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This French Almond Cake is incredibly delicious and incredibly easy. One-bowl, no-mixer and 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
Ingredients
For the almonds:
- ½ cups sliced almonds
For the glaze:
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- ¾ cup powdered sugar plus more for sprinkling
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
For the cake:
- ¾ cup plain yogurt or Greek yogurt
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1½ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup almond flour, not almond meal
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ cup sunflower oil, grape seed or canola oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Spray a 9-inch round cake pan (with at least 2 inch tall sides) 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 (these will be used at the end to top the cake).
- 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 the 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 the toasted almonds over the top of cake while glaze is wet and pat gently. Allow cake to cool completely. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Fantastic cake.
One question. I had to cook it for quite a bit longer. I use a fan oven and dropped the temperature to accommodate this. Was that correct?
Hi Jan, so happy you enjoyed this cake. Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Regarding your question, what you did was correct in reducing the temp for a fan oven, however, every oven is so different so it's best to use the baking time as a suggestion. The best way to determine doneness with a cake is with an instant thermometer- the temperature when a cake perfectly done is 200-210˚F or 93-98˚C.
My daughter, daughter in law and myself just baked the same cake. The baking times were different in different ovens.
I have been making this cake for over 2 years and it the BEST! Quick, easy
AND delicious! Cant beat that combo
Thanks
Hi Linda, Thanks for letting us know how well this recipe works for you. It's great to hear when friends of the Café make our recipes on repeat! Hope you continue to enjoy it!
Wonderful cake! Always my go to for dinner parties. Can I use gluten free flour instead of all purpose?
Hi Trish, I haven't tested this recipe with gluten-free flour but most of our cake, scone and biscuit recipes work well with GF flour.
I make this with gluten free all purpose flour and it turns out perfectly.
Just wow!! This is the easiest yummiest almond cake I’ve ever tried.
Awesome! Thanks for the review, Houda!
Hello,
I made this cake a couple of years ago and it was delicious. I am hoping to make it for my mom's birthday on Monday night and am wondering if you have any make ahead suggestions. I was considering baking Sunday and then reheating (15 mins @ 350 covered in tin foil) and then glazing on Monday right before serving but then saw that the glaze keeps it moist so I'm wondering if it's best to make the whole thing Sunday and serve cold Monday.
Any suggestions would be appreciated! Thank you.
Hi Lucy, I think it will work just fine to bake it on Sunday and glaze it on Monday. The glaze will then be nice and fresh!
How can I make this in a loaf pan
Hi Shaima, I haven't personally made this cake in a loaf pan but I think a 9x5-inch pan should work fine.
I made it for my father’s birthday, subbed the oil with olive oil. It is phenomenal- everyone loved it! I will be making it over and over again! What a treat
Wonderful! Thanks for letting us know, Lyna!
I make this cake for every party where I’m asked to bake. I also made it has holiday gifts one year. It is absolute perfection and easy peasy!
That's awesome, Carolina! Thanks for the kind review!
I don’t see my post from yesterday telling everyone how good this cake is!!
I have been playing around with “chocolatizing” it - I did not change the flours but added 100 gms melted chocolate and 3 Tbsp cocoa and it turned out perfectly and chocolatey!
That's great! Thanks for letting us know, Linda!
BEST ever! I bet i have made this cake 25x s. Always to raving results!
Going to try adding melted chocolate for another version!
THANKS
Awesome! Thanks for the review, Linda!
I have not made this yet. Can light olive oil be used instead of the sunflower oil?
Hi Sarah, sure, that will work well. You might get a bit more olive oil flavor but there's nothing bad about that!
Thanks! I will try it.
Delicious cake! I was wondering if it is ok to freeze this cake?
Thanks, Ysabelle! Yes, this freezes well!
I made this cake again today but with a little twist. I had no oranges so instead, I used a bit of cranberry juice, powdered sugar, vanilla & almond extract for an improvise glaze. It was absolutely delicious! Thank you for your delicious recipes!
Sounds delicious, Giovani! Thanks for the review!
This is the easiest, best and most delicious recipe in my recipe box. I sub regular flour with gluten free all purpose flour and follow the recipe to the T. Orange or lemon are my go to flavours. It is simply the best!
Awesome! Thanks for the review, Rebecca!
Would this cake be ok without the glaze?
How big of a pan do I need for this? I am only making for 2-4 people though. I am thinking of doing an apricot glaze and adding the orange zest in cake batter, will that work?
Would this cake be ok without the glaze?
Hi Sam, the glaze does seal the moisure in so the cake stays fresh a little longer but it's delicious without the glaze!
Hi Rinki, you need a 9 inch round cake pan. And that sounds delicious!
This looks wonderful! Can the sponge be made into a layer cake for a birthday?
Hi Nikki, yes, that will work well!
First of all, this is a great, easy cake. I put the extra orange zest not used in the glaze in the batter; yum.
Secondly, I made a mistake and used an 8 inch cake pan, got almost all the batter in and said "gee this doesn't look right" before looking again to see it should have been a 9"pan! I just prepared my 9" pan, scraped the batter in, and it still worked out.
Also I made the Ridiculously Easy Lemon Buttermilk Cake for my Mom's birthday and nearly messed that up; the batter was in the pan and in the oven for a second. I looked over and there was the oil & butter mixture still on the counter! Scraped the batter back in the bowl, added the oil/butter, wiped out the pan, put in new parchment, baked it off and it was perfect!
I've always been a fairly good baker, but now I live and care for my 93 and 96 year old parents; they are a blessing and a distraction! But my goal is to keep them in their home as long as I can. Every night a 8:00 they have a dessert, and I appreciate being able to make a home made not from a mix desserts for them when I can. Happy to have found your website
Wonderful! Thank you for sharing this, Nancy!
I am not a huge cake person but this cake is so good! It is a moist, dense cake (the texture reminds me of pound cake), and the flavor is amazing.
Awesome! Thanks for the review, Krista!
Loved this recipe! Very clear instructions, and that no mixer was needed. It was a huge hit with my father, who I have it to as an early Christmas present. Will definitely be making this again! Thank you so much!
Thank you for the review, Karen!
I cant give stars yet,i baked it for christmas.so im going to freeeze it.The thing i would like to say is that it took 1 hour and 20 minutes before the center stopped beeing gooey.It did not burn and i baged it in a spring form,and it s been 30 something years since i baked a cake.
I had a sigh of relief when the center finally,cooked.I am not a baker,and after this SIMPLE cake to make,i m now sure i m not a baker....
