This Italian Almond Cake Recipe is soft, moist, and naturally rich with almond flavor, fresh orange zest, and a little melted butter. Made without wheat flour and finished with a simple dusting of powdered sugar, it’s an easy cake that feels elegant enough for dessert but simple enough for afternoon coffee.
This Is My Kind of Low-Effort Cake.There are cakes that require layers, frosting, piping bags, and a suspicious number of mixing bowls.
And then there is this one.
The batter is built mostly around finely ground almonds, eggs, sugar, and melted butter, with orange zest adding that little bit of freshness that keeps the cake from feeling heavy.
Once it’s baked, there’s no frosting situation to deal with either.
Just let it cool, add a snowy layer of powdered sugar, slice, and put the coffee on.
If you want another almond-based cake with a completely different texture, my Flourless Almond Cake gets its lighter crumb from whipped egg whites and uses lemon instead of orange. For something richer and chocolatey, Torta Caprese combines ground almonds, dark chocolate, and butter in another flourless Italian-style dessert.
If almonds beside coffee are the real goal, my Homemade Almond Biscotti are crisp and twice-baked, while Easy Lemon Cake is the softer glazed option when citrus sounds particularly good.
Ingredients
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.
Is This Italian Almond Cake Gluten-Free?
The recipe contains no wheat, rye, or barley ingredients, so the formula itself is made without gluten-containing flour.
For readers preparing it specifically for someone with celiac disease, however, use ingredients labeled gluten-free where relevant—including baking powder and vanilla—and avoid cross-contact with wheat flour in the kitchen.
The FDA defines foods labeled gluten-free as meeting specific ingredient requirements and containing less than 20 ppm gluten. FDA – Gluten and Food Labeling.
What Is Italian Almond Cake?
This version is a simple almond-based cake made with finely ground almonds, eggs, sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and orange zest.
It has no wheat flour and is finished with powdered sugar rather than frosting.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Using almond flour that is too coarse, which can make the cake gritty.
- Overmixing the batter after adding the dry ingredients.
- Skipping the lemon or almond extract, which gives the cake its classic flavor.
- Adding too much almond extract, which can overpower the cake.
- Baking too long, which can make the cake dry instead of moist.
- Removing the cake from the pan before it has cooled slightly.
- Cutting the cake before it has fully set, which can make it crumbly.
What To Serve With Italian Almond Cake Recipe
Italian Almond Cake is delicious served with hot coffee, espresso, cappuccino, tea, whipped cream, or fresh berries. It also pairs well with vanilla ice cream, lemon curd, powdered sugar, toasted almonds, or a simple dessert tray for holidays, brunch, and afternoon snacks.
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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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!Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
