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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!

Almond flour cake topped with berries sliced and lifted on server.

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

almond flour cake ingredients labeled in glass bowls.

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.

almond flour cake slice with bite removed on a fork.

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.

almond flour dry ingredients whisked in a large bowl.

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.

almond flour cake batter mixed in a large bowl.

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. 

almond flour cake baked in an 8-inch pan.

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.

a slice of almond flour cake with chocolate frosting is being lifted out

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

Can I bake this as cupcakes? 

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.

Can I make a chocolate version?

Yes, check out my Almond Flour Chocolate Cake or Chocolate Almond Flour cupcakes for a tested variation. 

Can I use a granulated sweetener?

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.

Have you tried other flavor variations?

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.

Is this recipe keto-friendly?

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.

Almond flour cake topped with berries sliced and lifted on server.

Almond Flour Cake

4.85 from 46 votes
Almond Flour Cake has a light and fluffy texture and is naturally grain-free. It's the perfect gluten-free dessert for a holiday or birthday!
prep10 mins cook35 mins total45 mins
Servings:12

Ingredients
 
 

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.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 12 slices without toppings. This is automatically calculated and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
Update Note: This recipe was updated in March 2024 to add almond extract for extra almond flavor. I accidentally made this new version without the coconut oil and loved the results, so I removed that, too! But you can always find the original recipe here if you prefer.

Nutrition

Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 71mg | Potassium: 120mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 87IU | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: gluten-free
Keyword: almond flour cake

If you try this almond flour cake recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.

Megan Gilmore leaning on her white countertop.

Megan Gilmore

Hi, I’m Megan. A former fast food junkie turned best-selling cookbook author. I create healthy recipes made with simple ingredients to make your life easier.

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Comments

  1. Such an easy and fast recipe! Plus the cake taste so good!! It actually taste and smells like a birthday cake, and its soft, moist, and yummy. You know how long it’s been since I had a cake that actually taste like a birthday cake? Too long! It’s not fun being gluten intolerant. Thank you so much for this recipe!

  2. This recipe was seriously a godsend! My little one has what seems like every allergy under the sun, and I was scrambling trying to figure out what to do for her first birthday. This cake was absolutely perfect, thank you so much!

  3. Excelente recepe! 👏🏻👏🏻Y substituted maple syrup for agave and arrow root for corn starch!! It came out perfect! And decorated with fruit between the layers and on top

  4. Hi Megan, have you ever used food dye on this recipe? I am looking to colour the layers for my son’s 4th birthday. Also I have 3 x 9 inch pans – do you think the recipe will double OK to make enough for 3 layers of this size?
    Thanks! Rose

  5. This cake turned out amazing. I didn’t have arrow root so didn’t put in but i added half tablespoon of cardamon powder. Soo yummy. Whole family enjoyed!

  6. Amazing cake, along with the chocolate vegan frosting (the best frosting I ever ate). I truly appreciate you and all your amazing recipes.

  7. Can I substitute olive oil or avocado oil for the melted coconut oil…..allergic to coconut.

  8. Hi Megan!
    Will you one day have another cookbook? I have all of your cookbooks so far.
    I much rather have them in a book instead of looking them up online.
    It’s just easier to find them in a book and also I can sit and relax by looking at the cookbook.
    I honestly look your recipes.

    1. Thanks for your support, Sharon! I would love to write another cookbook one day, but it probably won’t be soon, since that kind of project takes SO much time away from my family. For now, I hope you’ll enjoy the free recipes that I share on my website. You can always print them off to save in a notebook. 🙂 And visiting my website often is actually the best way to support what I do here, so I appreciate that, too!

  9. My dad is Diabetic could I sub a Sugar free alternative a brown sugar one to keep it moist like Swerve?

    1. I’ve never tested this cake with a sugar substitute, so you’ll have to let me know if you experiment with it!