This is the easiest almond cake with just 4 main ingredients. This cake has a soft, moist crumb and is lightly sweet with a pop of lemon flavor. You won’t believe it is a grain free and gluten free cake recipe!
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This almond cake comes together quickly and is perfect for unexpected company or satisfying the evening sweet tooth. My mother particularly loved this recipe and no matter how old you are, when your Mom is impressed, it’s a big deal :).
We added our Amazon affiliate links for the tools we used to make this recipe.
One of my readers, Yana P. wrote in and shared this Calabrian Walnut Cake with us and since there is a Walnut allergy in the family, we made it (even simpler) into an almond flour cake and changed the proportions. I made it 3 times in 1 week and it disappeared fast every single time. Its a keeper!
Watch How to Make Almond Cake:
The texture of this almond cake is so soft and fluffy, you would never guess it is made with finely ground almonds.You can also make a double batch and create a stunning two-layer cake since it bakes up level and is sturdy enough to stack. This would make an amazing gluten free birthday cake!!
Ingredients for Easy Almond Cake:
Literally all you need to make this cake are 4 main ingredients: almond flour, eggs, sugar and lemon zest. I have tested this recipe with and without the sliced almonds over the top and it works both ways. (See exact measurements and print the recipe below)
How to Measure Almond Flour Correctly:
Spoon almond flour into a dry ingredients measuring cup and level off the top with the flat edge of a knife. Do not compress the almond meal into the cup or you may end up with up to 50% more flour! Read all of our tips and tricks for how to measure accurately for baking.
How to Separate Eggs and Bring to Room Temperature:
To separate eggs, you can either use an egg separator or the shells of your egg if you get a clean break on the shell. It is easier to separate eggs while they are cold. To do that, separate eggs then cover and leave at room temperature no more than 30-60 minutes. You could also separate them and place into separate small bowls and set the egg whites over a larger bowl with warm water so the bowl with the egg white warms up within 5-10 minutes.
Almond Cake Recipe Printable:
Almond Cake Recipe

Ingredients
Almond Cake Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour, * measured correctly
- 4 eggs, separated, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon zest, grated from 1 large lemon
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- Confectioners sugar and lemon slices for garnish, optional
Instructions
Prep:
- Grease/butter a 9" cake pan or 9" springform pan. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350˚F.
Almond Cake Recipe Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 4 egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar. Beat with an electric hand mixer on high speed 3 minutes or until thick, creamy and lightened in color. Add 1 1/2 cups almond flour and 1 Tbsp lemon zest and use a spatula to fold and stir together until incorporated. Wash and dry attachments from the mixer.
- In a second large mixing bowl, add 4 egg whites and beat together until stiff peaks form (about 2 minutes). Fold the egg whites 1 heaping spoonful at a time into the almond batter, folding with each addition just until incorporated and scraping from the bottom of the bowl to ensure batter has an even consistency.
- Once all the egg whites are incorporated and batter is even in consistency (do not over-mix), transfer batter to the prepared baking pan and sprinkle the top with 1/4 cup sliced almonds. Bake at 350˚F for 30 minutes or until top is firm.
- Let cake rest in the pan 15 minutes then run a thin spatula around the sides and invert it onto your hand then place it right side up on the rack. Let cool to room temperature and garnish with powdered sugar and lemon slices if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Almond Flour Recipes you will LOVE:
- Almond Nutella Cake – flavor explosion gluten free indulgence
- Raspberry Macarons – gluten free cookies with raspberry filling
- Almond Croissants – incredible French bakery style filling
Q: What are your very favorite almond flour recipes or gluten free recipes? I’d love to hear from you in a comment below! We are always looking for new ideas.
Hi, I made the same recipe three times in last week. It turned out to be perfect and finished in just 10 minutes. I want to know if i want to double the cake should i double all the ingredients and is 13 by 9 inch baking sheet ok?
That should work, VG! One of our readers tried it double in a 9×5 and loved it!
For those interested in sugar free, my niece made the almond cake for Christmas using Truvia. It was delicious! She also added more lemon zest and a small amount of almond extract.
Thank you so much for sharing that awesome review with us, Nancy!
Thank you, Nancy! That is helpful!
The cake looks so delicious! Has anyone experimented with using Stevia instead of sugar.
Hi Monica, I haven’t tried that but here is what one of our readers wrote “you can try replacing the sugar with a sugar replacement like sucralose or stevia. And then use almond flour or coconut flour for baking” I hope this helps!
Thank you for recipe !!! Delicious cake,easy direction,great website.
You’re so welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Hello Natasha, I made this cake for my husband who loves anything almond flour and this was a huge hit. The recipe is perfect and easy to follow. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I really appreciate how easy and accurately it’s described so newbie bakers like me could follow. Thanks!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you both enjoyed it!
I just brought one of these lovely cakes in to work this morning. Your video is excellent. So easy to follow. I made two sponges and put in a filling combining mascarpone, whipped cream and lemon curd, and drizzled a little heated lemon curd over the top before the icing sugar. The cake was so moist and refreshing. Everybody loved it and it disappeared in moments.
