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This Almond Flour Cake is light and fluffy and made with simple ingredients. No one can tell it’s gluten-free just by tasting it!
This grain-free recipe comes together in one bowl and makes an easy holiday dessert. There’s no need to separate egg yolks from egg whites or use an electric mixer, so it can be on its way to the oven in just a matter of minutes.
Top it with fresh blueberries, raspberries, and a dusting of powdered sugar for a refreshing holiday dessert. Or, it can be used as a layer cake with your favorite frosting!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Blanched almond flour is naturally gluten-free and will give this cake a light and fluffy texture. Almond meal is made with whole ground almonds (including the skins) and will create a slightly more dense cake, so keep that in mind when making substitutions.
Since almond flour is already a source of healthy fats, there’s no need to add butter or coconut oil to this recipe. It’s naturally dairy-free!
The arrowroot starch helps provide a better texture as if you were using all-purpose flour. If you don’t keep it on hand, cornstarch or tapioca starch will work similarly.
How to Make Almond Flour Cake
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prepare a round 8-inch pan or two 6-inch cake pans by spraying them with oil, then press a piece of parchment paper into the bottom. This will ensure the cake will be released easily later.
This recipe will mix best when you use ingredients that are not cold from the fridge, including your eggs and maple syrup. Let them come to room temperature, if possible before mixing the batter.
In a large bowl, add the almond flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together until no clumps remain.
Then add in the eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Stir again, until the cake batter looks smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s). Bake until the top is golden and the center of the cake is firm to the touch.
Let the cake cool completely in the pan, then run a knife around the edge of the pan to help release the cake. Place a large serving plate over the pan, then flip it over so the cake will fall onto the plate for serving.
Top with coconut whipped cream with sliced strawberries, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar, and then this cake is ready to serve.
Leftovers can be stored tightly covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or you can freeze it for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
For a birthday cake, bake this recipe in two small 6-inch pans and frost with Vegan Ganache, Healthy Chocolate Frosting, or Chocolate Sweet Potato Frosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this recipe will make 12 cupcakes. Line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners, then use a scant 1/4 cup measure to fill the slots. Bake for 25 minutes at 350ºF, or until the tops look lightly golden. Let them cool on a wire rack before serving. This recipe is also a great base for muffins if you’d like to fold in chocolate chips or fresh berries.
Yes, check out my Almond Flour Chocolate Cake or Chocolate Almond Flour cupcakes for a tested variation.
Surprisingly, this cake turned out mushier for me when experimenting with coconut sugar. I don’t recommend swapping the sweetener without expecting a different texture.
You can add some lemon zest or orange zest to this almond cake recipe for a tangy citrus flavor. In this case, omit the almond extract so the flavors won’t compete.
No, maple syrup is not sugar-free, but you can experiment with using a sugar-free liquid sweetener if you’d like to.
Looking for more almond flour recipes? Try Almond Flour Pancakes, Almond Flour Cookies, and Almond Flour Brownies.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups blanched almond flour
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch
- ½ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease an 8-inch pan or two 6-inch pans. I like to add a square of parchment paper to the bottom of the pan, to ensure that my cake will come out later.
- In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, and salt. Whisk well to break up any clumps. Then add eggs, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Stir again until the batter looks smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s) and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake at 350ºF until the top is golden and the center of the cake is firm to the touch, about 30 minutes. (Check smaller 6-inch pans after 25 minutes.)
- Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes. Then run a knife around the edge of the pan and set a serving plate on top. Flip the pan and plate over together, so the cake will safely drop onto the plate. Let it cool completely before frosting, or top it with fresh fruit and powdered sugar.
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If you try this almond flour cake recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
I just made these. They’re fantastic! My mom liked them too so you know they’re a winner since she’s pretty hard to please with healthier food.
This is one of my favourite recipes! I add a different fruit every time and a bit more almond flour so it’s not too wet. It’s always a hit!
My mom wasn’t eating after my father passed away. This was the one recipe that made her perk up and eat more. Thank you so much for posting these healthy and delicious recipes! You are a gem!
This cake really was perfect!! Perfect texture and so delicious. I made it with your chocolate ganache and it was absolutely delicious. I also added some almond extract to the batter for extra almond flavor
I used this recipe as the cake for a pineapple upside down cake and it turned out great!
Favorite for birthdays! I’ve made mini cakes and cupcakes for my kids birthdays.
I made this recipe for my daughter’s birthday. It was so easy and delicious. The texture was amazing! Thank you for creating this recipe!
Can I substitute coconut oil for avocado oil?
Have tried various almond flour/sugar substitute recipes as I want a more healthy, gluten free version. THIS IS THE BEST RECIPE.
I made muffins and they were delicious! To me, was very similar to friands. Moist and tasty – not too sweet. Even husband who normally doesn’t like my “healthy” cakes, couldn’t stop eating them. I also added almond extract and a teaspoon of Amaretto liqueur to bring out the almond flavour and smell. Didn’t need any topping, but adding a frosting etc would make these spectacular for special event.
Eh, the flavor’s not bad but a single 9″ layer came out about as thick as a doormat, very thin. Double this recipe to get a decent 9″ layer