This Almond Flour Cake is ultra soft, light, fluffy, tender with a moist crumb. It is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, flourless, and made with no butter or oil! Enjoy it with a dollop of whipped cream for a light dessert or with coffee!
If you love almond flour cakes, then be sure to check out the almond flour lemon cake, which is a lemon version and the almond flour chocolate cake.
Why You'll Love This Almond Flour Cake?
Don’t let the simplicity fool you—this almond flour sponge cake is made with just 5 ingredients! There’s no separating eggs or creaming butter, yet it bakes up moist, tender, and light with a pillowy-soft crumb. Plus, each slice has around 8 grams of protein, making it a delicious, healthy almond flour dessert.
It’s naturally elegant with a golden top and sliced almonds, and it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, flourless, and low-carb. Serve it with fresh berries, a dusting of powdered sugar, or a dollop of whipped cream.
Looking for more delicious ways to use almond flour? Be sure to check out my other almond flour recipes!
-maria doss
★★★★★
"I really loved this cake and so did my kids. Almond cakes have usually been dry for me but the texture of this one was amazing. This will be my new go to for cakes from now on. Added keto fluff on top as frosting"
-ANNELIES
Jump to:
Almond flour cakes can sometimes turn out dense because almond flour doesn’t contain gluten, which normally helps provide structure to baked goods. In this recipe, I beat the whole eggs and brown sugar until the mixture is pale, thick, and noticeably increased in volume. This incorporates plenty of air into the batter, which is one of the secrets to giving the cake its light, fluffy, sponge-like texture.
Ingredients you'll need
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Almond Flour – For the best texture and flavor, always use blanched almond flour, which is finely ground from almonds with the skins removed. This creates a softer, lighter crumb ideal for cakes. Avoid almond meal (which contains the skins and is coarser), as it can make the cake dense and gritty.
- Eggs – This recipe uses 4 whole eggs, which play multiple important roles. The whites help create an airy, light texture, while the yolks add richness and moisture. Together, they provide structure, bind the ingredients, and help the cake rise without needing traditional flour. And they bump up the protein! I don’t recommend using an egg substitute in this recipe.
- Brown Sugar – Use light brown or golden brown sugar. Dark brown sugar can overpower the delicate ground almond taste with stronger molasses notes, so stick with lighter varieties for balance.
- Baking Powder – It helps the cake rise and gives it a lighter texture.
Tips for Success
- Cool before removing from pan - Make sure to cool the cake completely before removing from the pan or else you risk the cake falling apart.
- Whip eggs for 4 minutes - Beat the eggs for at least 4 minutes which provides the necessary aeration and guarantees a light cake.
- Line with parchment paper - Lining the pan with parchment paper guarantees seamless removal from the pan, especially for a gluten-free cake recipe.
- Use room temperature eggs - Make sure to leave your eggs at room temperature for several hours before baking.
- Pan size - Use an 8-inch round cake pan! I don’t recommend using a 9-Inch pan for this cake, as it will turn out too short—this isn’t a tall cake to begin with. For the best results, stick with the recommended 8-inch round pan.
You can also turn this recipe into muffins or cupcakes using a standard muffin tin. If making cupcakes, start checking for doneness around the 20-minute mark.
More Almond Flour Cake Recipes
Want To Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below, and we’ll send the link straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get more creative recipe ideas every Sunday!
Almond Flour Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs (at room temperature)
- ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 cups almond flour (super fine)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds (optional for topping)
Instructions
- 👉 It’s important to use room-temperature eggs for this recipe. For best results, take the eggs out of the refrigerator at least 2 hours before baking, or preferably the night before.
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch round baking pan with parchment paper and grease the bottom and sides with cooking spray and set aside.
- Beat eggs. Place the eggs and ½ cup packed brown sugar in a large bowl and beat with a handheld electric mixer on high for about 4 minutes, until pale, thick, and noticeably increased in volume.👉 Don’t skip this step! Beating the eggs incorporates air into the batter, which helps give the cake its light, fluffy texture.
- Finish batter. Add 2 cups almond flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Beat for another minute, starting on low speed and gradually increasing to high. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, then gently stir a couple of times to make sure everything is well combined.
- Bake. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top, if using. Bake for 26–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool completely.
- Serving. To serve, lightly dust the top with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Enjoy it on its own or with a dollop of whipped cream.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
How to make almond flour cake?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
1 & 2: Add 4 eggs and brown sugar into a large bowl and begin beating with an electric beater for about 4 minutes. The egg mixture will have increased in volume and look pale in color.
3 & 4: Add almond flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla extract. Continue beating, beginning on low speed and gradually increasing to high.
5 & 6: The batter will have have thickened after about 1 minute. Remove beater and gently stir using a rubber spatula to mix any dry mixture attached to the sides of the bowl.
7: Grease a 8-inch round baking pan with cooking spray or melted butter and line the bottom with parchment paper. Transfer batter into the prepared baking pan and gently smooth the top so the batter is spread evenly.
