A gluten free recipe for cake made with almond flour and touch of coconut flour! This gluten free almond cake is easy to make, full of flavor and tender in texture. Perfect for an elegant dessert after dinner, served with tea in the afternoon or at a casual picnic.
I must admit, I have an aversion to most gluten free recipes. This almond cake is an exception. The crumb of this cake is dense yet incredibly tender and moist at the same time. The flavor of almond extract is fragrant but not overpowering. The cake is very straightforward to make and almost impossible to over-mix. It stays fresh for an exceptionally long time and seems to please everyone I have fed it to thus far – grown ups and kids alike! Feel free to keep it simple with only the almond extract as flavoring or add a little lemon zest to the batter and lemon juice to the glaze at the end.
HOW THIS RECIPE COMES TOGETHER
- 1. Mix the dry ingredients. This recipe calls for almond flour, a little coconut flour and baking powder. The dry ingredients are mixed together and set aside.
- 2. Cream the butter and sugar. Room temperature butter and sugar are beaten together first.
- 3. Add the eggs. Three whole eggs are added one at a time to the creamed butter and sugar.
- 4. Add the milk and extract. Whole milk and almond extract are beaten in following the eggs. At this point the mixture will look quite curdled. Don’t fret! The dry ingredients will bring it all together.
- 5. Add the dry to the wet. The almond flour, coconut flour and baking powdered are beaten in last.
- 6. Bake. The cake batter is transferred to an 8 or 9″ round cake pan and baked for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- 7. Cool, glaze and serve. Once the cake cools, it can be topped with a glaze or powdered sugar and served at room temperature or chilled.
ADDITIONAL RECIPES
- If you love almond flavor in cakes, be sure to try my Raspberry Almond Cake! It is a simple single layer cake just like this one with delicious almond flavor.
- Another delicious single layer cake recipe is for my classic Strawberry Shortcake.
- For more almond flavor, be sure to try my Honey Almond Granola, No Bake Granola Bars and No Bake Sourdough Granola Bars!
Gluten Free Almond Cake
Equipment
- 1 hand or stand mixer with paddle attachment
- 2-3 mixing bowls
- 1 set of measuring spoons
- 1 spatula
- 1 8 or 9" springform cake pan or regular cake pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
For the cake
- 3/4 cup (170 grams) salted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (4 fl ounces) whole milk
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 cups (192 grams) almond flour
- 1/2 cup (64 grams) coconut flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
For the glaze (optional)
- 1 cup (113 grams) powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp water, milk or citrus juice
Instructions
- Preheat a conventional oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 or 9" springform cake pan or regular cake pan with parchment paper. Grease it lightly and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, coconut flour and baking powder.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if using a hand mixer), add the softened butter and sugar. Cream on medium speed for about 3 minutes until the butter is pale in color.
- Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle. Begin mixing again on medium low speed. Add the eggs one at a time, letting each one incorporate into the butter and sugar before adding the next one.
- Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl and the paddle again. Begin mixing on medium speed and add the milk and almond extract. The mixture will look curdled – that's ok!
- Finally add the almond flour, coconut flour and baking powder. Beat at medium high speed for about 30 seconds until well incorporated.
- Transfer the cake batter to the prepared cake pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. When the cake is lightly golden on top and a cake tester poked in the center comes out mostly clean, the cake is done baking.
- Let the cake cool to room temperature before removing from the pan and adding any glaze or powdered sugar.
- To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar and water, milk or citrus juice. Pour on top of the cake. Serve the cake at room temperature or chilled. Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
