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Easy Almond Cake (gluten-free, dairy-free)

April 11, 2020 by zenbelly 47 Comments

Apparently, I’m now a professional stay at home baker. I have baked more in the past month than I normally do in a year. This week, it was this Easy Almond Cake. Twice.

easy almond cake

This Easy Almond Cake is perfect for Passover or Easter. Or, Tuesday.

Nut based cakes are traditional for Passover, when regular flours are off the table (and out of the kitchen completely in observant homes). This means that lots of paleo desserts are naturally kosher for Passover, and vice versa!

This easy almond cake uses only 4 main ingredients, and there’s a chance you have them already. If you don’t have an orange lying around, you can sub lemon. Since lemons are more tart, you might want to adjust the sugar a bit. I would still use just one lemon, even though you’ll get less zest than you will from one orange, since lemon zest is stronger in flavor.

easy almond cake

If you don’t have sliced almonds, you can skip those, too. This cake is simple and beautiful as is, or you can dust it with powdered sugar before serving. Or: A dollop of whipped cream. If dessert isn’t dessert without chocolate to you, it’s also extraordinary with chocolate ganache as frosting.

easy almond cake

The only marginally tricky thing about making this cake is folding in the egg whites, which you want to remain fluffy after being incorporated. The way I like to do this? Mix in a small amount to loosen up the batter first. At this point you don’t have to be gentle. And then once the batter is looser, you can take your time folding in the rest. Resist the urge to over mix!

easy almond cake

Looking for more simple sweets? Here are some of my favorites:
Fig & Almond Cake
Clafoutis
Coconut Maple Panna Cotta
Plum Torte

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Easy Almond Cake

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4.9 from 13 reviews

Quite possibly the easiest cake you’ll ever make, and it’s naturally gluten and dairy-free.

  • Author: zenbelly
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 1 9-inch cake, 8 slices
  • Category: passover
  • Method: bake
  • Cuisine: French

Ingredients

  • oil or cooking spray for greasing the pan 
  • 4 eggs, white and yolks separated
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • zest of one small orange
  • 1/4 cup orange juice (should be what you get from one small orange) 
  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour
  • pinch salt
  • 1/2 cup raw sliced almonds

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan. Insert a parchment circle into the bottom and lightly grease that too. 
  2. Using a stand mixer or large bowl with hand beaters, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. 
  3. In another large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, orange zest, and orange juice. 
  4. Stir in the almond flour and a pinch of salt. 
  5. Once the egg whites are beaten, stir in about 1/4 of them to the almond mixture. Once well mixed, gently fold in the rest, doing your best to not over mix. 
  6. Pour into the prepared pan and sprinkle with the sliced almonds.  Bake for about 25 minutes, or until it’s golden brown, and bounces back when you lightly push it in the center. 
  7. Allow to cool, and run a sharp knife around the perimeter of the cake before removing the sides of the pan. 
  8. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. 

Notes

If you don’t have an orange, you can sub the zest of one lemon and whatever juice you get from it. You may need to adjust the sugar since lemons are more tart than oranges. 

I haven’t tried it so can’t say for sure, but coconut sugar should work well as a sub for cane sugar. 

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Filed Under: Dinner, Passover Tagged With: almond cake, easy almond cake, orange almond cake, paleo almond cake, passover cake

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Comments

  1. Julia says

    April 11, 2020 at 3:11 pm

    Could you substitute coconut flour , tapioca flour air arrowroot flour for the almond flour?

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      April 12, 2020 at 11:43 am

      Nope. Then it would be coconut cake, or tapioca cake, or arrowroot cake, I have no idea if the recipe would work because I didn’t try it with any of those things. Almond flour is the main ingredient, and is what makes this recipe work. The only thing I can say would likely work would be another ground up nut. If you have a nut allergy, I’d recommend finding a recipe that doesn’t have almond in the title and as the main ingredient.

      Reply
      • Claire says

        February 19, 2024 at 9:02 am

        This response is the reason I tried the recipe. Thank you!

  2. Neeta says

    April 12, 2020 at 10:59 pm

    I make a very similar cake, using 1/3 c acacia honey ( am sure coconut sugar would work just as well) instead of the granulated sugar, also adding 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. This is a beautiful cake, and has an almost sensuous velvety texture, a must try!!

    Reply
  3. Selene Vega says

    April 14, 2020 at 6:57 pm

    I did not have enough almond flour, so ground about half the required amount in my Vitamix from whole almonds. Pulled out the larger chunks, and used those for the topping. Delicious!

