This is one of those gorgeously simple cakes that's perfect for any and every occasion. It's one of the easiest cakes you can make, decadently moist and buttery, and thanks to almond paste and amaretto, bursting with almond flavor.
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I'm not sure when I first made this cake, but it was many years ago. Most likely, it was after reading Thomas Keller's book Bouchon, but it's difficult to remember.
Regardless of the origins of this particular recipe, versions of this simple one-layer almond cake have been around for centuries. A quick internet search will turn up a wide variety of recipes, served plain or dressed up with whipped cream and fruit.
This particular almond cake recipe includes a generous combination of almond paste and butter, a surprisingly small amount of sugar, plus amaretto mixed into the batter and brushed over the cake after it's baked.
The result is a decadently buttery cake that's incredibly moist and tender, richly flavored with almonds, and not overly sweet.
We fell in love with it the first time I made it and it's been a favorite in our house ever since. This is also a very simple and easy cake to make and will keep well for several days.
I've made it for every occasion you can think of, dinner parties, birthdays, work parties, holiday gatherings, and just because I was craving it. It's one of those cakes that's gorgeous in it's simplicity and always the perfect thing.
I honestly don't know what took me so long to share the recipe, but here it is. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
xo
-Rebecca
P.S. For adorable, holiday inspired, mini almond cakes, check out this recipe for Almond Cakes with Cranberry Sauce.
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Ingredients needed to prepare this recipe
- Almond paste: In most American supermarkets you can find 7 ounce tubs of almond paste in the baking isle. If your local store doesn't carry it, you can certainly order almond paste. It's also quite easy to make! Scroll down for instructions about how to make homemade almond paste.
- Granulated sugar + honey: With just a little over ¼ cup of sugar plus a couple of tablespoons of honey, this is a lightly sweetened cake. My favorite kind.
- Unsalted butter: Unlike most cake recipes, use butter straight from the refrigerator, blending it in to the batter while it's cold.
- Eggs
- All purpose flour. *For a gluten free almond cake, use a one-to-one gluten free flour mix instead of all-purpose flour.
- Salt
- Amaretto: As you can see in the photo above, I used Disaronno amaretto to make the almond cake you see here but any brand of amaretto will work well.
- Sliced almonds + Powdered sugar to top the cake after baking
How to make almond paste
If you have a food processor, making almond paste is quite easy! Here's what you'll need:
- 1 cup (96 grams) almond flour (or almond meal)
- ¾ (85g) powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
- 1 large egg white
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- Add the almond flour and sugar to the bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple of times to combine. Add the egg white, salt and almond extract and process until the mixture comes together into a ball.
- Scrape the paste out of the food processor onto a clean work surface and knead a couple of times just to bring it together. It's now ready to use! To store, shape the almond paste into a log or a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator where it will keep well for at least a month.
Step-by-step photos and instructions
Beat the almond paste and sugar with an electric mixer just long enough to break up the almond paste and blend the two ingredients together.
Add the butter and beat for about 5 minutes, until the mixture has lightened up in color and looks aerated.
Add the honey and beat until combined.
Then add the eggs one at a time, beating well to fully incorporate one egg before adding the next.
Add the flour, salt, and 2 tablespoons of amaretto to the batter and beat on low speed just until incorporated.
Spread the batter into a pan that you've prepared by coating the inside with butter or shortening and flour. Bake at 350°F (176°C) for about 25 minutes.
Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan, then turn it out onto a baking rack.
Brush the top of the cake with another 2 tablespoons of amaretto.
Top the cake with some toasted sliced almonds and a generous sprinkle of powdered sugar.
The cake is now ready to serve!
Serving suggestions
Honestly, this cake is perfectly delicious all on it's own, without any additional adornment beyond the smattering of almonds and powdered sugar.
But, sometimes we like to gild the lily don't we? Here are a few ways to take this cake over the top...
- Serve with whipped cream or ice cream: The recipe below includes instructions for how to make lightly sweetened whipped cream flavored with a bit of almond extract and vanilla. A dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream is one of the simplest ways to dress up this cake, and I promise you, no one will be mad about it.
- Cherry sauce: Made with fresh or frozen cherries, this sauce requires little more than adding all the ingredients to a saucepan and cooking them until the sauce is the consistency of maple syrup.
