butter – butter is an essential ingredient in baking; it provides flavour and a tender texture to baked goods. We use unsalted butter in this recipe.
Eggs – I use large free-range eggs.
Gluten-free plain/all-purpose flour – I have used a commercial gluten-free blend. However, you can substitute regular all-purpose flour if you don’t need the cupcakes to be gluten-free. Our gluten-free flour blends contain either xanthan or guar gum to stabilise and provide structure to our recipes. If your flour blend already contains either of these gums, there is no need to add more.
Caster/superfine sugar – I use caster/superfine sugar as the fine grains will dissolve more readily in this very simple cake method.
Almond extract – it is the extract which gives the cake its very distinctive almond flavour. However, if you’re not fond of a pronounced almond flavour, you could reduce the amount of extract.
Flaked almonds – add the flakes to the top of the cake as decoration, to reinforce the almond flavour and provide textural contrast.
Icing/confectioners’ sugar – a dusting of icing sugar adds a lovely finishing touch.
Step by Step Instructions:
To begin with, you will need to preheat your oven and prepare your cake tin.
- Melt your butter and set it aside to cool. In a stand mixer, or using hand-held electric beaters, I beat the melted butter and eggs together.
- Next, add flour, sugar and almond extract and mix well.
- I then pour the mixture into the prepared tin.
- Top the cake with flaked almonds. After baking for 20-30 minutes (the time depends on your oven) insert a skewer or toothpick into the centre of the cake; if it comes out clean the cake is cooked. Allow the cake to cool then dust with icing sugar. Serve and enjoy!
Tips for Success and FAQs:
It is important to have the eggs at room temperature so they properly amalgamate in the batter. However, if you haven’t remembered to remove them from the fridge, you can remedy that. Place them in a bowl of warm water for a minute or two. Just ensure that the water is not too hot or the eggs will begin to cook.
Allow the cake to cool completely while it’s still in the tin. It may break if you try to remove it while it’s warm.
If you’re not overly fond of a definite almond flavour, I suggest you begin with half the amount of almond extract.
If you melt your butter in a bowl in the microwave you can complete the mixture in the same bowl. Less washing up is always good!
We have tried this and it is not successful. The almond meal produces a very dense, heavy cake.
Flaked almonds are finely sliced blanched almonds whereas sliced almonds are thicker and the almond skin is left on. They have a different look and taste but you could substitute them if you don’t have flaked almonds.
There is no leavening agent in this Easy Almond Cake so it does not rise a great deal, but it still turns out deliciously moist and flavoursome.
Yes, this cake works well with both regular and gluten-free plain/all-purpose flour.
When it comes to serving:
This Gluten-Free Almond Cake is extremely versatile; the uncomplicated flavours make it perfect to serve with a cup of tea or coffee.
The other side of its personality is that it can take on a sophisticated demeanour when served as a dessert. The almond flavour of the cake is complemented beautifully when accompanied by berries and whipped cream.
As well, I like to give it a dusting of icing/confectioners’ sugar just before serving.
More delicious cake recipes:
- Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
- Easy Blueberry Cake
- Chocolate Sour Cream Cake
- Pear and Raspberry Cake
- Lemon Tea Cake
- Or view our collection of Sweet Almond Meal Recipes.
I was given this recipe many years ago by a good friend and I have been happily and gratefully making it ever since. The cake is lovely; it is rich and buttery, slightly crisp on the outside, soft and tender on the inside.
Enjoy this fantastic Easy Gluten-Free Almond Cake, and let us know in the comments below if you try it!
Alex xx
This post was originally published in July 2018. It has been updated with new photos and more information. The recipe remains the same.
Almond Cake – Easy and Gluten-Free
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125 g) butter -melted
- 2 large eggs – at room temperature See Note 1
- 1 cup (150 g) gluten-free plain/all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (220 g) superfine/caster sugar
- 2 tsp almond extract See Note 2
- 3 tbsp (60 ml) sliced almonds See Note 3 and 4
- a dusting of icing/confectioners' sugar to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 Degrees C (350 F).
- Lightly grease a 20 cm/ 8-inch spring-form cake pan and line the base with non-stick baking paper.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan or microwave in a glass bowl. Set aside to cool.
- Using a stand mixer, a handheld electric mixer or a whisk, beat the eggs and butter together in a bowl. You can use the same bowl if you microwaved the butter.
- Add flour, sugar and almond extract and mix well.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, spread it evenly, and sprinkle flaked almonds over the top. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick, placed into the centre of the cake, comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin. Transfer to a serving dish and dust with icing/confectioners’ sugar if desired.
