Italian Almond Cake (Gluten-Free + Moist & Citrusy!)
Italian Almond Cake is a moist and delicious cake made with, you guessed it – almonds. It’s nice and tender, a little sweet, and absolutely perfect with powdered sugar on top.
This cake has plenty of big flavor for a short list of ingredients. Almond flour not only adds body but also helps make the cake inside moist and tender.
It’s the type of dessert that feels fancy with barely any work involved — especially when it’s served with a pot of coffee or tea.
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Naturally gluten-free (no flour needed)
- Fresh orange zest for a pop of citrus flavor
- Tender, moi st crumb and ground almonds.
- Easy peasy one-bowl batter prep
- Great for brunch, dessert or coffee time
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
Almond meal: 1 1/2 cups (150 g)
Baking powder: 1 and a half tsp (7 g)
Salt: a pinch
Wet ingredients
Large eggs: 2
Sift together: Granulated sugar: 1/2 cup (100 g)
Unsalted butter, melted: 3 1/2 tbsp (50 g)
Vanilla extract: 1/2 tsp
Orange Zest: the zest of 1 orange (approximately 1 tablespoon)
For finishing (optional)
Powdered sugar, for dusting
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Almond meal or ground almonds: Fine almond flour or finely ground almonds are recommended. If it’s a coarse one, the cake will be a little more rustic and ever so slightly more crumbly.
- Butter: Unsalted butter is best. Omit the pinch of salt if using salted butter.
- Orange zest: Just the bright orange part (not the white pith). Lemon zest will also do if you’re after a sharp citrus note.
- Vanilla extract: Not necessary but it makes the flavor even fuller.
- Powdered sugar: Perfect for a bakery-style impression, but the cake is great even without it.
How to Make Italian Almond Cake
- Prep the pan. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and dust with almond flour (or line the bottom with parchment). Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl mix together ground almonds, baking powder and pinch of salt.
- Whisk eggs and sugar. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until pale and a little foamy.
- Add flavor and butter. Add the vanilla extract and orange zest, then whisk in the melted butter.
- Combine. Combine dry almond mixture with wet ingredients and mix until you have a smooth batter.
- Bake. Transfer the battter to the prepared pan. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool and finish. Allow cake to cool; dust with powdered sugar if desired, and slice and serve.
Expert Tips
- Zest the orange before segmenting it (it’s so much easier).
- Make sure the melted butter is cool enough when you mix it in so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs.
- But once the ground almonds are added, don’t overmix — just mix until blended.
- Opt for a light-colored pan if you can, so it will bake more evenly.
- If the top gets too brown, tent with foil near the end of baking.
- Cool completely before cutting if you want a cleaner cut slice.
- To make it prettier, dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
- Seal tightly and store away so it keeps moist.
Storage & Freezing
- Room temp: Store covered for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Airtight for up to 5 days. (For optimal texture, bring to room temp before serving.)
- Freezer Wrap slices tightly, and freeze up to 2 months.
- To thaw: Defrost overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for 1–2 hours.
Variations
- Lemon almond cake: Replace the orange zest with lemon and almond extracts.
- Almond extract boost: Add 1/4 tsp almond extract (in addition to the vanilla).
- Chocolate chip: Fold in 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips.
- Glaze with a simple powdered sugar/ OJ glaze rather than dusting with sugar.
- Toasted almond topping: Sprinkle sliced almonds over the top before baking for a little bit of crunch.
Italian Almond Cake
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment if desired.
- In a bowl, mix the ground almonds, baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
- In another bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until pale and slightly foamy.
- Whisk in the vanilla extract and orange zest, then whisk in the melted butter.
- Add the almond mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level the top.
- Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool, dust with powdered sugar if using, slice, and serve.
Nutrition
Video
Notes
- Let the melted butter cool slightly before mixing so the eggs stay smooth.
- For a stronger citrus flavor, add a little extra orange zest.
- If using salted butter, skip the pinch of salt.
- Cool completely before slicing for neat slices.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!FAQs
Yes. I love almond flour; it is lighter, is softer and has a finer crumb.
And no, there is no wheat flour in this recipe. Check that your baking powder is gluten-free if necessary.
You can cut back a little, but sugar does help with moisture and texture. A small reduction is fine.
The top should seem set and golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
They can become crumbly if you cut the bars while warm, or grind the almonds too coarsely. Allow to cool completely before slicing.
Yes. It holds up well, and it’s often even better the next day.
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Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