8: We like to sprinkle the top with some sliced almonds which not only adds texture but also makes it visually appealing. Bake in a pre heated 350 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes or a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes clean.
Almond Flour Cake FAQ'S
No, you can’t swap the almond flour for another flour in this recipe (or most recipes, for that matter). Almond flour is made from ground-blanched almonds, which are naturally high in healthy fats and low in carbohydrates. Coconut flour is made from dried coconut meat and is very absorbent. The whole recipe would need to be altered to accommodate a different flour. Coconut flour has a tendency to be drier and requires more liquid, therefore will not work in this almond flour cake recipe which does have any liquid.
This almond flour cake gets its light and airy texture from whipped eggs, so using room-temperature eggs is important. Room-temperature eggs whip up to a greater volume than cold eggs because, as they warm, their proteins become more flexible and can trap and hold more air when beaten. That extra air is one of the keys to creating a light, fluffy cake with a soft, sponge-like texture.
Yes! This cake works beautifully as a simple one-layer cake topped with whipped cream. You can also use the cinnamon whipped cream from my mini pumpkin cheesecake recipe or a cream cheese frosting like the one from pumpkin loaf cake.
Since this cake contains no butter, it won’t firm up when chilled, so it can still be enjoyed straight from the refrigerator. For a larger layer cake, double the recipe and bake it in two 8-inch pans, then add your favorite frosting. I recommend choosing a light, airy frosting that complements the soft, delicate texture without weighing it down.
Almond flour gives cakes a moist, tender texture along with a rich, subtly sweet, nutty flavor. Since it contains no wheat proteins, it also prevents gluten from developing, resulting in a softer, more delicate, melt-in-your-mouth crumb.
Almonds are naturally high in fats, which help the cake retain moisture and stay soft rather than drying out quickly. And, of course, almond flour adds its own delicious flavor that pairs especially well with vanilla, chocolate, citrus, and berries.
To get the best volume when whipping eggs for the sponge cake recipe, there are a few simple (but important!) steps to follow:
Use room-temperature eggs. Cold eggs just don’t whip up as well. Let them sit out for about an hour before you start—this makes a big difference!
Check your beater position. Make sure your beaters are at least halfway, ideally two-thirds, submerged in the eggs while mixing. If you're using a big bowl and the beaters are barely touching the eggs, you won’t get much volume. In that case, try tilting the bowl slightly so the beaters are more immersed.
Don’t rush the mixing. Beat the eggs for at least 4 minutes—underbeating won’t give you the light, airy texture you want.
Use them right away. Once whipped, use the eggs immediately. They’ll start to deflate if they sit too long.
Little tweaks like these go a long way in giving your almond cake with almond flour that perfect lift!
Store leftovers in an air tight container at room temperature, for up to 1 week. You can store the cake in the refrigerator if you’d like to keep longer but make sure to leave at room temperature for a couple of hours before serving. To freeze, wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, and store it in a freezer-safe zipper bag for up to 2 months.
Serving suggestions
Lightly dust with confectioners' sugar and enjoy with a cup of coffee or as a quick snack. For a simple yet elegant dessert, top with a dollop of whipped cream and a handful of fresh berries.
To make a layer cake, double the recipe and bake in two cake pans and make a two layer cake.
🍁 Baking with Almond Flour? Here’s What to Make Next!
Looking for more almond flour baking recipes? Here are some delicious ideas for every craving:
- Try my Pumpkin Almond Croissants — a cozy fall twist on the classic almond croissant, perfect with your morning coffee or afternoon tea.
- Craving something savory? My almond flour biscuits with cheddar cheese are buttery, fluffy, and sure to be a hit at your Thanksgiving table — especially with gluten-free guests!
- In the mood for cookies? Don’t miss my almond flour shortbread cookies, almond flour black sesame cookies, or the vibrant almond flour lemon cookies.
- 🍫 Love chocolate chip cookies? Bake a batch of almond flour peanut butter cookies or my quick chocolate chip cookie for one.
- 🍎 For healthy fall baking, try my gluten free apple crumble — cozy, comforting, and made without refined sugar.
- 🍪 No-bake treat alert: My healthy cookie dough using almond flour is perfect for when you don’t want to turn on the oven.
- 🍫 And don’t skip dessert — these fudgy almond flour brownies are the ultimate flourless brownie recipe you’ll come back to again and again.
More almond flour dessert recipes
MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💚 Please leave a ⭐️STAR rating and COMMENT below- I love to hear your feedback! Tag me with your creations on Instagram and find me on Facebook.
Hi, I’m Maria! I share easy, flavor-packed dinners, high-protein meals, and irresistible baking ideas. If you’ve ever asked, “Don’t know what to cook tonight?” you’re in the right place. And yes—there’s plenty here for breakfast, snacks, and dessert too. More about maria ->
Neela F
Tried this recipe tonight on a whim since I had all of the ingredients and I’ve been wanting to experiment with almond flour since I have never used it before. It came out so delicious!!! The cake texture is so good it reminds me of these guava cake bars at my local grocery story. I’m going to try it again but with a fruit/homemade jam filling in between a layer. I can already tell this one is a keeper my husband loved it too!!!
