This French Almond Cake is incredibly delicious and incredibly easy. One-bowl, no-mixer, just-a-few-minutes-to-throw together!
Think of this French Almond Cake as an early little Christmas gift. Why give a Christmas gift when December’s barely gotten started? Well, just because I knew you were going to need it.
I sure do! A cake that’s moist, tender and incredibly delicious, while at the same time being one-bowl, no-mixer and just-a-few-minutes-to-throw-together is exactly what I need at this time of the year.
Don’t wait till the 25th to give me this one, I’ve got all sorts of get-togethers and occasions coming up and people who I’d love to surprise with a special treat.
I need it now!
And I thought perhaps, you were in the same boat, so it’s comin’ your way today! Merry Christmas!
So that’s about all I’m writing today friends because, just like you, I’m trying to wrap my mind around Christmas and the fact that’s it’s not waiting on me.
The perfect cake to make when you’re pinched for time
I admit, I’m a bit more behind than usual because, instead of doing lots of baking and decorating over the long Thanksgiving holiday, we did something infinitely better. We were incredibly blessed to welcome a new baby boy into the family! More on that coming up… but with a few minutes to spare, I think I might throw together a French Almond Cake!
In closing, since I have some really sweet French friends like Paule and Barbara and Monique (as close to French as you can get), I thought I better confess the real deal, as I don’t want to get into any kind of trouble with them or have la gendarmerie (the French police) arrest me for a counterfeit cake. So, here’s the scoop: I kind of made up this recipe, but I did base it on my French Grandmother’s Lemon Yogurt Cake which is a favorite of ours and really truly is French. I just changed up the flavors a bit, added almond flour, almond extract, a sliced almond topping and a shower of powdered sugar.
Now I’m clean. Sort of …
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French Almond Cake
An incredibly delicious cake and it’s incredibly easy! One-bowl, no-mixer, just-a -few-minutes-to-throw together!
- Prep Time: 25 Minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 12 Servings
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
- ¾ cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup almond flour (meal)
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- ¾ cup sunflower oil, grape seed or canola oil
- For the glaze:
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ¾ cup powdered sugar plus more for sprinkling
- 1/2 cups sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with baking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper and spray parchment paper lightly. Set aside.
- Place almonds in a small baking pan. Spread to a single layer. Bake for 15 minutes or until just beginning to turn pale golden brown, stirring every 5 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
- Combine the orange zest, orange juice, powdered sugar and extracts in a small bowl for the glaze. Stir with a whisk until smooth. Cover and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, sugar, and eggs, stirring until well blended.
- Add the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, salt and extracts. Stir to combine.
- Add the oil and stir well. Don’t worry, at first it will seem to separate, but keep stirring till smooth. This might take 2-3 minutes.
- Pour the batter into prepared pan. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until the cake feels springy to the touch in the center and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cover loosely with foil if getting too brown near the end and cake is still not done*. Be careful not to over bake. Cool cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes; then turn it out of the pan onto the rack.
- While cake is still warm, using a pastry brush, gently pat the glaze all over the cake. Just keep going over the cake till the glaze is gone. Some of it will drip off, but most of it will soak in. Sprinkle almonds over top of cake while glaze is wet and pat gently. Allow cake to cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
Notes
*Spray foil lightly with cooking spray or rub with a bit of oil to prevent cake from sticking to the foil.
Can you tell me if this cake can handle a cream cheese frosting? I would experiment but I have no time 😉
Hi Kristina, I’ve only made this cake with the glaze however I’ve made something similar with a caramel icing and it came out great. The icing wasn’t super thick though.
Would this kind of cake hold up under fondant?
Hi Isabel,
I think it might be too delicate for fondant.
Wow! Thank you so much, Chris, for this recipe!! I followed it to the point, and the 9-inch baking pan worked out well! It was moist, yet airier than most almond-cake recipes! I also appreciated the toasted almonds and the glaze; a perfect piece of cake with tea!!
Wishing you well,
Kamran
★★★★★
So happy you enjoyed it Kamran, thanks for your great description!