We will know at christmas
Merry Chrismas and thank you for the recipe
HI Mireille, I'm so happy that this worked out for you although it took longer than expected. You did the right thing to bake it longer. Every oven is different. A good way to ensure doneness is with an instant thermometer which should read 200-205˚F. Hope everyone enjoys it!
Could I make this in 3 small loaf pans? Would love to give as gifts!
Thank you!
Yes! That would work!
I made this cake for the first time as a birthday treat at a family meal. As I have recently become gluten intolerant I took a risk and substituted the flour with oat flour and it worked perfectly! If anyone else wants to try that as well, the recommendation is to substitute weight for weight rather than volume. I will definitely make again. Thank you,
Wonderful! Thanks for the review, Helen!
*****
Wow, this is totally a Five Star cake! I've made it a dozen times and it's always a huge hit.
I forgot to add; I use a 9" Springform pan and add 2 tablespoons orange zest and 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice to the cake and use sour cream instead of yogurt. Everybody's favorite cake! Thank you!
Awesome! Thanks for the review, Sharon!
This looks really good. I have a question. Can you bake this in a springform pan? I am just wondering if the batter is thick enough for that?
Thanks!
Hi Marlena, I haven't tried baking this in a springform pan. My experience with springforms is that some of them tend to leak more than others. I would hate for you to end up with a mess in your oven.
I made this today and it was delicious! My kids and hubby loved it! Thank you for this and our all time face Farmhouse buttermilk cake!! ❤️ from Montana!
Wonderful! Thank you for the review!
This almond cake is amazingly good! I substituted the flour for gluten free, and it is still fabulous! Thank you Lindsay!
Awesome! Thank you for the review, Kristina!
This is my go-to recipe for an elegant, super easy dessert. It is a family and guest favorite, and always on the dessert table at holidays and family gatherings. Easy to make ahead.
Thank you for the review, Lou Ann!
the cake was so good
Thanks, Jill!
I was going to make this cake the day before we have visitors.Is ok to glaze it or
Should I do it on the day?
Hi Theresa, it's fine to glaze it right after you make it.
This cake right here was very delightful. The flavors were very good and complemented each other everything was just right. It was the first time, and I can tell you right now it will be on repeat for the holidays. thank you for sharing this recipe.
Wonderful! Thank you for the review, Jillene!
Dear Chris,
Just wanted to thank you for this 5 star recipe. I served this at a luncheon with your strawberry coulis and a dollop of soft ice cream custard.Outstanding!! Another hit and I have received many compliments baking the various cakes and homemade jams!
Please keep them coming.
So glad to hear that, Sandy! Thanks for the review!
I have made this cake once before and it was fantastic! Making it again this weekend and I'm wondering if I can substitute olive oil for the other type of oil recommended in the recipe? I know olive oil can change the taste a bit (which I don't mind) but I just don't want to ruin the cake!
Hi Sara, yes that will work. The cake will be a bit heavier and you'll note the taste of olive oil but I think it will be delicious!
Hi, in this recipe can I use ground almonds instead of almond flour which I can’t source in Spain? Also buttermilk is impossible to find here, I’m sure - in the past - I’ve seen a tip on how to make it, can you remind me please ? Thank you Lynda
Hi Lynda, hello all the way to Spain!
Regarding your questions, you could use ground almonds, just make sure they are finely ground and that the almonds are blanched (without the skins).
You won't need buttermilk for this recipe, just yogurt!
Thank you for replying so quickly, I will leave a comment when I’ve baked the cake!! As for the buttermilk, I’ve seen a few of your recipes including buttermilk that I’d like to try if I could have your tip on how to make it please! Cheers 🤗 Lynda
Hi Lynda, to make buttermilk: add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to a measuring cup. Fill it the rest of the way to one cup mark with whole milk and let it stand for 10 minutes. That's it!
I madd this for an Easter dessert that I brought to the host's home. It was outstanding and one of the best desserts I have ever made. I followed the recipe EXACTLY and it came out as beautiful as the photos above and tasted delicious. I can't wait to try some of the other recipes on your site. Thank you for making me look so good!
Wonderful! Thank you for the kind review, Barbara!
Hello again, Chris
If I want to bake this cake in loaf pans, is that possible? If so, any recommendations on loaf pan size, temp and baking time?
Thanks!
Hi Nazish, I think it should work fine in a loaf pan. I would use an 8x5 loaf pan. Since I haven't tested it in a loaf pan, I can't give you the exact baking time. The best way to determine doneness with a cake is to use an instant thermometer. The temp in the center should be between 200 and 205˚F.
This cake rose beautifully and was so delicious. I will make it again and again.
Wonderful! Thank you for the review, Suzie!
Hello Suzie,
Could you please tell me if the cake pan you used was a nonstick darker pan, or was it some other metal? My cake never rises to the height it's supposed to and I'm trying to figure out why that is. Thanks!
Hi Nazish, I use OXO Good Grip baking pans.
A friend brought a lemon cake to our party, it was so delicious, I asked her for the recipe. She kindly sent it to me but sent me your recipe for french orange almond cake with yogurt. I am trying not to bother her again, so I am asking you. If I substitute the orange rind and juice with lemon rind and juice, should I omit the almond extract in the cake batter? I notice your grandma lemon cake does not include almond extract. Will the lemon and almond extract fight each other?
I wonder if it was the French Grandmother cake that she brought?? If you decide to sub lemon in the orange cake I would skip the almond. Almond is really nice with orange but I would let the lemon flavor shine if you decide on that.
Hello. I was wondering if I can substitute regular all purpose flour for gluten free or whole wheat flour?
Hi Sara, I haven't tested this recipe with GF or WW flour but some of our readers have reported good succes using cup for cup GF AP flour.
I use King Arthur’s Measure 1:1 gluten free flour and it comes out perfect
Thanks so much LB!
This has become my go-to cake! I have made it a half dozen times, and it is always excellent. I get lots of compliments! Thank you very much for sharing.
Awesome! Thanks for leaving a review, Robyn!
Hello
It's a tasty cake
I make it yesterday and it was really amazing
Thank you
Thanks so much for sharing your review, Jeanne! So happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Sounds delicious own! How far ahead can I make this without freezing it?
Hi Elizabeth, I think this cake is best on the day it's made but you could store it for an additional day at room temperature.
I’ve baked this cake so many times now, and a few times on request from my neighbors! It’s absolutely delicious and the perfect fall dessert.
I had a question, why doesn’t my cake have the height yours does? I’m following your recipe to a T but I never get that height. What am I doing wrong?
So happy everyone has enjoyed it!