Maria Doss
Hi Neela, Glad you loved it, Maria
Chris Champagne
Delicious and lightly sweet, as stated. Will enjoy this again in the future. Thank you!
Maria Doss
Happy to hear, have a wonderful day - Maria
Suchi
Hi , can we replace apple puree or banana puree instead of brown sugar
Maria Doss
Hi Suchi, Hmm... I think those might add way too much moisture, affect the flavor drastically and also make the cake more pudding like. Hope it helps - Maria
Joseph
Just made a test cake as a stand alone before I use the other batch of batter for my upside down cake. I substituted cinnamon honey for the vanilla to compliment the almond and used a rectangular loaf pan. Still cooked through in 1/2 an hour and just tasted it, nice and moist. It got me wondering if the batter could be used for pancakes, waffles, or muffins.
Maria Doss
Hi Joseph, Happy to hear, Maria
Margo Gribble
Followed instructions but the cake was a little dry husband likes moist cake. What can be used to moisten it.
Maria Doss
Hi Margo, We are so sorry that the cake turned out dry for you. Our guess is that the measurement of almond flour was a little more than needed or the eggs might have been medium sized and not large as the recipe called for. However, to salvage this cake we will recommend a few options that you can try:
1. Brush a warm simple syrup on top and let it soak for about 1/2 hour.
2. Top with softly whipped cream and store in the fridge for about 1/2 a day. The cream tends to moisten the cake a touch.
3. Brush diluted jam or jelly on top.
4. Make into a tres leches cake - Place cake in the baked pan, pour a mix of sweetened condensed milk, almond milk/ whole milk and vanilla over the cake and let it rest in the fridge allowing the cake to soak up the milk for a few hours.
5. Stir sliced strawberries and sugar, leave aside for about 30 minutes for it to get syrupy. Spoon the mixture along with juices on top of the cake and let it absorb for a few minutes.
Hope you find one of the above tip helpful - Maria
Samia
Can I use swerve brown sugar ? For my low carb/no sugar diet ?
Maria Doss
Hi Samia, I'm sorry that we are not familiar with that type of brown sugar and not sure if the cake will work with that. So sorry that we are not able to assist you at this time - Maria
Annelies
I really loved this cake and so did my kids. Will add lemon zest and almond slices next time. Almond cakes have usually been dry for me but the texture of this one was amazing. This will be my new go to for cakes from now on. Added keto fluff on top as frosting.
Maria Doss
Happy to hear hun - Maria❤️
Abhigna
Lovely cake.
The best I've eaten without guilt!
I have one question though, can I substitute the sugar with white sugar if I don't have the brown one?
Maria Doss
Hi Abhigna, Few differences when using white sugar instead of brown -
1. The texture will not be quite as soft, since brown sugar adds additional moisture.
2. The taste will be more like a plain sponge cake.
3. You might be to adjust the quantity of white sugar because the sweetness differs from brown sugar.
Hope it helps, Maria
Chrissy
Wondering if I made it in a 1/2 size bundt pan if it would be too short? The pan is a 6cup pan instead of the normal 12 cup size....thought?
Maria Doss
Hi Chrissy, You could but the only difficulty might be getting it out without breaking. This cake super tender for a bundt pan, since it is made using almond flour. However, make sure to liberally grease the bundt pan and also let the cake cool completely before attempting to remove. Hope it helps - Maria
Jeannette Browne
Hi Maria,
Could coconut sugar be substituted for the brown sugar? Thank you.
Maria Doss
Hi Jeannette, Coconut sugar is much drier than brown sugar and will potentially not result in a soft cake. Hope it helps - Maria ♡
Jane
I used almond meal and it was great.
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear! So glad you love it – Maria ♡
Amira
I think I got a new addiction! this recipe wins ! I just tried it and it is perfect. Thank you so much .
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear! So glad you love it – Maria ♡
Marsha
This cake is delicious and I’d like to point out it has more than 5 ingredients. Why do people find it necessary to misstate this? I made as written and it is decadent. The only substitution I made was almond extract for the vanilla. Thanks for sharing this 6 ingredient cake.
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear, glad you loved it and appreciate the honest feedback - Maria
K C
Hey!! I have done this cake many times and every time it turned out wonderful!!
Now I wanted to ask you if I can add cocoa powder to this receipe?? Will it be good??
Maria Doss
Love to hear that! I think it could work! I’d suggest a few tweaks: replace some of the almond flour with cocoa powder, and swap about half of the brown sugar for white sugar. You may also want to increase the sugar slightly to balance the added cocoa. If you try it, let us know how it turns out! I’m actually thinking of testing it myself—if I do, I’ll keep you posted too - Maria