This Almond Flour Cake is light and fluffy, made with easy ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. It’s perfect for a birthday celebration, and no one will be able to tell that it’s gluten-free!
Why Almond Flour is Good for Baking Cakes
I love working with almond flour because it’s made with just one ingredient– ground almonds. It’s higher in protein than traditional white flour, and it’s also higher in fat, which means you’ll need less oil in this recipe than you might expect.
Almond flour gives this cake a subtle nutty flavor, and it’s amazingly light and fluffy for having such a simple ingredient list. I think it tastes more like a traditional birthday cake, when compared to my other Healthy Birthday Cake recipe. (Which is 100% fruit-sweetened!)
Can you Substitute All-Purpose Flour for Almond Flour?
Almond flour is heavier than white flour, so it requires more leavening agents (like baking powder or baking soda). It also needs less oil and eggs than a recipe calling for a wheat-based flour.
If there’s another type of flour that you have on hand, I suggest you search for a cake recipe that calls for the type of flour you have, so that you don’t have to handle the guess-work yourself. An almond flour cake will be much different than a coconut flour cake!
It took me over 15 attempts to get the ratios for this almond flour cake recipe just right, so I mention this so you won’t waste your ingredients by making substitutions.
If you don’t have almond flour on hand, I have a Coconut Flour Cupcakes recipe, as well as a Coconut Flour Carrot Cake recipe here on my website, if you would rather use coconut flour.
How to Make the Perfect Almond Flour Cake
This recipe requires just 1 bowl and about 10 minutes of time to stir together the batter. There’s no need to whip egg whites or do anything fancy!
My only tip when making this recipe is to stir in the coconut oil last, so that the eggs and maple syrup can lose some of their chill if they are cold from the fridge.
Coconut oil can thicken the batter, or clump up, when it touches cold ingredients, so adding the coconut oil in at the end usually makes the batter smoother.
Don’t be surprised if it thickens up slightly after sitting in the bowl. It will still bake just fine!
This amount of batter fills one 9-inch pan or two 6-inch pans. I chose the smaller pans for these photos, so I could make a pretty two-layer cake. (It’s topped with my Vegan Frosting which is made without powdered sugar!)
How to Make Almond Flour Cupcakes
If you would prefer to bake this recipe as cupcakes, this recipe will make 12 cupcakes. Line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners, then divide the batter evenly among them. (I usually use a scant 1/4 cup measure.)
These cupcakes should bake in about 25 minutes at 350ºF, or until the edges are lightly golden and the center feels firm to a light touch.
For a chocolate cupcake, be sure to try my Chocolate Almond Flour Cupcakes recipe. (You can also use that recipe to bake a cake, if you want to bake it using the timing in the cake recipe below.)
Almond Flour Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups blanched almond flour (181 grams)
- 4 large eggs (193 grams)
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch (6 grams)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup (150 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder (8 grams)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (8 grams)
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil (22 grams)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and grease a 9-inch pan, or 2 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, eggs, arrowroot starch, maple syrup, baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Stir well until the batter is smooth and no lumps remain, then add in the coconut oil and stir again until very 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 to 35 minutes.
- Let the pan cool in the pan for 15 minutes. then run a knife around the edge of the pan and flip it over on to a plate to release the cake. Let it cool completely before frosting and serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is for 1 of 12 slices without frosting. This information is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee. For more accurate results, use the labels on your ingredients at home.
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment below letting me know what you think! If you make any modifications, I’d love to hear about those, too. We can all benefit from your experience.
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Reader Feedback: What’s your favorite cake flavor? Try my Chocolate Almond Flour cupcakes or my Coconut Flour Carrot Cake if you want to change things up!
Do you think this cake could be baked in a 9 inch square pan instead of a 9 inch round pan? And on behalf of compulsive bakers everywhere, thank you so much for giving the ingredient weights in grams!
Yes, I think a square pan should work just as well! Hope you love it!
Which frosting recipe did you use for the almond flour cake?
This is the frosting recipe: https://detoxinista.com/vegan-frosting/
Will the amount of frosting specified in the ‘Vegan Frosting’ recipe be sufficient for this 6 inch two layered cake?
I usually make an extra half-batch of the frosting to make sure I have enough to frost it generously… but I always have some leftover, so I’m not sure that’s 100% necessary. My kids like to lick the extra frosting off the spatula, so it all works out. 🙂
Wow, wow, amazing cake, I was thinking too simple to be true, but I went ahead and made it. Best Paleo, gluten free, AIP receipe I have tried, truly enjoyed a baked product after 3 years, thanks for sharing it.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and THANK YOU for letting me know!
Can we use a sugar free substitute for the maple syrup?
I haven’t tested that, but I don’t see why not! Please report back if you try it.
I did your almond cake it was delicious my family loved it. Thank you! Julia
Must you use coconut oil? Husband doesn’t like anything coconut.
You could use melted butter instead.
I love the looks of this recipe but I was wondering if I could use melted butter instead of coconut oil? Forgive me if you may have answered that already im new to your recipes :). Thank you!