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      April 14, 2020 at 10:09 pm

      excellent improvisation! So glad you loved it 🙂

      Reply
  4. Annabelle says

    April 21, 2020 at 2:47 pm

    I do one similar except i add rosewater, almond extract, and chocolate chunks from Hu Kitchen chocolate . I also use coconut sugar. Im thinking to try your cake! I like tge more almond focus! I have been baking so much since I have been home. Cookies have been going down in my house!! I love your creativity and your recipes! They are all great! Super inspired, thank you!

    Reply
    • Cindy says

      February 7, 2021 at 5:05 pm

      Excellent recipe. Very light and tasty!

      Reply
  5. Christy says

    May 3, 2020 at 7:35 am

    Made it and loved it! Only had lemon in these quarantine days and still amazing. I’m going to make another and wonder if double the recipe and cooking for longer would be a mistake? Maybe I should just make 2. I only have 1 spring form pan so looking to shortcut my way to a slightly taller cake.

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      May 3, 2020 at 10:33 am

      So glad you loved it! It might work doubled if your spring form pan is larger than stated in the recipe, otherwise, it could take too long too cook and get darker than you want on the outside before the inside is done. You can use other types of pans, though!

      Reply
    • Donna says

      April 21, 2024 at 1:26 pm

      Smells great. Once it’s cooled, what is the best way to store it overnight? Should it be refrigerated?

      Reply
  6. Alma Munksgaard says

    May 5, 2020 at 12:52 pm

    If you re not a fan of almonds or almond flavor, we can still be friends because that means I don t have to share my bear claw. This easy almond cake recipe requires only six ingredients and a few minutes of prep. Almond cake is the perfect party dessert!

    Reply
  7. Jeanette says

    May 12, 2020 at 5:32 am

    It is delicious and so quick to make, I really enjoyed it. I calculated that is it around 230 calories a slice, which isn’t bad at all! Nice light dessert! Thanks!!

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      May 12, 2020 at 12:29 pm

      Thanks for doing those calculations! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply
  8. Arianne says

    May 28, 2020 at 7:44 am

    So delicious that I made it twice in one week because It didn’t last long after taking it out of the oven the first time.
    The second time, I didn’t have enough eggs! So I attempted subbing the missing egg with a “flax egg” and it worked out! It didn’t change the consistency much, still fluffy, still delicious! I wouldn’t recommend subbing all eggs for flax since it would change the cake completely, I just wanted to share my amusing story 🙂 thanks for the delicious recipe. It will be made often and will be brought to many doorsteps

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      May 28, 2020 at 3:14 pm

      Thanks, Arianne! So glad to hear it worked with one flax egg sub. You’ve got some lucky neighbors!

      Reply
  9. Melissa Hathuc says

    July 15, 2020 at 1:43 pm

    Do I have to have a spring form pan?

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      July 17, 2020 at 9:29 am

      It will bake just fine in any pan, the spring form just makes it easier to remove. Just grease the sides really well.

      Reply
  10. Katie says

    December 18, 2020 at 2:26 pm

    Have you ever tried freezing this cake? I would like to make it for Xmas dinner, and would love to be able to do it in advance! Thank you!

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      December 18, 2020 at 6:53 pm

      I have not… I’m guessing it will be okay, but I can’t say for sure without trying it. I know it stays well for a day or two tightly wrapped.

      Reply
  11. Anne says

    January 5, 2021 at 6:17 pm

    Hello, is almond meal the same as almond flour? I have almond meal in the cupboard, do you think it would work in your recipe? Thanks.

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      January 7, 2021 at 11:24 am

      Hi Anne! Almond meal is a coarser grind than almond flour and isn’t the best for certain almond flour recipes, but works just fine in this one, so use what you’ve got! I hope you love it 🙂

      Reply
  12. Gabrielle says

    February 3, 2021 at 7:02 am

    I made this last night and really enjoyed it– light-textured, flavorful, and moist. I added a handful of chocolate chips to the batter, because I am a sucker for chocolate + orange.

    I wandered off while the egg whites were in the mixer, and ended up over-beating them a bit (“dry” peaks)– still turned out great, even with my inattention. I’ll definitely be making this quick, tasty, and flexible cake again.

    Reply
  13. Jade says

    February 26, 2021 at 12:29 pm

    Just made this and it turned out beautifully, the company that was over couldn’t believe how easy the recipe was. I followed the directions to a T and came out perfect. I did use a glass pie plate because that was all I had and no complaints whatsoever on how it turned out. Will make again, and again!

    Reply
  14. Maria says

    March 23, 2021 at 8:28 pm

    Hi,could i use monk fruit as a substitute for sugar?
    Thank you in advance for your response!

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      March 24, 2021 at 10:25 am

      Sure! I can’t say how it will work without trying it, but if you’ve subbed it successfully in other recipes it’s worth a shot.