One of the best cakes I have ever made (and believe me I’ve tried a few)
Absolutely delicious, a beautiful crumb, full of flavour and incredibly moist
Thank you for the recipe
★★★★★
Thanks so much Carmine for taking the time to leave a review. So happy you enjoyed it. Now you’ve got me wanting to run to the kitchen and make one! 🙂
HI there, this cake looks amazing.
Just wondering whether this cake is firm enough to slice and layer up?
Regards, Olivia
Hi Olivia, I think it should be though I haven’t tried that.
I have made the French Almond Cake once before and had none of the problems I have experienced this time around. It is a beautiful, delicious cake. I am now going to try again as I am bringing it to Easter dinner at my daughter’s..
I will use a springform pan this time as my 9 inch cake pan seemed to be too small……the batter dripped all over my oven.
Did I use eggs too large? I followed the recipe to the letter otherwise…….
Also, perhaps the foil covering should be greased, as it ripped off parts of the lovely golden crust when I removed it. Still soupy after 45 minutes in the oven.
Wish me luck!
Looking forward to success this time!
★★★★
I wish you success too! Not sure what the problem could be. I do always use large eggs and a 9-inch pan without difficulty so I’m not sure what the problem could be. I’ll add the suggestion to grease the foil to the recipe, thank you.
Made this for Easter dessert – delicious! I agree with Peggy on spraying the foil as mine also pulled a smidge of the top off. I did use a springform pan, and I used olive oil in the recipe – it did take about 55 minutes to bake – was very soupy at 35 and still a tad runny in the middle at 45. Otherwise, all good – making this again this coming weekend for a friends birthday, as almond cake is her favorite, as well as anything french!
★★★★★
So happy you enjoyed this cake. Thanks for your tips!
Can this cake be frozen
★★★★★
Yes, just make sure the cake is completely cooled before freezing.
This French almond cake is delicious except both granulated sugar for the cake & powdered sugar for the glaze are
too much too sweet. I even reduced the granulated sugar from 11/2 cups to 11/3 cup , still came out overly sweet.
You might also want to consider reduced the 3/4 cup of oil to lesser amount for healthier reason. Just my humble opinion
Thank you.
Thanks ML, for taking the time to leave a comment. It’s good to know that you can reduce the sugar and still have the cake come out great. That’s wonderful for those who don’t care for sweet desserts!
Agree! The cake was delicious, but a tad bit too sweet. The sugar slight light overpowered the almond flavor. I will lessen the sugar next time.
I baked the French Almond cake yesterday, it’s’ delicious & step by step easy to read instruction.
My humble opinion are the recipe might need to go easy with both the granulated sugar for the cake &
Powdered sugar for glaze. I even reduced the 1 1/2 cups of sugar to 1 1/3 cup for the cake, it ‘s still overly sweet.
You might want to consider reduce 3/4 cup if sunflower oil to lesser amount too for healthier reasons.
Thank you.
I’m planning to do my son’s wedding cake in June and I was thinking of trying this cake for one of the tiers.Can this cake be baked a week ahead of the desired date please?
Wow, you’re so smart Margaret! Yes, I think this cake would be fine baked in advance but I would definitely freeze it. Let it cool completely, after baking, then freeze till solid, then wrap tightly in foil.
This recipe truly is a gift! I’ve made this cake four times now and I am always asked for the recipe. I double the glaze. It is my favorite cake!
Our’s too Darcie! There’s a related one to this on the blog and it’s lemon – yum!
Just made this. Not only did it make my kitchen smell fantastic, the cake itself is fabulous. I have a question though, when it the orange zest used in the recipe? I just added it to the glaze. Did I miss something?
Thank you for all of your recipes.
So glad you enjoyed it Yasmin! Yes, it will fill your house with the best smell as it’s baking! Thanks for your “eagle eyes” on the zest. I’ve added it to the glaze as it should be.