That’s so great! Thank you for the wonderful review!! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Me again…I doubled the recipe and used sugar as stated (before I would substitute with honey), used 2 heaping Tablespoons of cocoa powder and baked it in the open. It worked out great as a mildly tasting chocolate cake. The almond flour gave it an underlying almond- cherry flavor. I think this would be a great base for a gluten-free black forest cake. Perhaps adding a little instant coffee and a little more cocoa powder. So nice to have a recipe with simple ingredients.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
This is a true find for people who are searching for a terrific Passover desert. NO FLOUR!!! And it is pretty awesome, I must say.
Thank you for the wonderful review Barbara!
Hi Natasha,
I tried the recipe with 3 eggs and added 1/2 tsp baking powder as i felt egg smell will be more on cake. also i added vanilla extract..
It was very good.. still soft and my family liked it so much.. thank you for the wonderful recipe…
I’m happy to hear you enjoyed that Renu!
Loved this cake. Used Trader Joe almond meal, with brown flecks. Came out fine but think other would be better. Like seeing other variation suggestions too. Very easy. No picture, ate it it too fast!
I’m so happy to hear that Susan! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Made it again with fine ground almond meal, less crumbly, but good both ways. Tried orange, a little too subtle. Doubled recipe worked well, but I should have blended whites in more thoroughly. So easy and delicious.
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing that with us!
I don’t know if I am the only one who once again did not get a cake right…the egg white did not turn white and fluffy even after beating it with the hand mixer for about more than 5 minutes don’t know why so obviously the cake did not turn soft..but loved the taste..my husband liked it too but I wish mine was softer. Thanks for the easy recipe.
Hi Lata, did you use an electric hand mixer and use egg whites from the egg (not from the carton which can contain additives). Also, did you make sure your bowl was completely clean without any oils on it? Hope that helps to troubleshoot!
Can it be made the day before? And if so, refrigerated? Or left out?
Hi Stacey, yes you can make this the day before, once it’s at room temperature, cover loosely and leave at room temperature overnight then dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Hi Natasha, please let me know if I use ground almonds how many cups of almond I need>
Hi Patty, I know there are recipes out there on how to make almond flour. I honestly haven’t experimented substituting with a different flour in this recipe so I can’t advise on that. Since almond flour is basically finely ground almonds, yes it can be done :). I would suggest googling how to make almond flour to get the correct consistency.
Love the recipe. Very clear directions. Turned out really nice and tasty. Would you have also a recipe for almond bread? Please do let me know. Thanks again!
Thank you Sahana! Not yet but that’s a great idea! Thank you!
I tried this cake and it came out really good. I would like to do again but this time I try to add some desiccated coconut. Do you think it will come out as good as the original recipe and if so how much coconut do I add pls?
Hi Tania! I honestly haven’t tried that with coconut. Some readers have reported using coconut flour and liking it. If you experiment please let us know how you like it!
The almond cake recipe is so easy to make and taste amazing! Thank you!!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Kimber!!
Hello!
I made it in my 6Q Instant Pot for 31 minutes and the opened it up after it went to warm mode for 8 more minutes. Cooked it in a 7 cup pyrex round with a stainless steel cover that fit like a bottlecap from a “tiffin tin?” that a good friend git me from India. Used 1/2 honey and 1 T lemon essense. It came out great. Oh and I used the trivet from Instant pot that had the handles, it is a lower trivet and lets the Pyrex bowl sit closer to the heat. Thank you Natasha!
Thank you so much for sharing this with us, Eman! I’m so happy you enjoyed this!
Hi Natasha ,this is delicious .Thank you so much for the amazing recipes.!!ALWAYS WORK PERFECT”.
Hi Marimar! Thank you for this amazing feedback!
Hello! There’s no almond flour here in our place to buy, can you give some tips, please? Thanks!
Hi Tessie! I know there are recipes out there on how to make almond flour. I honestly haven’t experimented substituting with a different flour in this recipe so I can’t advise on that. Since almond flour is basically finely ground almonds, yes it can be done :). I would suggest googling how to make almond flour to get the correct consistency.
First try, success! Perfect cake texture, flavorful and not too sweet. Great with coffee and tea.
I agree this is perfect with coffee or tea! Thanks Minnie!
Natasha,
Just joined your blog. Your recipes look amazing. I have been looking for a cake to make and would like to know if I can use coconut sugar instead of refined white sugar and reduce the amount by half for your recipes.
Hi Barbara, readers have reported using coconut flour. If you experiment please let us know how you like it!
Actually I like using almond flour so I wouldn’t substitute it.
Oh-M-Geee! I just made this cake and it’s sooo good!
I didn’t have any lemons on hand so I used lemon extract.
I will be making this again!
Thanks for this recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Vella! Thank you for the wonderful review!
How much lemon extract did you use?
Hi Natasha, this recipe looks fabulous – the cooking temperature – is that in a normal oven or a fan forced oven – I am unable to turn of the fan. should I cook this at a lower Temp? What size are the eggs as sometimes the larger the eggs the more flour it requires. love all your recipes
Hi Michelle, I am using a conventional oven with top/bottom heat. 🙂 I hope this helps. We use large eggs.
Thank you!
You’re welcome Michelle!