      Reply
  15. Ellen Feldman Ornato says

    March 28, 2021 at 10:36 am

    I loved the flavor but it was a bit dry. I doubled the recipe, so maybe that’s why. Any suggestions?

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      March 29, 2021 at 10:13 am

      That’s probably why, more volume = longer bake time. It’s never come out dry for me when I’ve made it according to the recipe.

      Reply
  16. Brian says

    April 11, 2021 at 1:40 pm

    5 stars all the way! I made this cake for Passover a few weeks ago (it’s perfectly kosher without the powdered sugar). It was such a hit I was asked to make it for family dinner tonight. It’s in the oven right now, I can’t wait!

    I’m also trying to learn new baking techniques and this was a good intro into “folding”. I’m no longer scared of that lol!

    Thank you for a delicious, easy, and impressive recipe! This one is going into regular rotation!

    Reply
  17. Ginny says

    May 15, 2021 at 7:35 am

    Hi. I see that the recipe doesn’t call for butter or oil. Does it still turn out fluffy and soft?

    Thanks
    Ginny

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      May 15, 2021 at 10:15 am

      Hi Ginny. Yup! The fluffiness comes from aerating the egg whites. It’s a very common method of cake baking.

      Reply
  18. mg says

    May 30, 2021 at 1:32 pm

    I did a google search for a gluten free, dairy free dessert recipe, because I wanted to make a dessert my friend who has food sensitivities could eat. I’m so glad I found this!! Everyone loved it yesterday, and I’m making another one today just because it was so delicious and easy. Thanks for this great recipe!

    Reply
    • mg says

      May 30, 2021 at 2:23 pm

      I will add that I didn’t have quite a half cup of juice from my small orange, so I juiced another one until I got to the half cup. I think without the full amount of liquid, it may have been too dry. Also, I added a splash of almond extract into the juice because I love almond flavor so much.

      Reply
  19. Gina Soobratee says

    September 25, 2021 at 8:31 am

    Can I use Gluten Free flour instead of the Almond Flour?

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      September 25, 2021 at 12:31 pm

      For the… almond cake? Gina I have no way of answering that because I developed the recipe using almond flour and couldn’t possibly know how it will turn out when swapping the main ingredient with a completely different ingredient.

      Reply
  20. Kerri says

    February 23, 2022 at 11:30 am

    I’m making this delicious and easy recipe for the second time — thank you so much for sharing it. It will become an easy DF/GF dessert in my house. I DID add 1/4 tsp of almond extract bc I love the flavor. I also made a fruit coulee for the top.

    One question: if I had more people to feed, would you recommend doubling it or two layers?

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      February 23, 2022 at 5:33 pm

      Thanks, Kerri. I’m so glad you like it. You could definitely make a layer cake out if it if you want, but I wouldn’t make one thicker cake, since it won’t bake properly. I make a giant strawberry shortcake with this and it’s fantastic, and could be layered with just about anything.

      Reply
  21. Rosa says

    July 7, 2023 at 11:20 am

    Hi Simone-
    I have made this lovely cake several times. Both times the cake has turned out delicious and velvety -however-both times the cake has sunken. What starts as a three inch cake becomes a 2 inch cake-is this normal for this recipe? If not-what am I doing wrong?? Thank you so much

    Reply
  22. Lisa says

    July 9, 2023 at 4:53 am

    I made the cake and added 1/2 tsp almond extract and used coconut sugar. Came out excellent!

    Reply
  23. Christine says

    November 25, 2023 at 8:33 am

    Can I just use orange juice from a bottle with no zest

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      November 25, 2023 at 9:20 am

      sure

      Reply
  24. Ksenia says

    February 27, 2024 at 11:43 am

    Hello,
    I would like to know the almond flour in GR or oz because is very tricky with cups

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      March 1, 2024 at 10:36 am

      I didn’t weigh this one, but a good rule of thumb is just to fluff up your almond flour with a whisk before measuring.

      Reply
  25. Cathy says

    April 20, 2024 at 6:13 am

    How far in advance can this be made?

    Reply
  26. Hedda Keith says

    June 29, 2024 at 1:11 pm

    Dairy free means no eggs also. This is not a dairy free cake.

    Reply
    • zenbelly says

      July 5, 2024 at 4:06 pm

      Eggs are not dairy, dairy comes from mammals. Chickens are not mammals. This is a dairy free cake.

      Reply
  27. Elise says

    April 17, 2025 at 8:44 am

    Delicious, thank you , everyone love’s this cake and so easy to make.

    Reply

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About Me (Hi! I’m Simone)

Hello, and Welcome! I'm so glad you're here. Why? Because my most favorite thing is to help home cooks feel like pros in their kitchens. A little about me... I've been cooking professionally for a long time - around 25 years - and ...

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