Yes, butter should work just fine as a substitute!
Can I substitute the eggs with applesauce?
No, I don’t think so in this case. Maybe Bob’s Egg Replacer mix could work? In my experience, sometimes you have to use a little extra of that and they won’t be quite as fluffy.
what does the arrowroot provide if using regular almond flourand can you use another healthy sugar instead of maple syrup?
I only tested this recipe with maple syrup and coconut sugar, and the granulated sugar made the cake more “crunchy” on the outside instead of soft and fluffy. The arrowroot gives just enough structure that the cake doesn’t start to sink from the weight of the almond flour on its own, but you can leave it out if you don’t mind a dip in the middle of the cake.
Would the cake recipe be considered compliant with food combining?
I would consider it to be in the “special treat” category.
Hi! I’m so excited to make this cake for my boyfriends birthday! I plan on making the cake with the vegan frosting. But how is the cake with storing ? can i keep it in the fridge for two days and count on it still being fresh?
I think the cake should probably stay pretty good in the fridge as long as you store it in an airtight container!
So, no flax egg?
I don’t think it would work for this particular recipe. Flax eggs work better in recipes that have gluten, or something more dense like a cookie.
Can this cake be made vegan with chia eggs?
My guess is that wouldn’t work. A powdered egg replacer might, like Bob’s Red Mill Egg replacer, but I haven’t tried that yet. Let me know if you experiment with it!
Thank you so much for this. I have been wanting a denser cake to have with fresh strawberries and whipped coconut cream. Thank you for all you do. Can’t wait ‼️‼️
I made this tonight for my daughter’s second birthday and wow what a hit! My husband said it was my best yet. I used coconut whip cream and strawberries to decorate. Last year I made your date sweetened flourless cake and this is a little lighter and proffered by my picky toddler son. Thank you!
Yay, I’m so glad it was a hit! Thank you for coming back to tell me!
I love at 9200 ft, what adjustments for altitude would you suggest?
I’m not an expert at high altitude baking, but maybe the suggestions in this article might help? https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
I’m from Colorado and this recipe was just fine at my altitude.
Hi there!Could I try making half recipe of this cake ?
Sure, if you want to bake it in a 6-inch pan or as cupcakes, you can bake just half of the recipe.
Hi definitely will try this recipe but can I use egg substitute instead of egg ?
Just made this recipe for first time!…Beautifully light and flavorful cake..mase 3 and froze them!
Oh my heavens! I loved it!
I am gluten- and dairy-free but my family is not. I make myself “healthy” desserts from your website all the time. This may be my favorite. I had to fight my son and husband off – and they are not usually big fans of my alternative desserts. We skipped the frosting and had it as a before bedtime snack. Everyone agrees it is a keeper recipe!
P.S. – I accidentally forgot the arrowroot powder but the cake turned out super.
Hi Megan!
Just wanted to let you know this cake is amazing, thank you! Made it for my friend who is gluten and dairy free and she loved it! I made an arrowroot/cornstarch sub (use 1 tbsp cornstarch for every 2 tsp arrowroot), so used 1.5 tbsp cornstarch.
I was looking on comments for arrowroot substitite..i do have cornsatch on hand..thank you for this.
Just made these tonight, as cupcakes. For some reason, I only had enough batter for six cupcakes! I was worried that they would be too sweet, but they are nicely balanced. I did not make the icing, but next time I would definitely feel confident making these for a birthday party.
Hi, thank you for your wonderful recipe, can I use Orgran No Egg Egg replacer instead of the eggs? And can I use a different sweetener like coconut sugar for the frosting?
Hi! Can you use chia or flax eggs instead of real eggs
I don’t think flax or chia eggs would help the cake rise and get fluffy in this case. I’m hoping to try it with a powdered egg substitute soon, so I’ll report back. And let me know if you experiment with it!
This looks yummy. I would like to try it, any suggestion for arrowroot startch replacement?
Corn starch or tapioca starch would be the easiest swap. You can also leave it out if you don’t mind a little dip in the center of the cake.
I made this cake for my birthday and it came out so moist and delicious! Thank you for this delicious recipe.
can I use condensed milk instead of maple syrup?
I made cupcakes with the vegan frosting for my daughter’s 2nd bday and they were incredible!!! So easy and yummy. I’m going to try the cake next time. Thank you Megan for all the amazing recipes.
Do you think you could add cocoa to this and make a chocolate cake?
I would use my chocolate almond flour cupcake recipe and bake it in a cake pan instead. That way the chocolate ratio is already figured out for you!
This is DA BEST keto/paleo-friendly gluten-free, dairy-free dessert I’ve ever had!
Thank you so much for working out the perfect amounts.
I made cupcakes and I’m having a hard time not eating them all right away.
I’m so glad you love it! Thanks for coming back to let me know.
Does this cake freeze well and how long will it stay good in the freezer?
Yes, I think it should freeze well as long as you can keep it in an airtight container. I usually don’t recommend freezing things for longer than 3 months, but I know our wedding cake froze pretty well for a whole year, so you never know!