Regarding your question, it's hard to say. Could be that your pan is a little bigger or even your baking powder is different ??
Not sure, Chris. I mean, I use the Walmart brand baking powder, not sure if that makes any difference. The pan though, I'll have to double-check to see what size it is. I've had it for years and I just use it without thinking. Thank you for the prompt reply, though! Making two of these beauties again today, as hostess gifts. I'll update you about the cake pan.
I have made this recipe many times as written, but thought I would comment that I have also had good success making it gluten free. I just substitute Bob's One to One gluten free flour for the AP flour. It doesn't have exactly the same consistency, but it tastes great and the gluten free people in my life love when I provide it! Just thought I would share in case that would be helpful for other bakers.
That's great to know, Lori! Thanks for your review 🙂
A delicious light and tasty cake. I used gluten free flour and it worked perfectly. Thank you
Thanks for letting us know, Sarah! So glad you enjoyed it!
Made it and it looks lovely. Could I freeze it once finished with glaze and almonds? Thanks.
Yes, you can do that, Barbara!
I made this cake all the time for my family and especially if i am pressed for time. It’s the best, no fuss type if desert. I cut the sugar by at least 1/3 and no one noticed the difference when I started doing this. I use a spring form pan to make it really easy to unmold the cake. .
Thanks for your review, Violette!
Can I use 1-1 gluten free flour for the all purpose flour
Yes, that will work! Enjoy, Liz!
Could I sub sour cream for the yogurt?
Yes! Enjoy, Heather!
Ahah! THAT'S where I got it wrong - I read 12 servings. Full disclosure - I had two of the super-sized servings at dessert tonight! Half has gone into the freezer, and a 1/4 has gone to my son who dropped by for supper, so it's all put away at this point and I'm not in danger of binging on it.
It's the best cake I've ever made - bar none!
Thanks for letting us know, Peg!
Amazing recipe! Have been making this cake recipe for a few years since we found it during COVID when the world was quarantined! I've had to adjust the time because my oven doesn't stay hot 🙁 I find after 40mins of baking, it's still wet in the center. But with some extra time and using cake strips helps make with baking an even cake.
Thank you this delicious recipe!
Thanks, Marianne!
Addictive for sure! Scrumptious - but oh my - full of sugar and oil, so I don't really believe the published calorie count.
Haha, it does seem too good to be true, Peg! However, the serving size is small and the calorie count is correct if you cut the cake into 16 servings. So happy you enjoyed it!
Chris: I made this magical cake for an Oscar watch party. I wish there were a Best Dessert category, because this would have won! Everyone loved it. I used extra light taste olive oil and plain nonfat Greek yogurt and it turned out great. I use butter to grease the pan so there's not too much olive oil. Thank you for another wonderful recipe.
That's awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Sheila!
Happy Thursday Chris!
I baked cupcakes using the French Almond Cake recipe and they came out just as delicious as the cake! I used icing on half of the cupcakes and left the other half plain. They are simply moist, sweet and addictive! Thank you!:)
That's great to know! Thanks, Lupita!
This French Almond Cake is Wonderful, Beautiful, Soft and Super Delicious!!! I used grapeseed oil because I didn't have sunflower Oil, but the taste is amazing! I also reduced the sugar by half a cup and substituted the vanilla extract with Nielsen-Massey *No sugar added* Pure Vanilla Extract. Thank you so much for sharing.
P.S. Presentation of the cake is Fabulous!
Thank you, Lupita! So glad you enjoyed this.
I recently made this for a friend’s Bday party served with unsweetened whipped cream & fresh raspberries - a huge it! Made it a week ahead; froze it well wrapped without the glaze & almonds. Brought it to room temperature before finishing the day of the party. As with other commenters, my oven temp is spot on but I found it took an hour or more for this cake to be done; it also “deflated” slightly in the center when tested with an instant read thermometer after 45-50 minutes. Won’t do that again! I used full fat plain greek yogurt - the recipe doesn’t indicate a recommended fat content so wondering if that caused the longer bake time. (I recently noticed a comment here that suggested using room temperature eggs and yogurt and adjusting the oven temp.) I baked a second time dividing the batter equally in two standard size glass loaf pans. This resulted in 2 smaller cakes about 2 inches high that baked perfectly in 40-45 minutes. I lined the loaf pan bottom and 2 long sides with parchment paper to easily lift the cakes from the pans. It was perfect for a small group using half the glaze and almonds. I froze one unglazed loaf sliced in smaller portions that I can defrost and enjoy with an afternoon cup of coffee or tea. Delicious even without the glaze!
Thank you for your review, Maria!
Hi, Chris! I cannot wait to try this... Our store sells what it describes as almond flour/meal... Is that OK to use, or should I look elsewhere for almond flour. Thank you!
Hi Sheila, I would look and see if it's made from blanched almonds or almonds with skins. You want an almond flour that's simply blanched (which means the skins have been removed) almonds.
Thank you!!!
This is a fabulous recipe. J have made it five times in the past mo th. It is so simple but delicious. I have made following the recipe exactly. I have also subbed gluten free all purpose flour for the all purpose flour. This year I made it to give to friends for Christmas instead of cookie trays. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! I know I will be making it for years to come.
Wonderful! Thank you for letting us know, Alice!
Hi There! Looking to make this for my great aunt for Christmas. I'm always put on dessert duty, and when I asked her what she wanted she asked for anything 'almond'! At 84 years old, she gets to pick! Just wondering how it affects the flavour to bake and glaze and then freeze? Will I regret making this in advance? Holidays are just so busy! Or would I bake, glaze, decorate and free?
Hi Lisa, this is a great almond cake for your aunt! It freezes very well. I would freeze it uncovered for one hour or until it's pretty solidly frozen. Then wrap well. Freezing it uncovered at first will keep it from getting flattened by the wrapping.
I made this cake a month or so ago for a family gathering and it was gone in 30 minutes. A huge hit !! Thank you so much. I will be making it again for the holidays.
That's great, Terry! Thanks for letting us know!
Hi Chris,
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Sadly, I can't eat gluten and wondering if I shouldI try this recipe with just almond flour?
Hi Mer, I haven't personally made this cake with 100% almond flour so I can't guarantee this will work. That being said, other readers have reported success with using all almond flour. You could also try an all-purpose GF flour plus the almond flour.
Thank You Chris.
Thank you so much for making this recipe available. I made it for my family. Everyone loved it. It was so easy to make and is such a great light dessert to have after a heavy meal or with a cup of tea or coffee. I will be making it frequently!