Video
Notes
- If you forget to remove your eggs from the fridge, you can bring them to room temperature by placing them in a bowl of warm water for 2 minutes. Just ensure that the water is not too hot or you will partially cook the eggs.
- If you are not overly fond of a definite almond flavour, I suggest that you use half the amount of almond extract specified in the recipe.
- Flaked almonds are finely sliced blanched almonds. They differ from sliced almonds which are almonds with the skin on and thicker sliced. You could, however, use them if you can’t find flaked.
- In Australia, the tablespoon is 20 ml or 4 teaspoons. In many other countries, the tablespoon is 15 ml or 3 teaspoons. You may have to adjust your measurements accordingly.
- Please note, the nutritional information is based on this cake being cut into 8 slices. It does not include what it is served with.
Nutrition
This is a super easy and yummy recipe. I substituted refined sugar for coconut sugar & only used 1 tsp. of the almond extract and it turned out perfect. Because of the coconut sugar the color turned out brown but so worth it. Great recipe!
Hi Pat!
Thank you so much for sharing this! I am glad to hear you enjoyed the cake, and pleased to here it worked with coconut sugar – I am sure many readers will find this useful!
Kind regards, Alex
I absolutely love this recipe! It has the perfect amount of almond flavor, has a lightly crisp base, and is so fluffy. As a personal preference, I halved the sugar and it turned out perfectly for me and my family. I also smoothed some fruit preserves onto the surface before baking (adjusting the cook time by a few minutes) and it turned out so well! I’m already planning on making it throughout the year, swapping in seasonal fruits—this almond cake recipe will go so well with everything(and also by itself!)!
Thank you for the lovely review, Christy!
I really appreciate it. The fruit preserves sound like a delicious idea, and I will look forward to trying this myself!
Kind regards, Alex
Would like to try this. Could I use a regular 8″ round pan with parchment paper?
Hi Marie,
That should be fine – this recipe calls for the cake to be cooled completely in the tin before removing, so as long as it is greased and lined with parchment, I can’t imagine it being an issue. The only thing I would suggest would be that it isn’t an especially deep tin as that will make it harder to remove.
Let me know if you give the cake a try! Thanks, Alex
Would this recipe be as delicious if I needed to use Splenda rather than regular sugar? We are diabetic but love this recipe.
Hi Rosemarie,
I am sorry, I haven’t tried it with Splenda before, so I couldn’t say. Several readers have made other recipes using sugar substitutes before, so let me know if you do give it a try.
We are working on lots of refined sugar recipes at the moment, and look forward to sharing them soon.
Kind regards, Alex
Wow really keen to try this. Can I make this a day or 2 ahead and how can I store it?
Hi Hina,
Like most cakes, it is definitely better the day it is made. You could make it one day ahead, and wrap it well in cling film. I don’t like to refrigerate cakes, as I find it can change the texture, so I would store it in a cool, dark space, like the pantry cupboard.
Let me know if you give it a try!
Hi Alex! I’ve been on a baking streak this week and have tried several of your gluten free dessert recipes and this is one my favorites!! It’s so easy to make and I love how pronounced the almond flavor is. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Hi Jamie, I am delighted to hear that you are enjoying our gluten-free recipes and that the Almond Cake is a favourite. We have more coming in the near future! Enjoy. 🙂
This is great!
Thank you!
Amazin!
Thank you!
This was very good, but a bit dry. What can I add to make it more moist?
Hi Erica,
We haven’t found this cake dry before – I wonder if perhaps your oven is a bit more powerful than ours and that it cooked a bit quicker?
The texture of the Almond Cake should be quite moist, in fact.
I would try testing it a few minutes earlier next time to see if it has, in fact, finished baking.
Alternatively, you might like to try one of our cakes that has almond meal, which makes the texture much more delicate and super moist, such as our
Pear Cake.
Kind regards, Alex
Incredible! So easy to make and utterly delicious.
Hi Christy!
Thank you so much for letting me know you enjoyed the cake 🙂
Hi,
Have you tried this recipe with almond meal?
Hi Vicky!
We have, and it was very dense, and almost frangipane like. We have also tried it with half almond meal, half flour – still not the ideal texture (although some readers have enjoyed the more dense type of cake by doing it this way) – this cake should be nice and light.
If you’d prefer a cake that uses some almond meal, you could try:
Pear and Raspberry Cake
And we are working on some new recipes at the moment 🙂
Kind regards, Alex