This is the cake for almond lovers! This single-layer almond cake is moist and tender and packed with almond flavor from a combination of almond paste, almond extract, and sliced almonds.
This cake can be served anytime of day. It’s delicious plain alongside a cup of coffee or tea, or add a little something extra by serving each slice with berries and whipped cream. Prefer a bite-sized almond treat? Try our almond croissant bites.
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What I love about this recipe
Flavor: Lots of sweet and buttery almond flavor in every bite!
Ease: This cake batter comes together in a food processor in minutes. And since this cake doesn’t have any frosting it’s easier than most cake recipes.
Texture: This cake has a moist crumb and manages to be both dense and light.
Versatility: This cake can be served for breakfast, snack, or dessert. Serve it plain or top with whipped cream and berries.
Ingredients needed
Almond paste: You’ll need 4 ounces of almond paste. See more on this ingredient below.
Almond extract: For extra almond flavor.
Granulated sugar: For sweetening the cake batter and topping the cake.
Butter: One stick/half cup of unsalted butter.
Eggs: Three large eggs for binding and texture.
Dry ingredients: A combination of all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
Sliced almonds: For the sugared almond topping.
Recipe overview
*Full recipe below in recipe card*
This cake batter is assembled in the food processor. It comes together in minutes! Here’s how to make it:
- Almond paste and sugar are pulsed in a food processor until finely ground.
- Add softened butter and process until combined.
- Add eggs and almond extract and process until combined.
- Sprinkle in flour, baking powder and salt. Give it a whirl until combined.
Pour the batter into a greased and lined 8-inch cake pan. Sprinkle sliced almonds and sugar over the top and bake.
Ingredient overview: almond paste
Almond paste is a mixture of ground almonds and sugar or sugar syrup. You can purchase it in tubes or cans in the baking aisle of well-stocked grocery stores. It should be soft, moist, and easy to break apart. The almond paste gets processed into the cake batter and adds texture and a sweet almond flavor to every bite of this cake. I do not recommend trying to substitute the almond paste with another ingredient.
Leftover almond paste? Make a batch of Almond Cherry Bars OR tightly wrap it and freeze it for up to 6 months.
Optional topping
This cake is absolutely delicious as-is. If you want to add a little something extra it pairs wonderfully with whipped cream and berries.
To serve: Warm berry jam to thin it out. Spoon some jam and whipped cream over the top of each slice of cake and top with fresh berries.
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Recipe
Almond Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
- 4 ounces almond paste
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Topping:
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- optional toppings (to serve): powdered sugar, whipped cream, fresh berries
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle of the oven. Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and grease the pan.
- Crumble almond paste into food processor bowl. Add granulated sugar and pulse until almond paste is finely ground. Add butter and process until smooth (it will turn into a ball; just keep processing until it smooths out). Add eggs and almond extract and process until combined, occasionally stopping the processor and scraping sides and bottom of bowl. Sprinkle in flour, baking powder, and salt, and process until blended.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan on the countertop a few times to remove air bubbles. Top the cake batter with sliced almonds and 1-2 tablespoons sugar (I like to add half the almonds, sprinkle over half the sugar, then repeat with remaining almonds and sugar).
- Bake for 23-26 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack. Cool for 30 minutes, then carefully remove it from the pan and place the cake back on the rack to cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. If desired, you can dust the cake with powdered sugar or serve with the toppings mentioned below.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!Recipe adapted from Good Housekeeping.
TeriLee
Hi!I loved this cake! It was delicious and moist right out of the oven. We didn’t finish it immediately and after a couple of days it was not as moist – which is understandable. It made me wonder about possibly adding almond butter to make it even more moist – any thoughts about whether that would work?
Allison
Hi! I’m not too sure about that. You’d have to play around with it.
Susan
It sounds delicious but I don’t have a food processor. Can I use a mixer? Thanks
Allison
Hi! I’m not sure if the almond paste will get fine enough. You can try it!
Jennie
You can use a cheese grater – that’s what I do and it works great!
Judy
When you flip
The cake out of the pan, do you loose almonds and sugar, or did the bake into the batter?
Allison
Hi, Judy. The almonds will stay put for the most part. I usually just tip the cake to the side (with my hand on top) to remove it from the pan. I don’t fully flip it upside down.
Tammy
Thank you Judy for your help and your method of using a cheese grater! I’m just not fond of making a cake in my Ninja processor so I’m going to follow your advice!
Jim
Modified the recipe slightly – used 1/4 C sugar, 1/4 C butter, and 1/2 C almond butter. Delicious. Not too sweet, full of almond flavor. This one’s a keeper.
Sally
Hello, could I replace the butter with oil ? If so how much ? Thanks
Allison
I’d guess you’d replace it with the same amount but I haven’t tried it. I’ve only made the recipe as written.
Kim
Made this recipe yesterday and we absolutely loved it. It came together so easily and is truly delicious, perfectly satified the almond flavor I was craving. I did everything pretty much as written except I don’t have an 8” round cake pan, so I used my 8×8 square pan. I’m curious if this recipe doubles well, especially since the almond paste I bought was 8oz. If I ever try it that way I’ll report back. Thanks for this fantastic recipe!
Allison
Thanks for the kind review, Kim. I have not tried doubling it but please let me know if you do. 🙂
Debbie Amador
I doubled it with no issues. This cake is EXACTLY what I was searching for. Reminded me of my Dutch grandma’s kitchen. It’s perfect! Wouldn’t change a thing
Allison
That’s great to hear! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Jane Ladwig
Definitely can double. Made it in a 9″ spring form pan. Baked an additional 25 minutes I believe.
Susan Duncan
Hi, I used a springform pan so that I didn’t have to flip the cake – made it very easy!
Karen Nelson
This came out quite perfectly. I am a pretty harsh critic of my own cooking, but I really couldn’t find anything to complain about with this recipe. Prep was quick and easy, cleanup was a snap, cake was perfect. Win. Win. Win.
Allison
That’s great to hear! Thanks for stopping by.
Linda
Could this be baked and frozen for a couple weeks until needed for a large activity?
Allison
I haven’t tried it, but I would assume so. I think the sliced almond topping will soften though.
Clare
I would like to make this for Passover…can I substitute almond flour for the regular flour also same amount ?
Thank you for your help!
Allison
Hi! Unfortunately that will not work. The structure from the all purpose flour is needed.
Linda
I will try this almond cake recipe