Wonderful! Thank you for letting us know, Helen!
I tried to bake the cake this afternoon, and I thought it was cooked through, but once I took it out of the pan onto the cooling rack, the entire center oozed out. So, I’m baking it again this evening. I’m past 45 minutes now, and the middle has domed, burst open and is very wet. I’ve covered the cake and am trying to bake it more. Any other advice? I had the oven preheated to 350, so I’m not sure why this is happening.
Hi Lan, I'm so sorry you had trouble with this recipe. It's pretty much impossible to say what went wrong without having been right there in the kitchen with you. This cake usually bakes up very nicely.
I’ve had this happen multiple times. I love the cake but I’ve had very inconsistent results when it comes to the baking time. Don’t know what that’s about!
Hi Cassie, so sorry you've had difficulty with this recipe. You may want to try testing the cake for doneness with an instant thermometer to ensure success. The temp should be 200-205˚F.
This recipe looks amazing! I do want to make this for the holidays! I have a question. If you don't have a round cake pan, can you bake it in a glass loaf pan? It's just that I'm not really in a position right now to buy a lot of new baking equipment.
Thanks!
Hi Marlena, I think that should work fine. It will take a little longer to bake. If the sides seem to be getting too brown, you could wrap the pan with a piece of foil toward the end. I can't give you the exact amount of time since I haven't tested this recipe in a loaf pan but you could use the toothpick test or an instant thermometer. The temp should be 200-205˚F when the bread is done.
Thank you Chris! I'm excited to give this a go! I will try to remember to reply back after I bake it to let you know how it turns out.
I cook and bake a lot though I have never before left a comment on a recipe - but YUM! This is the almond cake recipe I have been looking for … and I have tried several.
Sweet but not to sweet, moist but light, subtle citrus flavour and enough almond flavour.
Tick Tick Tick.
Thank you - definitely adding to my recipe collection.
Thanks for letting us know, Bel!
This looks really good but I was wondering if it was possible to substitute out the sunflower oil for butter and if so, equal amounts?
Someone at the party I am cooking it for is allergic to sunflower.
Hi Joe, it would be better to substitute the oil for a different type of oil as that's what makes the cake really moist. You could use safflower oil, canola, vegetable, avocado, or grape seed oils.
The cake is delicious and moist. The glaze really made it special. My cake rose in the middle so it didn't lay flat. I don't think my 9" cake pan is a full 2 inches in height. Could that be the reason? I'm definitely making this again but will buy a cake pan that's deeper. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Nini, yes, not using a 2-inch cake pan could cause the cake to rise in the center. It normally rises a little in the center but when you flip it over, it's nice and flat. If you want a perfectly flat cake you can use cake strips around the pan while the cake is baking: https://amzn.to/3pyKk9g
I made this for a friend’s 40th birthday and oh my gosh, it was amazing. Everyone at the party raved about the cake, including the birthday girl. It took longer to bake than the recipe said, closer to an hour, but so worth it. Definitely 5 stars.
Thank you for sharing your results, Trinity! So glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Can you use a mixer for this?
Yes, you can, Bernadette.
How do you store this cake?
Hi Panagiota, you can store it on the counter covered for a day or two, but after that, I would freeze it. Enjoy!
Sorry if this is a silly question, but what is the difference between almond flour and almond meal? I want to make sure I use the correct product! Thanks.
Hi Kamini, almond meal and almond flour are both made from ground almonds, almond meal has the skins on and almond flour has blanched and peeled almonds. Almond flour is also more finely ground. We recommend almond flour for this cake!
You posted this some time ago but I just found it yesterday. It's absolutely DELISH. I followed the advice of one of your commenters, I too usually find things "too sweet" so I cut the sugar down to 1C. I baked in a 9" springform pan for 35mins. Perhaps a couple of minutes too long for my oven, but it's sooo good. In fact, I'm off to get another slice! Thank you for this recipe!
Thanks for letting us know, Mari!
I made this cake last night. I had a slice with my coffee this morning. It is delicious.
It takes 2 bowls to make it — one for the glaze and one for the batter. 😉 I used a toothpick to poke holes in the cake to encourage the glaze to saturate the cake. It worked great. Extremely moist and tasty.
Thanks, Cynthia!
I've made this cake before and it is wonderful! I am making it again tomorrow for Mother's Day and was wondering if I could add some blueberries to the batter - would that change the texture and/or change the baking time?
Thanks much
Hi Susie, blueberries would be delicious. It may take a bit longer. I would check the temperature with an instant thermometer. It should read 200-205˚F in the center of the cake when it's done.
Hi Chris and Happy Easter!
I made this cake this morning for my husband and I to enjoy for an Easter treat. It did not disappoint. So moist and delicious and it is so pretty on the plate. I followed your recipe exactly as written and it turned out just like yours! My husband said he wants this cake for his Birthday 🙂
Thanks for sharing another great recipe.
Trisha Smith
That's awesome, Trisha! Thanks for letting us know!
This cake is moist and delicious. I made two small cakes from this recipe, a 6" Bundt and a 6 1/2" kugelhopf shaped cake. They looked and tasted great. I enjoy making smaller cakes so I can give one away and keep one. I wish I could attach a picture for you to see. They really looked beautiful! Thank you for another great recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it, Christine! Thanks for letting us know!
Made this recipe last night. It was beautiful, moist & decadent. It did burn quickly @ abt 28mins but once covered with tin foil it did not significantly change the taste or texture. Froze 1/2 to try @ another time. In Australia, a 300g pkt of almond flour is $10. Expensive!
Thanks for letting us know, Leslie!
This cake was a very good cake with excellent flavors, but didn't use nearly enough ground almonds for it to feel like a proper almond cake. Texturally, it was very much just a normal flour-based cake which was very disappointing. The order the instructions are written in is also not efficient, and the bake times listed for both the almond topping and the batter were extremely off.
So happy you enjoyed it!!
I made this cake for a company dinner as it is always so beautiful and easy to make. This time, for some reason the cake fell in the middle. When I tested it with a toothpick it came out clean and the edges were brown. Help!! What did I do wrong? I used almond flour, large eggs, plain (0% fat) yogurt. Followed the recipe to a “T”
I'm sorry you had trouble with this cake, Susan. It's so hard to say what went wrong without being in the kitchen with you. Give it another try 🙂
I don’t think you can use zero fat yogourt for this recipe!! The fat is needed!
Where can I buy this cake in New York City? Will travel for food.