I can’t have eggs. Would Flax seed eggs work as a substitute?
I haven’t tested that in this recipe, but the eggs are pretty crucial to this recipe so I’m afraid it wouldn’t rise and be fluffy without them. I’ve found that flax eggs tend to work best in recipes that call for only 1 egg, so I’m working on a vegan alternative for a chocolate cake and will post it when it’s perfect!
Hello.
I made the cake. The batter came out more like a dense dough. I follow the recipe to the T. What do you think went wrong. I sitll bake it and it tates very good. But is very dense.
This recipe was so easy to make and came out delicious. I did not want any frosting so dusted it with powdered sugar.
Thank You
Could I use date paste instead of maple syrup? If so, should I double it to 1 cup of date paste?
Hello, I’m baking it tomorrow. Do you think I could use cream cheese icing, it’s for my grandsons 13th birthday, and he LOVES cream cheese anything😊
I’ll let you know how it turn out.
Yes, I’m sure that would be delicious! Hope he enjoys it.
This is the best cake I’ve made so far . I didn’t use arrowroot and I substituted erythritol for the maple syrup, it’s fluffier than any I’ve made before and it didn’t sink in the middle. Thank you! So easy to do!i’m going to put clotted cream and blackberries from the garden as the filling.thanks again from Pip in the U.K. x
wonderful cake; thanks so. I ended up making this frosting (related to yours, but less complex) simply b/c I didn’t have time to wait for things to chill. https://foodal.com/recipes/desserts/vegan-date-fudge-frosting/
I tried this cake with the vegan chocolate frosting for my son’s 4th birthday and it was a huge hit! This cake seems too good to be true, but it is truly the perfect cake ! And very healthy ! This is a cake that I would eat for breakfast instead of my healthy pancake!also it is very easy to work with and decorate ! I never imagined I would be able to do a healthy 2 tiered cake! thank you !
Can I use cornstarch instead of the arrowroot startch?
Yes, I think that should work!
Amazingly moist.
Did add 1/4 cup unsweet cocoa..
This is a keeper!
Thank you!
One question: recipe indicates 1/2 cup of maple syrup (150 g)?? but 1/2 cup is 65 g? can you pls clarify?Thank you!!
According to my scale, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup = 20 grams. (This is what Google says, too, because I just double-checked to make sure my scale isn’t wrong!) There are 8 tablespoons in a 1/2 cup, so 8 x 20 is actually 160 g. But, I always include the weight that my scale shows, so my 1/2 cup must have only gotten to 150 grams that day. Hope this is helpful!
Will it work in a loaf pan?
This cake will probably last for a week … what is the best way to store this?
Thanks!
Delicious breakfast cake!
Hi! I find that my almond flour cakes don’t tend to rise very much. Usually just halfway up the 9 inch pan. Is this just normal for these cakes? Flavor was very nice so I guess it doesn’t matter, but I think I am going to use a smaller pan next time so the batter fills the pan up more and my cake isnt so thin.
I would have put zero stars if I could.
I have never thrown a cake in my life but I had to throw this one in the bin, it was so bad!
I must admit that I missed it was a “detox”cake but even then, it should have been edible.
Sandy, this is most definitely not a detox cake and won rave reviews from everyone at my sons party. Maybe double check you didn’t miss anything in the directions?
I love this recipe. It’s so light and moist. I didn’t have arrow root powder but will try it next time. I had small eggs so I added one and I only had an 8 inch cake pan so I used that and it cooked in less time. Not sure how long but maybe 25 minutes.. got a little brown on top and was just perfect. Also I love that it’s not too sweet like so many recipes are and the maple flavor with the almond is delicious. Thanks for all your experimenting so I don’t have to..!!
Delicious cake. Light and moist with just the right amount of sweetness.I’m curious though, how should it be stored? I’m used to cakes not needing to be in the fridge. But after 3 days in our cold room (probably between 8-12 degrees celsius) it has a slightly off taste and smell.
I’ve always stored cakes in the fridge if they contain eggs, so I think that’s a good choice for this one– it’s very moist, and moisture tends to make things spoil faster at room temperature. I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the texture and flavor!
Hi Megan,
Can the cupcakes & vegan frosting be made ahead? If so, how many days ahead? Can I pipe the chocolate frosting (vegan frosting) the previous night for a get together next afternoon? Please let me know. Thank you 🙏
I probably would make the cupcakes up to 2 days ahead, and then frost them 1 day ahead. As long as you keep them covered in the fridge, I think they should keep well. I would pull them out of the fridge about 1 hour before serving, so they can come to room temperature again. (As long as they aren’t in a very warm room or in direct sunlight, the frosting shouldn’t melt.)
I’ve made these twice.
The first time I halved the sweetener & served them as cupcakes with the linked icing.
The second time I added orange zest, orange extract, and fresh cranberries. That time I used the full amount of sweetener, skipped the icing & served them as muffins.
Great both times!
I will say, though, that both times my cake has been much denser than yours appears in the picture. Any idea what I should do differently?