so, you know how sometimes you agree to bring dessert to a party and then remember at the last second that your cousin Sarah is gluten-free and you panic?
that was me three weeks ago scrolling Instagram at midnight looking for something that didn’t involve specialty flours or complicated substitutions. found this flourless almond cake recipe and thought there’s no way this works with just ground almonds and eggs but honestly had no other options at that point.
first attempt I didn’t grind the almonds fine enough and the texture was gritty and weird. my husband took one bite and made this face like he was trying to be polite but also dying inside lol. second time I over-mixed it and it came out dense like a brick. could’ve used it as a doorstop. third try I finally nailed it and Sarah literally asked for the recipe which felt like winning an Olympic medal.
now I make it all the time because it’s actually easier than regular cake and tastes expensive even though it costs like eight bucks to make.
Contents
why this cake slaps
no flour means naturally gluten-free without weird substitutes
almond meal is just ground almonds so you’re basically eating fancy nuts
eggs do all the leavening work so no baking powder or soda needed
raspberry sauce covers up any imperfections in your cake decorating skills
takes maybe 10 minutes to throw together if you don’t count baking time
what you need
here’s the stuff but honestly measurements are flexible:
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Almond flour | maybe 2.5 cups | or grind your own almonds |
| Sugar | 3/4 cup ish | white or cane sugar |
| Eggs | 4 large | room temp works better |
| Butter | half a cup | melted and cooled |
| Vanilla | couple teaspoons | the real stuff |
| Almond extract | tiny bit | optional but good |
| Baking powder | teaspoon | helps it rise |
| Salt | pinch | just a little |
| Raspberries | 2 cups | fresh or frozen |
| More sugar | quarter cup | for the sauce |
| Lemon juice | squeeze of half | brightens it up |
how to make it
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. always forget this step and then stand around waiting for it to heat up.
Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment. don’t skip the parchment or you’ll regret it when you try to get the cake out.
Mix the almond flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a big bowl. I just use a whisk for this.
Beat the eggs in another bowl til they’re frothy. takes maybe a minute with a hand mixer or like 3 minutes if you’re doing it by hand and your arm gets tired.
Add the melted butter, vanilla, and almond extract to the eggs. stir it all together.
Pour the wet stuff into the dry stuff and fold it together gently. don’t overmix or it gets dense. mine always has a few lumps and that’s fine whatever.
Dump the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. doesn’t have to be perfect nobody’s judging.
Bake for about 30-35 minutes until the top is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. mine usually takes 33 minutes but every oven is different.
Let it cool in the pan for like 10 minutes then run a knife around the edge and pop open the springform. transfer to a cooling rack.
okay so while that’s baking—make the raspberry sauce by throwing the berries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small pot.
Cook over medium heat stirring occasionally until the berries break down and it gets saucy. maybe 10-15 minutes. I mash them with a fork while they cook.
Strain if you don’t like seeds. I’m lazy so I usually skip this step.
Let it cool then pour over the cake or serve on the side. both ways work.
tips and stuff
- Toast the almond flour in a dry pan for a few minutes before using for deeper flavor. I’ve done this and it’s good but requires remembering to do it.
- Add orange zest to the batter for a citrus thing. my neighbor does this and swears by it.
- Use other berries for the sauce. blueberries or strawberries or whatever you have. mixed berries is actually really good.
- Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream when serving. makes it feel fancier.
storage notes
cake keeps covered at room temp for 2 days or in the fridge for like a week. I usually refrigerate because the raspberry sauce needs to be cold anyway.
freezes okay for a month wrapped tight. texture is a little different after freezing but still edible.
raspberry sauce keeps in a jar in the fridge for about a week.
I have a mystery container in my fridge right now that’s either raspberry sauce from this cake or some jam I made last month. didn’t label it obviously. gonna open it tomorrow and hope for the best. really need to start writing dates on things.
nutrition per slice
for about 8 slices:
| Thing | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | around 320 |
| Protein | 10g |
| Carbs | 28g |
| Fat | 20g |
| Fiber | 4g |
| Sugar | 22g |
these are rough estimates. almond flour has good protein and fat so it’s actually filling. not exactly diet food but also not terrible.
questions
can I use almond meal instead of flour
they’re basically the same thing. almond meal just has the skins on so it’s darker and slightly grittier. works fine though
mine sank in the middle what happened
probably took it out too early or opened the oven door too much while baking. also happens if you overmix the batter. it’s still good even if it’s not perfectly flat
do I have to make the raspberry sauce
no you could use store-bought jam thinned with a little water. or just dust the cake with powdered sugar. or eat it plain. all valid options
can I make this dairy-free
use coconut oil instead of butter. haven’t tried it myself but my friend with a dairy allergy does this and says it works