Hi Elle, this is a recipe I created for this blog. You can make it in your very own kitchen 😊
Amazing recipe! I have made this recipe with lots of variations. I usually use gluten-free flour and when I do it still comes out perfectly. I sometimes use sour cream instead of yogurt. I have also made other recipes from this website. Thank you for the excellent recipes, Cafe Sucre Farine!
Thanks for letting us know, Gianna!
A perfect recipe. First time I made it, I didn’t have orange juice, so I simply used water and orange flavoring. The cake turned out to be delicious. Second time, I had all the ingredients. Orange zest and juice in glaze took it to another level. It also the cake that anyone who tries it , asks for the recipe. This speaks for itself. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Thank you so much, Rose!
This Cake is one of the BEST cakes i have ever baked!! The recipe is dead ON!! You MUST FOLLOW EXACTLY what the steps are!!! I made this cake for my Hubby's 40th birthday and he absolutely LOVED it. It's texture is so soft and moist and the flavour is very authentic!!!! He is asking me to make this cake once a month now!!!! 🙂 My Mother is a Master Chef and she absolutely approved and fell in love with this cake as well !!! THANK YOU MERCI BEAUCOUP for sharing this AMAZING recipe!!
Awesome! Thank you so much for your review, Madame M!
Hi, turned out great, I did split it into 2 pans. Has anyone tried freezing, I have so much leftover! thanks.
Hi Susan, this freezes well!
I just made this cake. My almonds were roasted after 3 mins so would have definitely been burnt after 15 minutes! Also, as others mentioned, the center of the cake was still very runny after 45 minutes. I put a foil over the top after 40 minutes and kept baking it until the center was cooked. Probably over an hour. I think next time I will use a Bundt pan as others did.
Hi Kat, so sorry you had trouble with this cake. It's hard to say what went wrong without having been right there in the kitchen with you. Unless your oven is way off, it shouldn't take an hour to bake this cake.
It still was very moist and flavorful after the hour baking so it was worth the wait! I have a feeling it may have been the almond flour vs almond meal. To be honest I am not sure what I ended up using as I bought it in bulk at my local organic store and it was labeled ground almonds. I made the cake for my friend’s birthday and she absolutely loved it and so did my husband so will definitely make it again. It turned out nice and flat and looked just like the image so I am happy!!
Thanks for the update, Kat! Glad it turned out!
Could this recipe be used to make a layer cake?
That should work, Macy!
Can I still make this if I don’t have any yogurt on hand?
You can substitute buttermilk or sour cream for the yogurt, Kimia.
Not sure what I did wrong. Thought I was precise in all areas and yet even with extra baking time, my cake was a mess in center. I am so disappointed as I was so delighted with everyones comment. It was for dessert tonight, but guess I will have to figure something out. Mayabe just slice the edges ;-(
Hi Sheila, I'm so sorry you had trouble with this cake. I hate wasting good ingredients. It's hard to say what went wrong without being in the kitchen with you. It's been a huge hit with our readers, if you try it again, let us know!
Hi Chris,
thank you for this wonderful recipe. I have made it on a few occasions and last Sunday took it to an evening cafe-style service. It was so well received by all who love almonds and I had many comments on how lovely it was. Considering how easy and quick it is to make this cake, and that is delicious to look at, too, it has become one of my staples. Everybody loves it.
Shame, that we won't be able to put it on the menu for our cafe, due to almonds and nut allergies. But I noticed you have just published a recipe for a Fall Spice Cake with Maple Glaze and will try that. I have no doubt it will be much loved, too. We are doing a trial run for our cafe menu and I will suggest this as a staple. Thank you for all the inspiration you have been/are! Love and blessings, Karin x
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review, Karin! I think you will love the Fall Spice Cake too!
Is it possible to substitute goat yogurt for Greek yogurt? I an making it for lactose intolerant. Also, how much would it affect the cake if it is made with all-purpose flour in place of part almond & part all-purpose?
Hi M.J., yes you could use goat yogurt in place of Greek yogurt. You could definitely make the cake with 100% all-purpose flour although the almond flour does add a really nice flavor and moist texture.
I have made this recipe its really nice
I will make it again
i think people who got confussed is by oil measure its 170 ml by 3-4 cups and 162-163 by grams.
Thanks, Noor!
I am a little disappointed in this cake. I love your French Yogurt cake recipe. It's one of my favorites. But this cake is less like a traditional French almond cake and more like the French Yogurt cake with almond flavoring. I was looking for those traditional dense, moist almond breakfast cakes like you see in French hotels -- almost like a Financier. This cake was light and fluffy like the yogurt cake - not different enough to warrant a whole new recipe.
I followed the recipe exactly as written except that I slightly decreased the sugar. The cake was still so sweet for my taste. The cook time for me was only 28 minutes. It was starting to burn at that point already.
I think I need to keep searching for the type of almond breakfast cake I am craving. I'll keep checking your site to see if you come up with one though!
This recipe has been a huge hit with so many of our readers but I hope you find just the recipe you’re looking for, Jennifer!
Hi,
Can I halve the ingredients and make a 6 inch cake?
How would the baking time differ?
Thank you!
You could try that, Aastha. I haven't tried it, so I can't say for sure about baking time.
Hi Chris,
after seeing how quickly I can put the ingredients together , it was a must try for me.
I tweak it a bit. I used a drop of rose essence along with almond and vanilla essence in the batter mix. For the glaze too I used a couple of drops of vanilla and rose essence . and decorated it with dried rose petals. it was absolutely delicious just as I had hoped it would be. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Thanks so much for letting us know, Sheila!
This cake is very delicious, you can’t stop eating!!I made the exact recipe but used a Bundt cake mold, I also added 2 tablespoons of Cointreau to the orange and powdered sugar glaze, this is absolutely a 5 stars .Thank you for sharing.
Thanks so much for sharing your results, Jiné!
This cake is absolutely delicious. Definitely will be making again.
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Savia!
Delicious cake! My boyfriend found this recipe last year and we have made it a couple of times. I've even used this recipe to make cupcakes! (I just half the baking time and kept an eye on it. Also tried lemon juice instead of orange, which turned out OK but I prefer the orange. It's a delicious amazing recipe!
I did have some trouble baking in a cake pan as the centre of the cake would be underdone. Still trying to figure out if it's the oven or cake pan size. Otherwise great cake!
Thanks for sharing your results, Marianne. I'm sorry you had trouble with the center underdone. I have not had this problem and it's hard to say what went wrong without being in the kitchen with you.
Delicious cake, and so easy to make it, thank you so much for this .recipe
Thanks so much, Adriana!
