Home » Low-Carb Desserts » Almond Flour Cake
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This wonderfully light and fluffy almond flour cake is sweetened with honey and flavored with vanilla.
It's lovely with or without frosting, and when served without frosting, it's perfect for breakfast or as a snack cake.
Nut flour cakes can be dense and heavy, but just like my keto pound cake, this almond flour cake is light and fluffy.
Despite containing just half a cup of honey, this cake is delightfully sweet but not overly so. It's easy to mix in a single bowl—the prep time is just 15 minutes.
Jump to:
- Ingredients
- Variations
- Instructions
- Expert Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Serving Suggestions
- Storing Leftovers
- More Cake Recipes
- Foodie Newsletter
- Recipe Card
- Reviews
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: Real honey or a sugar-free substitute.
- Vanilla extract: It's best to use pure vanilla extract.
- 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: You can replace it with 2 teaspoons of baking powder (gluten-free if needed).
Variations
- The zest of a lemon or an orange significantly elevates this cake. Add about a tablespoon, and ensure you only grate the outer peel, not the bitter white layer.
- If you like cinnamon, add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter.
- Sometimes, I use flavor extracts other than vanilla, such as coconut, almond, or orange. If opting for those, use just 1 teaspoon, not a full tablespoon.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this almond flour cake:
In a large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Gradually whisk in the honey, vanilla, almond flour, salt, and baking soda.
Transfer the batter to a greased 8-inch nonstick cake pan using a spatula.
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 in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert it onto a cooling rack and cool it for 20 more minutes.
You can dust the cake with powdered sugar or a powdered sweetener. Slice and serve.
Expert Tips
- It's important to ensure the pan you use is nonstick. I replace my nonstick pans every 1-2 years. They're relatively inexpensive, and regularly replacing them saves me the heartache of dealing with ruined baked goods.
- The cake's crumb will be noticeably darker if you use real honey as opposed to sugar-free syrup.
- If you wish to frost the cake, you'll need to cool it completely before frosting it.
- The cake improves after being stored overnight. Its texture becomes moister.
Recipe FAQs
Is it difficult to bake with almond flour?
Not at all! I 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.
These almond flour biscuits are a great example, and so is this keto chocolate cake.
The image below shows you how moist and fluffy this cake is. It's truly delightful!
Can I use a granulated sweetener?
I tested this recipe with real honey and with sugar-free honey. I did not test it with a granulated sweetener.
If you'd like to use a granulated sweetener, you'll need to add liquid to the cake (such as whole milk, heavy cream, or canned coconut milk). I suggest starting with ⅓ cup and checking the batter.
Can I use coconut flour in this recipe?
No, unfortunately, you can't. Coconut flour and almond flour behave very differently and are not interchangeable.
Serving Suggestions
I don't usually frost this cake. I like simple, unfrosted cakes that can be served as breakfast or snack cakes. But if you'd like to top it, here are a few ideas for you:
- Cream cheese frosting.
- Chocolate whipped cream.
- Simply dust it with a powdered sweetener, as I do in the video.
- Whipped cream and berries - add those right before serving the cake.
- Blueberry compote or strawberry compote - add 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 five days. I briefly warm them in the microwave (10 seconds per slice) before enjoying them. You can also freeze slices of this cake for up to three months.
More Cake Recipes
- Keto Birthday Cake
- Keto Chocolate Mug Cake
- Keto Pound Cake
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Recipe Card
4.98 from 2589 votes
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Fluffy Almond Flour Cake
This wonderfully light and fluffyalmond flour cakeis sweetened with honey and flavored with vanilla.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time25 minutes mins
Rest time30 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 8 slices
Calories: 233kcal
Author: Vered DeLeeuw
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon butter for pan
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup honey real or sugar-free
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups almond flour blanched, finely ground (6 ounces)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda or 2 teaspoons of baking powder (gluten-free if needed)
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Generously grease an 8-inch nonstick cake pan with soft butter.
In a large bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Gradually whisk in the honey, vanilla, almond flour, kosher salt, and baking soda. Don't over-mix the batter. An 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 the 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.
If you wish, dust the cake with a powdered sweetener, then slice and serve.
Video
Notes
- This sugar-free honey worked well when I tried it. If using it, a slice has about 199 calories, 6 grams of carbs, and 3 grams of fiber.