- Berry sauce: Use whatever kind or combination of berries you like, fresh or frozen, to make this delicious dessert sauce that's bursting with the flavor of ripe, juicy berries.
- Salted caramel sauce: This no-fail recipe uses just 5 ingredients to make a salted caramel sauce that is silky smooth, never grainy, and keeps well in the refrigerator for months.
- Butterscotch sauce: This ultra creamy homemade Butterscotch Sauce is exceptionally delicious thanks to 3 ingredients that are not typically found in most butterscotch recipes.
Make ahead and storage information
Thanks to the amaretto that's brushed over this cake after baking, this cake will stay perfectly moist and delicious for up to 3 days. Wrap it in plastic wrap, or place it inside an airtight container, and store it at room temperature.
You can also freeze this cake for up to 3 months. After baking, let the cake cool as instructed and brush with amaretto. Give the amaretto a few minutes to really soak in, then wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil, and place it in the refrigerator. Let the cake thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature, then top with toasted almond slices and powdered sugar.
More simple one layer cake recipes
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to rate this recipe and leave a comment for me.
Happy baking!
📖 Recipe
Almond Cake
It's one of the easiest cakes you can make, decadently moist and buttery, and thanks to almond paste and amaretto, bursting with almond flavor.
For adorable, holiday inspired, mini almond cakes, check out this recipe for Almond Cakes with Cranberry Sauce.
Ingredients
- 7 ounces almond paste
- ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon ( 62 grams) granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons (4 ounces/ 113 grams) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 16 pieces
- 2 tablespoons (42 grams) honey
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup (40 grams) all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon table salt, OR 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup (2 ounces) amaretto, divided
- ⅓ cup (22 grams) sliced almonds
- 2-3 tablespoons (14-21 grams) powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
For the whipped cream topping (optional):
- 1 cup (227 grams) heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 - 4 (14-28 grams) tablespoons powdered sugar (confectioners sugar), to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (176°C).
- Prepare an 8-inch round cake pan that's at least 3-inches deep as follows: Smear the inside of the pan with a thin layer of vegetable shortening or butter. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit inside the pan, covering the bottom of the pan. Smear the parchment paper with a thin layer of vegetable shortening or butter. Sprinkle a tablespoon of flour into the pan and shake it around until the entire inside of the pan is coated with flour. Tap out any excess flour. (More information about how to prepare a pan so your cake doesn't stick.)
- Use an electric mixer to beat the almond paste and sugar to break up the almond past and blend the two ingredients together.
- Add the butter to the almond paste and sugar and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is light and aerated. Stop the mixer from time to time to scrape down the sides of the bowl and then continue beating.
- Add the honey and beat until fully incorporated.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed until one is completely incorporated before adding the next.
- Add the salt and flour to a small bowl, stir to blend, then add to the mixing bowl along with 2 tablespoons of amaretto. Beat on low speed just until all the ingredients are combined.
- Spread the batter into the pan and place in the oven to bake for 25 minutes. When done, the cake will be light golden in color and will spring back if you press gently on the surface of the cake.
- Set the cake on a wire rack and allow it to cool completely inside the pan.
- While the cake cools, toast the almonds: Add the almonds to a dry skillet and set it over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the almonds have taken on some color and smell toasty. Watch carefully and stir constantly once the almonds start to color to prevent them from burning. Dump the toasted almonds out into a bowl and allow to cool.
- Gently turn the cake out of the pan onto a wire rack, then flip it over again so it’s upright.
- Brush the surface of the cake with the remaining 2 tablespoons of amaretto, coating the top of the cake completely with the liquor. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds over the cake in an even layer. Dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar; the easiest way to do this is with a small fine mesh strainer. The cake is now ready to serve.
- To make whipped cream: Add the cream, almond extract, vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar to a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until thick enough to gently hold its shape. Taste and add more powdered sugar if you like.
Notes
- Store the cake, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days. Almond cake can be frozen: After brushing the cake with amaretto, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow the cake to thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature then top with toasted sliced almonds and powdered sugar.
- Nutrition information calculated without whipped cream.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: ⅛ of the cakeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 416Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 9gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 235mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 3gSugar: 26gProtein: 8g
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