Do you know if I could make this cake in muffin tins? Trying to think of how I could make mini-cakes with this!
Hi, I haven't tried that but I would think it would work fine.
Delicious and for me entirely successful recipe. Best cooked confidently - for the longst time I suspect (worked for me). I used one large Orange perfectly in season here now, for the glaze/marinade this yielded too much but I made it anyway using the rest to whisk into yoghurt and some thick cream to accompany this fine scented moist cake. Also I baked the almonds mixed with the rest of the juice and powder sugar, hot-cooked attentively till just so. It's a really delicious, clever but easy recipe, deeple appreciated by many (with acknowledgements) and I thank you.
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Far Dean Farmer!
Can you use only regular flower and omit the almond flower ? Also I have vanilla yogurt can I use and omit the vanilla?
Hi Linda, I haven't personally made this with 100% almond flour but a few of our readers have and have reported good success. I would still add the vanilla for good flavor even if using vanilla yogurt.
Made this in a bundt pan for Easter Brunch. So easy, delicious, light, and not too sweet. Served with freshly whipped cream and fresh raspberries.
Awesome! Thanks for letting us know, Leigh!
Well, after baking two other cakes successfully in my new oven, I had a rare disaster with this one. After 45 minutes, a toothpick came out clean and the top was nicely browned but I guess I failed to check for firmness in the center. The center of the cake was terribly unudercooked -- in fact runny. Still perplexed!!
So sorry you had trouble with this, Pam. It's hard to say what went wrong without having been right there in the kitchen with you. I haven't had and issue with this nor have I had any other reviewers with this problem. It might have been an inadvertent error with one of the ingredients.
Ive had the same problem twice with this lovely cake. Please help!!
Merci!
Hi Arlene, every oven is different so that may be the issue. But this cake is done when it's between 205 and 210˚F or 96-99˚C. I would use an instant thermometer to test the doneness and if it seems to be getting too brown on the top, cover it with foil until you reach the correct temperature.
I only have extra fine ground almonds. Will that work?
Yes, that should work fine, Ai!
The cake may not be as light but it will work okay.
Hi there,
I wanted to know if you could suggest a dairy free substitute for the yogurt? Looking forward to making this recipe!
Hi Anna, I can't say for sure because I haven't tried a dairy-free version. If you try a substitute, let us know!
Try using coconut milk yogurt, unsweetened, my daughter is vegan, and I use that in place of sour cream as well!
Hi, in answer to using egg replacer, it’s a tasty yes! I used Crackd & followed the instructions of lowering the temp & baking for longer & it’s a great, simple bake.... even my non vegan other half approved!
Thanks so much for letting us know, Jenny!
Wow this cake is so easy, so delicious, flavorful, and somehow rich but very light at the same time! Everyone enjoyed it and I’m making another one next weekend again because everyone enjoyed it so much! That’s two cakes from this website that are now family favorites, the other being the spice cake. Thank you for your recipes!!
I'm so glad to hear that, Anne!
Can I substitute gluten free flour with exact equivalent to regular flour. My grandson needs gluten free. Otherwise I will try it for my husband and I it sounds delicious .
Thanks
Caron
Lake Country
Canada
Hi Caron, I can't say for sure, because I have not tried it myself with gluten-free flour. If you try it let us know!
I’ve made it several times with GF flour and it has turned out beautifully.
That's great to know! Thanks, Nicola!
#1 cake was absolutely delicious and looks so much more elegant than a frosting clad cake!
#2. Reduced granulated sugar in cake to one cup. It was plenty sweet (and I’m not against sugar)
#3 I used almond meal because that’s what I had on hand.
#4 I used almond milk yogurt (vanilla) instead of Greek because we have a dairy allergy in the house.
Thanks for letting us know!
This recipe looks delicious. Does it have to be baked on the day of serving or can one bake it a day before ? Would love to try it very soon! Thanks.
Hi Sharada, I think this cake is best on the day that its made but it will still be delicious the next day.
Beautiful and delightful cake! Even made my own almond flour which was pretty easy. Cake is super moist and my edges came out a little crispy.- so good!! Will definitely make again.
Awesome! Thanks, Julie!
Just wondering if anyone has tried this with an egg replacer or alternative? My mother would love it but can’t eat eggs. Thanks for any tips!
I haven't tried it, Elise, but maybe someone else has.
Might want to try Flax seed with water I use this when I’m out of eggs for baking.
Just amazing. it’s soft and fluffy and full of delicate Almond flavor.
I added a little bit of amaretto to the glaze and was just beatifull
Thanks for sharing your results, Toya!
Hello! I’m baking as I type and it’s just my husband, toddler, and I that will be eating it. What’s the best way to store the leftovers? In the fridge? Thank you!!
Hi Michelle, you can store it on the counter covered for a day or two, but after that, I would freeze it. Enjoy!
Is this cake very rich? Being it serves 16
Hi Jeanette, an almond cake is a little denser cake than most. I wouldn't say it overly rich but I like to serve small slices with some fresh fruit.
Hello! I absolutely LOVE this recipe!!! I’ve made it several times. I do have a question. I’d like to make this cake for my daughter’s 1st bday. I’d like to use a 4inch and two 6 inch cake pans. Would the current recipe be sufficient or would I have to double the recipe?
Thank you,
Hi Daphnee, I would definitely double the recipe. You may have a little extra batter but that's better than not enough.
Thank you Chris! 🙂
This was absolutely delicious. I made recipe as is and its perfect. The cake is light, fluffy and moist. The edges are a little crisp and the crunchy almonds on top are wonderful. Thank you!
Awesome! Thanks, Laura!
Hi Chris.
Thank you for sharing one of the best desserts among my Go-To recipes. The abundance of almonds and zesty orange is a winner. This cake is truly simple and delicious - I have baked it dozens of times due to frequent demands among family and friends. The cake divides easily into mini-cake pans (so you can share it more widely 🙂
Bravo and thanks!
I love that! Thanks for sharing, Carmita.
i put 1 1/4 cup sugar instead, tastes ok. taste like something you can get at a chinese bakery
Haha! If you stick with the original recipe, it might taste more like a French patisserie! Thanks for sharing your funny review, Ali!
I luckily stumbled upon this recipe before Christmas - and boy was it a success! I've now made it twice and both times my friends and family completely destroyed it in a hurry 🙂 Absolutely delicious and so easy to make... thank you so much for this gem.
Thanks, Amrita! We're so happy you enjoyed it!
I would appreciate seeing inside the cake for what type of texture and crumb it has before deciding to attempt the recipe.
