This wonderfully light and fluffy almond flour cake is sweetened with honey and flavored with vanilla.
It's wonderful with or without frosting, and when served without frosting, it's perfect for breakfast or as a snack cake.
Nut flour cakes are often dense and heavy, but this one is light and fluffy. It's delicious, and why wouldn't it be, with all that nutty goodness and honey sweetness! 🍰
Despite containing just a ½ cup of honey, this cake is delightfully sweet - but not overly so. So it's perfectly acceptable (I think...) to occasionally have it for breakfast.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this almond flour cake. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Butter: For greasing the pan.
Eggs: I use large eggs in most of my recipes, this one included.
Honey: Either the real thing or a sugar-free substitute (suggested product link included in the recipe card below). The cake's crumb will be noticeably darker if you use real honey.
Vanilla extract: Try to use the real thing - pure vanilla extract - and not the artificially flavored stuff.
Almond flour: I use blanched finely ground almond flour. I don't recommend using a coarse almond meal in this recipe.
Salt: Just a little to enhance the other flavors.
Baking soda: If you'd like to try using gluten-free baking powder (though I haven't tested it in this recipe), remember that ¼ teaspoon of baking soda is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
Instructions
Making this almond flour cake is easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
In a large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. One by one, gradually whisk in the honey, vanilla, almond flour, salt, and baking soda.
Use a spatula to transfer the batter into a greased 8-inch nonstick cake pan.
Bake the cake in an oven preheated to 350°F until a toothpick inserted in its center comes out clean, 22-25 minutes.
Cool the cake for 10 minutes in the pan, then invert it onto a cooling rack and cool it for 20 more minutes before slicing and serving. If you wish to frost the cake, you'll need to cool it completely before frosting it.
Expert tip
It's important to make sure that the pan you use is truly nonstick. I replace my nonstick pans every 1-2 years. They're fairly inexpensive, and regularly replacing them saves me the heartache of dealing with ruined baked goods.
Frequently asked questions
Not at all! I really enjoy working with this flour. It is very easy to bake with, and the baked goods it produces are flavorful, with a nice tender crumb.
I used to imagine gluten-free baked goods as something dry that you had to choke down. But when you get the ratios right, this is not the case at all. And this wonderful cake is a prime example. These almond flour biscuits are another great example.
If you'd like to use a granulated sweetener, you'll probably need to add liquid to the cake (milk, coconut milk, or even just water). I haven't tried it so I'm not sure how much. I suggest starting with ⅓ cup and checking the batter.
No, unfortunately, you can't. Coconut flour and almond flour behave very differently and are not interchangeable.
Variations
In addition to topping and/or frosting this cake, as suggested below, you can also add various ingredients to the batter to make interesting variations:
- The zest of a lemon or an orange will really elevate this cake. Add about a tablespoon, and make sure you only grate the outer peel, not the bitter white layer.
- If you like cinnamon, try adding a teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter.
- Use flavor extracts other than vanilla - you can try coconut extract, almond extract, or orange extract. If opting for those, use just 1 teaspoon, not a full tablespoon.
Serving suggestions
I like simple unfrosted cakes that can be served as a breakfast cake or a snack cake. But if you'd like to top this cake, here are a few ideas for you:
- Cream cheese frosting.
- Chocolate whipped cream.
- Simply dust it with a powdered sweetener as I do here.
- Whipped cream and berries - use right before serving.
- Blueberry compote or strawberry compote - use right before serving to prevent the cake from becoming soggy.
- The chocolate frosting I use in this chocolate cake is excellent.
Storing leftovers
I keep unfrosted leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I warm them very briefly in the microwave (10 seconds per slice) before enjoying them. You can also freeze slices of this cake for up to three months.
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Recipe card
Fluffy Almond Flour Cake
INGREDIENTS
- ½ tablespoon butter for pan
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup honey real or sugar-free*
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups blanched finely ground almond flour (6 oz)**
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease an 8-inch nonstick cake pan with soft butter.
- In a large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. One by one, gradually whisk in the honey, vanilla, almond flour, kosher salt, and baking soda. Don't over mix the batter - overworked batter can cause the middle of the cake to collapse as it cools.
- Use a spatula to transfer the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake until fragrant and set and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 22-25 minutes.
- Cool the cake, in the pan on a cooling rack, for 10 minutes. Then invert it onto the cooling rack and cool for 20 more minutes before slicing and serving.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 