This will be the second time I’ve made this in 2 weeks–it is truly divine and everyone raves about it. I use coconut oil because that is what I always bake with and I believe it imparts a lovely richness to it. I’m also making your sourdough rolls to add to our Christmas dinner, they are also a hit with people. Thank you and Merry Christmas…
Yum, I bet the coconut oil makes a delicious difference! Merry Christmas to you!
Where can I find almond flour
Most larger speciality grocery stores have it in their baking section with all the other standard flours Eli. You can also find it at Whole Foods, Trader Jo’s, Fresh Market and others.
Can I substitute all-purpose GF flour for the regular flour?
Hi Dianne, I haven’t tried this and I’m not an expert on GF flour baking. Sorry I can’t be more helpful!
Hi! I just discovered your site. Everything looks amazing! I have a question about the glaze on this awesome looking French Almond cake. I’m having a hard time imagining that there isn’t more liquid in the glaze recipe;. 3 tablespoons plus 2.5 tsps seems like such a small amount to 3/4 cup powdered sugar. Is that correct? Thanks in advance! 😉
Hi Lisa, welcome to The Café! Thanks for your kind words.
Yes, the amount of liquid is correct. I can see why you might have thought it wasn’t right but you’ll be surprised when you mix it up as it comes out just perfect. Hope you enjoy the cake. This one is also wonderful and based off of the same recipe:http://thecafesucrefarine.com/2015/04/french-grandmothers-lemon-yogurt-cake/
I have made this cake two times so far, with great success. It is so tasty and moist and has gotten rave reviews. It really is so delicious!
One hint for others though, might be to use a “deeper” 9″ round cake pan, as opposed to the “standard”. My first attempt was with a standard pan and the cake rose up and over the sides (thankfully on foil), unfortunately losing a lot of the batter. This second time, though, I used a 9″ round spring-form cake pan and it was perfect. The cake, of course, was higher, without losing so much batter. I’m making it for a third time this week and looking forward to enjoying it again. Thanks, Chris!
★★★★★
Hi, Chris! The cake looks beautiful! I want to turn this into a layer cake. What do you think? I have two 9″ round cake pans, would I be able to divide the batter and get good results? I’m planning on making an orange curd for the filling and a strawberry grand marnier buttercream. Is this cake suitable for layering/stacking? Thank you very much!
Hi Daniel,
I’m not sure how this would work as a layer cake since I haven’t tried that. If you try it, let us know!
Thanks for sharing the recipe. Would you be able to tell me how much the batter rises during baking? I’m planning to bake it in some small silicone molds and wouldn’t want to over- or under-fill them.
Thanks!
Hi Irina! Fill the molds about 2/3 full. Hope you enjoy them!
Hiya Chris!
Thanks for sharing your Almond Cake Recipe! It’s absolutely gorgeous! I followed your recipe and served it to my kids last Easter and they just loved it! Its a shame really that Almonds are not in season right now. I’ll definitely make this again this fall.
Best Wishes
★★★★★
I just want to say that I am so glad I found your site. I just had a feeling that your recipes were not only delicious, but that they would look and turn out as beautifully as pictured. I was not wrong. I made the French Almond Cake for my nephew’s birthday since for as long as I can remember, he loves almond flavored things. The cake was a hit. Many commented on how “elegant” it looked. I was happy that it turned out exactly as pictured and that it tasted so very good. I also made your Chocolate Bundt Cake with Carmel Glaze (just in case someone did not like almond) and it was equally as delicious. I have baked for many years and I have to say, these will now join my list of “go to” cakes.
I have one question for you about both cakes. Could I safely shave back the sugar and get the same results? It’s not that they are overly sweet, it is just that my family doesn’t go for a lot of sweetness in desserts. I don’t want to do anything to ruin how lovely these cakes are in texture, and worry about how much to cut without sacrificing all that is good about them.
★★★★★
Gina, we’re so glad that both recipes worked for you! You can try to lower the sugar a little, but with baking, it’s tricky. If you have the time, experiment a little with it – and let us know!
I just took out my third cake in 3 weeks. It is wonderful. i have used coconut oil and it seems to add a little additional richness. Thanks for a great keeper recipe!
