A light and fluffy almond flour cake that proves once and for all that nut-based baked goods need not be heavy or dry.
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 1/2 cup of honey, this almond flour cake is delightfully sweet – but not overly so. So it’s perfectly acceptable (I think) to occasionally have it for breakfast.
The ingredients you’ll need
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty gluten-free 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: You might be able to replace this with a granulated sweetener, but then you will likely need to add a liquid such as perhaps coconut milk. I haven’t tested this option, so I don’t know if it would work.
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.
Kosher salt: If using fine salt, use half the amount listed.
Baking soda: If you’d like to try using baking powder (though I haven’t tested it in this recipe), remember that 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda is equivalent to 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
How to make almond flour cake
It’s easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
1. In a large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. One by one, gradually whisk in the honey, vanilla, almond flour, kosher salt and baking soda.
2. Use a spatula to transfer the batter into the prepared pie plate.
3. Bake the cake in an oven preheated to 325°F until a toothpick inserted in its center comes out clean. In my oven, this takes about 30 minutes.
4. Cool for 30 minutes before slicing and serving. If you wish to frost the cake, you’ll need to cool it completely before frosting it.
Is it difficult to bake with almond flour?
Not at all! I really enjoy baking with it. 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 almond flour cake is a prime example. These almond flour biscuits are another great example.
What about 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.
Ideas for topping almond flour cake
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 to make it prettier
- Whipped cream and berries – use right before serving
- Blueberry compote or strawberry compote – use these right before serving or the cake could become soggy
- The chocolate frosting I use in this chocolate cake
Reviews of this recipe
Pinterest reviewers seem to like this cake very much. Here are a few of their comments:
- This almond flour cake turned out great! Hard to believe it’s just almond flour. Very light and fluffy and I ate half of it already 😂
- So good! Moist and just the right sweetness. I added cinnamon because we are big fans of cinnamon in this house. It would also be good with a coconut whipped cream!
- Moist and delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe-you nailed It! A great tea cake. A great breakfast cake with fresh berries! Not at all too sweet. Just perfect.
More cake recipes that you might enjoy
This chocolate cake is wonderful. It is tender, moist and chocolatey. And this keto pumpkin cake is one of my favorite autumn breakfasts!
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Almond Flour Cake
INGREDIENTS
- ½ tablespoon butter for pan
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup honey
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups blanched finely ground almond flour (6 oz)
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (or 1/4 teaspoon fine salt)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease a 9-inch glass pie plate with 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.
- Use a spatula to transfer the batter into the prepared pie plate.
- Bake until puffy, browned and set, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
- Cool the cake, in the pan on a cooling rack, to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then slice and serve.
- If you'd like to frost the cake, you should cool it completely before frosting.
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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, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.