- I use Bob's Red Mill Super-Fine Almond Flour. One cup of this flour weighs 4 oz, so 1.5 cups weigh 6 ounces. It's best to measure almond flour by weight rather than by volume.
- Occasionally, baking soda can cause a reaction in baked goods that results in an ammonia smell. If you're concerned about it happening, use 2 teaspoons of baking powder (gluten-free if needed) instead of baking soda.
- If you'd like to frost the cake, cool it completely before frosting.
- The cake's texture improves after being stored overnight.
- Keep unfrosted leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Briefly warm them in the microwave (10 seconds per slice) before enjoying them. You can also freeze slices of this cake for up to three months.
Nutrition per Serving
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 233kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 188mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 18g
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If you made this recipe, please leave a comment sharing your experience with others. Thank you so much!
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Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
About the Author
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. Click to learn more about Vered.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Treebee
I made this cake for friends who have many dietary restrictions. it was a huge success. It was moist and had a delicious, delicate flavour. I will definitely make this cake again. thanks for sharing this recipe.Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad this cake was a success! Many thanks for taking the time to write a review.
Reply
Carole Horger
Soon I will try your recipe again. I tried it and accidently used cornmeal instead of almond flour (poor labeling, poor lighting, poor eyesight, poor attention).
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Oh no, Carole! Well, now you have a funny story to tell. 🙂
I do hope you enjoy this cake.Reply
Shehnaz
My cake sank in the middle. I think it was due to the under-whisked eggs. But the recipe calls for light whisking the eggs and ingredients. And I even checked your video to be sure and it looked you had also not whipped up the eggs. Any idea what could’ve gone wrong? I still liked the taste - just perfect.Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Shehnaz,
Almond flour baked goods tend to sink slightly in the middle because they don't contain gluten, which gives them structure. However, any sinking should be minimal.When a gluten-free cake sinks significantly, it's usually due to over-whipping the eggs. This incorporates extra air into the batter, causing the cake to rise too much in the oven and sink as it cools. But you say you did not over-whip the eggs.
Another possibility is that your oven runs a bit too hot, causing the cake to cook more quickly on the outside and leaving the center slightly undercooked, causing it to sink as it cools. The solution would be to bake the cake at 325°F for around 30 minutes. Check the center of the cake with a toothpick to ensure it's completely dry.
Reply
Haan Rebu
This is an AMAZING cake recipe. Works like a charm!!! Was skeptical at first at the small list of ingredients but it turned out fluffy and light. The sweetness is subtle in a good way. I infused the baked cake with concentrated jasmine tea which made it more moist (not that it needed it).Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you liked this cake! Thank you for taking the time to write a detailed comment. I appreciate it.
Reply
Jane Lim
Hi, can you bake this as a loaf? If possible, how long would that take? Thanks.
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Jane,
I only tested this cake in an 8-inch round pan. You can try using a 9×5 inch loaf pan (truly nonstick and generously buttered). The cake will likely be fairly flat since the loaf pan holds 8 cups while the round one holds six cups. As for baking time, I would start checking for doneness after 18 minutes.Reply
Lina Abu-Baker
Thank you for this recipe! Just tried it the other day and it was so delicious. I am curious, if I want to use it for other desserts as a base but use regular white flour, would I still use the same measurements?Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Lina,
I'm glad you enjoyed this cake!
I only tested it with almond flour, so I'm not sure about substituting it with white. Some guidelines say it's a 1:1 swap, while others maintain you need half the white flour.Reply
Diane
I assume this could be baked into cupcakes easily by shortening the baking time?
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Diane,
Yes. It's best to use well-greased foil liners to prevent sticking. Bake for 15-17 minutes and check with a toothpick.
You can also check out this recipe for almond flour muffins.Reply
Tammy
Is 1 *tablespoon* of vanilla correct? It seems like a lot for one cake.
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Tammy,
Yes, that's one tablespoon of pure vanilla extract. Use a high-quality one such as this. However, it's fine to use less. Try 2 teaspoons if you're concerned about it being too much.
Lana
Could you add amount of yogurt to the recipe please? Thanks.
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Lana,
This cake does not contain yogurt.Reply
Robin
Very delicious and moist! I used maple syrup in lieu of honey just because I adore the taste. Will make this again. Thank you for the recipe!Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
You're very welcome, Robin! I'm so glad you enjoyed this cake.
Reply
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