Hi Ayesha,
Perhaps we'll have the time at some point to re-shoot this cake but for now, you'll have to either trust all the fantastic reviews or choose a different recipe.
Hello! I am wondering if I may swap the vanilla extract in the glaze for whiskey? I'm thinking I would cook the glaze in a saucepan to burn off the alcohol. Then let it cool and proceed as usual...
Thank you!
That would also be delicious, Paula!
OMG this was the best ever! I used butter instead of oil ( I was out of oil) and added two tablespoons fresh orange juice to cake batter.
Mine took 60 minutes (maybe the butter?). But the result was fabulous. My husband said I could sell it in a coffee house and people would be standing in line. Of course he loves most everything I make. ha ha
Next time I may even add a teaspoon or so of the orange zest to the batter. I was going for the orange almond taste.
Thank you so much for this winner!!!
Thanks for sharing your results, Sharon! I'm so happy you enjoyed it. You might also like this cake- https://thecafesucrefarine.com/ridiculously-easy-orange-olive-oil-cake/ 😊
I'm an ex-pat living in a Southern Mexico city, so doubt I will find almond flour........... anywhere! Can one substitude white cake flour for the almond flour?? My son sent me Cook's Almond Extract for Christmas but am wondering if I should also add some fine ground almonds to the batter.?? Helen in Oaxaca
Hi Helen, you could sub cake flour for the almond flour but you could also make your own almond flour. Almond flour is just ground blanched almonds. Can you get blanched almonds where you are?
This is delicious! Baking is not one of my best skills, but I followed the recipe, it was easy and turned out fab. Am I able to freeze it?
Hi Reema, so happy you enjoy it. Yes, this cake freezes well!
I have made this French almond cake twice in a week! I had to swap out the sugar and powdered sugar for monk fruit sweetener and the yogurt to sour cream. It was a huge hit! The first one was made exactly as printed except for the sugar and sour cream and it was soooo yummy. That one was made for a Christmas Eve brunch with my sister in law and the second one was made for Christmas dessert. I really loved how easy it came together and the taste is so rich and presentation so rustic. So happy I came across your blog and this recipe! I plan to make it again for New Years eve per request from the hubby and kiddos!
Thanks so much for sharing your review! I'm happy to know this works well with monk fruit sweetner.
I made this cake for my family for the past 4 years at Christmas and will continue to do so for many more. The first time I made this I expected a good response but it was amazing. I was told that it was our newest Christmas tradition.
We are a gluten free family and it’s hard to find an almond cake recipe that is just as good using a gf flour. We use namaste gf flour 1:1.
Thanks so much, Krystel. I'm so happy you enjoyed it and appreciate you sharing your gf adaptation. I know that will be helpful to other readers.
I baked this cake to take to a friend for her birthday. I had to leave it in the oven longer than the recipe said to get the center done. I covered it with foil, but the side and bottom look dark. I don't have time to start over, do I have to go with it. I hope it doesn't taste burned.
Hope it worked out okay, MaryAnn. Not sure why it too longer, it's hard to say without having been right there in the kitchen with you.
Hello. I'm about to make this cake and just wanted to know the final texture to expect... is this going to be moist, or more dry and cakezlike? In other words, would it be easy to slice into two horizontal layers? I was thinking of filling it with a layer of Bavarian creme or similar filling.
Thanks!
Hi Seth, it's is a moist, tender cake. You could slice it into layers. Bavarian creme sounds delicious!
Hello! The recipe sound really good! I just have a questions regarding the conversion from US to metric. In the US cup version it says 3/4 of a cup of Greek yoghurt and in metric it says 150g, however when I looked up 3/4 cups of Greek yoghurt on google I get 210-213g as an answer. Have you ever baked this cake using metric measurements?
Thank you very much!
Hello Friederike, I don't do the calculations for the metric measurements. I have a recipe plugin that automatically converts from US to Metric. I went back and did the conversion again and got the same results but when I googled it, I came up with the same amount that you did. I'm not sure why this is not calculating properly. I will contact my recipe plugin developer. That being said, I know reader from Europe and Australia have made this recipe and have reported good succes.
Hello Chris!
In the end I made the recipe the same way as your conversion plug-in suggests and it came out really well! Thank you so much for getting back to me!
Yay! Thanks fo sharing your results, Friederike!
Hi! I happened to find your French Almond Cake recipe online, This cake sounds amazing and I’m planning to bake it for my son’s birthday this month. Instead of using the amounts of flour the recipe ask, can I exchange them? Can I use 1½ cups of almond flour and ¾ cup all purpose flour; or better yet just almond flour (2 ¼ cups of almond flour)?
Thanks!
Hi Chris, I made this cake for my Mom’s 99th birthday and she loved it so much she ate 2 slices! Everyone else enjoyed it too & asked for the recipe. I had never made this cake before but everything I’ve made using your recipes always turns out great so I had no reservation about taking a new recipe to a birthday gathering. Thanks for sharing your talent!
This recipe sounds so amazing. Really keen to try it out. But just had a few questions.
1. I've been searching for almond flour but all the places that have it call it almond flour and say also known as almond meal? From reading your recipe I understand they aren't same. Can I still use almond meal? If not what to do 🙁
2. How long ahead can this be made? Say if I am making a day or 2 ahead do I refrigerate it?
3. Would this be enough batter for 3 6 inch pans?
Thank you so much
Hi Hina, you could use almond meal but the cake will be more dense. One option, if you can't find almond flour, is to grind blanched almonds to make your own almond flour.
This can be made a day ahead and doesn't have to be refrigerated for that period of time. Any longer and I would freeze it.
I think your cakes would be fairly low if you use 3 6-inch pans.
Do you think this recipe would work in a mini bundt pan?
Hi Debbie, I haven't tried that and would have to do further testing to guarantee good results.
what are the metric equivilent to quantities in recipies?
Hi Brian, if you look at the recipe there is a button right above the word "Instructions" that will give you the option to convert the measurements to metric.
Thank you for all these amazing recipes and baking secrets! I truly spend hours reading all of it.
I also LOVE your thought for the day. Thank you for sharing your combined talents and a bit of your Hope and Faith
An excellent recipe. Had to adapt it to suit my dietary needs. Used gluten free and almond flour, sweeteners and Alpro Greek yogurt style. The cake turned out to be soft and very tasty. This was the first successful cake adaptation I made in 2 years of useless toil. Now I can enjoy a decent piece of cake. Well done. You made me so happy. Many thanks.
Yay! That's so awesome, Anna! It will also be helpful to other readers who have dietary restrictions. Thanks so much!