Andra, that’s a great idea! I bet it tastes awesome!
I just printed the recipe, but I don’t see how many sliced almonds to use. Thanks.
Congratulations to you and your family, Chris! We are welcoming a new baby boy into our family next month also. We will have three grandsons then! We need to stay one step ahead, as your mother said 😉 I love the simplicity of these lovely cake. My kind of treat!
A new little angel to spoil how fun! Congratulations and many blessings. Also thank you for sharing this beautiful cake.
★★★★★
Thanks Sandra! He has been a little gem this first two weeks! A good sleeper!
It looks beautiful and I am sure it is sooo tasty!!!
★★★★★
It’s delicious Elena – I wish I had a piece right now!!
What a fabulous cake, and that orange glaze makes it so special!
Thanks Laura! The zest brings such a vibrant, fresh taste and balances out the yummy almond flavor.
Yum! Your cake looks amazing and I am saving this recipe for a future cake to take to work. It is simply beautiful.
It’s a go-to simple recipe that everyone loves around here Jennifer!
Dear Chris, congratulations on your new grand-child!!! Fabulous news! Can´t wait for those pictures (and the name, of course)!
Your almond cake is picture perfect, all elegant and Christmassy – love the look and the ingredients!
Andrea
Thanks Andrea! We’ll share some very soon!
Hi Chris, Congrats to you!!! grandbabies are so wonderful!! Love the flavors of this cake, so simple but so much flavor.
★★★★★
Thanks so much Cheri! We are loving having him so close to where we live.
That’s a wow! I’m imagining a slice heated up in the toaster oven for breakfast with my cup of cafe, how French!
Ooh!! Don’t get me going Sue!! And don’t tell Scott, he’ll think we need it every morning!!
What a gorgeous cake, Chris! I bet it is moist as well because of the yogurt. I will surprise my husband with this cake one of these days.
★★★★★
Thanks Denise! I think Scott would take this cake anytime I make it!
Congratulations on the newest addition to your family!! Love this cake. Simply perfect 🙂
Thanks Jennifer. If you’ve ever made the French Grandmother’s Cake, you’ll love this one!
Congratulations! And the cake looks amazing, like usual. I love that is made out of ingredients one always has in the pantry so you can whip it up at any moment.
Yes, it’s pretty traditional ingredients Adina, which makes it easy to throw together!
Congratulations on the new family member, Chris!
Tender and moist…that’s how a great cake should be. I love it!
Thanks Angie!
That’s beautiful and add moist and tender and sign my name on the list! I’ll need something special once this week is over. 🙂 xxoo
★★★★★
A little cake really does make things special, doesn’t it Maureen?
I will never be the gendarmerie to you both!
This looks fantastic:) I love almond everything..
I thought of you driving on the highway through both Carolinas:) US 95.. Looked like fall was in the air..and cotton in the fileds..
Cannot wait to hear more about bébé..number ..6?!♥
Hehe! Thanks Monique! Fall is definitely in the air here. Cool, crisp mornings and beautiful colors. The leaves are almost completely off our front tree, which held on for a long time this year!
Sounds dreamy, I love almond anything 🙂 Congrats on your new bundle!
Thanks Jenna! He’s a real cutie and changing every day!
Oh my goodness your cake looks wonderful. I have a nephew that is crazy about all things almond. I am putting this on my list.
Congrats on the new baby.
★★★★★
Thanks Madonna! He’ll love it!
CONGRATULATIONS!!! I know you all are very excited on the arrival of another little one.
This looks so good and moist.
★★★★★
Thanks Charlotte! The cake is very moist and brimming with almond flavor!
Congratulations Grandma! Can’t wait to see the new little boy. Love almond cake – French or not I can dig it!
Thanks Tricia! We are so excited to have a new one close by.
Congrats on the addition to y’alls family Chris – a baby is definitely a good reason to be behind!
And wow – what a stunner this cake is – simply delicious!
Thanks Shashi! He’s a real little cutie, and I’m smitten already!