Hi,
What brand of flour did you use to replace the AP Flour?
Thanks,
Sam
I had some left over almond flour from an ill fated attempt at keto. I needed to use it or pitch it, so I was searching for a nice cake recipe when I stumbled upon this one.
Looking it over, my pupils dilated with the anticipation of possibility. If this recipe delivered what I imagined it would, the key to easy, interesting cake variations would be mine! I can make scratch cakes quite well - not professionally well - but well. But, Something easy, delicious, impressive and that could lend itself to making it look like I've come up with something new every time....
I made it today for a skeptical friend. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED. She was in a state of bliss. I did not have oranges, so I did a lemon glaze.
At first I thought that the texture was too crumbly, but it actually firms up nicely upon standing. Very nice. I believe that by changing extracts, fillings and topping, anything is possible with this wonderful recipe!
You're right, Catherine, this is a super adaptable cake and SO easy! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
"Looking it over, my pupils dilated with the anticipation of possibility."
Love it!
haha!
Delicious!
Merci
De rien, Francine! 💕
Thank you for this recipe! I got amazing results - such a moist delicious cake and that glaze and crunchy almonds provide a beautiful flavor and texture balance. I made it for the first time yesterday as my birthday cake and my friends and I loved it! There are literally only two pieces left!
Happy birthday, Tamara! I'm so happy you enjoyed this cake!
I recently found your website I love your recipes. They are sophisticated and different than most which is what I crave. Thank you for the short into the point blog!
I only have 8 inch round metal cake pans. How do I adjust the baking time?
Thanks!
Hi Elise, thanks so much for your very kind words. You could either make two smaller cakes or use a loaf pan or a springform pan. The baking time for the 8-inch pans would be about 5-10 minutes less than the 9-inch. Just watch them closely after 25 minutes.
Hi there. I have been making this cake now for about two years. It’s has become my go to cake for any occasion. We all love it. This time I baked in 2 round pans and then treated both cakes with the glaze but then add a vanilla custard filling and stacked it. Topped with the sliced almonds. My guests went crazy over it! Sadly no leftovers! Thank you I love your website.
Oh my goodness! That sounds wonderful, Dash! Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi! This cake sounds amazing and I'm planning to bake it for my dad's birthday this month. I want to use a 9x13 sheet pan. Can you tell me by how much I'd need to increase the batter? A third, maybe? Thanks!
Hi Shenaya, I wanted to clarify if you're talking about a 9x13-inch cake pan or a 13x18-inch sheet pan?
Lovely recipe. Thank you. Can I substitute the yogurt with any this else?
Hi Cassie, thanks so much! Yes, you can use yogurt, sour cream or buttermilk in equal amounts for this recipe.
I make this cake with coconut milk -refrigerated overnight so that it gets very thick like yogurt- instead of the yogurt, and it comes out delicious!
That's so good to know, Nancy! Thanks for sharing that!
Good morning, Can cocoa be added to the recipe?
Hi Amy, I haven't tried this particular recipe with cocoa but this one is similar and is delicious! https://thecafesucrefarine.com/grammys-easy-chocolate-yogurt-cake/
Dear Chris, about a year ago I happened to find your French Almond Cake recipe online, because my husband and I love almonds - and cake! It was, indeed, so easy and quick to make and the taste was fantastic. So I have been making it often as a dinner dessert and the response has been quite overwhelming! So I want to pass on to you all those compliments - they have been exceptional. Absolutely everyone has been asking for the recipe, which, of course, I have passed along gladly. So, if you ever hear of an almond flour shortage in Jacksonville, FL, you'll understand why!
Many thanks for helping us to make our friends happy.
Barbara
Awe, that's so awesome, Barbara! I really appreciate you taking the time to share your review! The part about the almond flour made me laugh out loud!
3/4 cup of powdered sugar all of it for the glaze? and do i cook it or only mix it cold?
Hi Abdulla, yes, you use all of the powdered sugar for the glaze. No cooking. Just follow the directions in step 3. Enjoy!
This cake is heaven on a plate! Hands down the best cake I've ever eaten. I used olive oil because that's what I had, but I can't imagine it being any better! Thanks for sharing this recipe ... it's a keeper!
Thanks, Lori! So glad you enjoyed it.
Hello!
This recipe looks delicious and light - not a fan of icing and overly sweet recipes.
One question - can it be made with almond flour only? This will make it GF and suitable to more needs, some of my friends and fam are GF And o e cake can cover all...
Thanks!
Hi Flavia, I haven't personally made this cake with 100% almond flour so I can't guarantee this will work. That being said, other readers have reported success with using all almond flour. You could also try a all-purpose GF flour plut the almond flour.
Just wondering if I should use non fat Greek/yogurt or full fat?
Hi Gwen, I have used both with good success. I used to always buy the non-fat so I made it with that but a few years ago, I switched to full fat so that's what I always use now.
Hi....will there be a difference in the cake texture or taste if i do not add the glaze on top...i just do not want it to be too sweet.
Thankyou
Hi Aamenah, you don't have to add the glaze but it does seal moisture into the cake and also helps the almonds to adhere. It's not super sweet.
Oh wow! I have just fallen in love with this cake and NEED to make it!!!
Is almond flour the same as ground almonds? (I hope so as I already have those!)
Hi Carol, almond flour and ground almonds are similar but not the same. Almond flour is made from blanched almonds so there's no skin. Ground almonds is made from almonds (with the skins) that are ground. That being said, you could use ground almonds in this cake but the texture will be coarser.
.
The recipe looks fantastic, but I don’t have almond flour. Can I use all regular flour or my all purpose gluten free flour to substitute? I hate to go out and buy almond flour for just one recipe, but I’d really like to try this. I’m an avid baker in also worked professionally.
Hi Diane, you can definitely use 100% all-purpose flour for this recipe. The taste will be a little different as the almond flour adds a wonderful flavor dimension but it will nevertheless be delicious!
I am going to make this cake today! Can't wait to get started!
Thank you for this simple but lovely recipe. Just reading through it...can almost taste it!
I am baking a French Almond wedding cake Friday for a small family wedding in Saturday. That has me in the mood for almond cake for my little family. This looks like just what I have been searching for.
It reminds me of a long lost recipe that my daughter brought back from her 18 mos in France as an exchange student. I was searching for a recipe that was full oil f almond flavor but without icing. This is PERFECT!!
Thank you so much. I am so excited...think that I will.make it today!!! Only an Old School Baker gets so excited just reading the recipe. . .I can almost taste it now.
Haha! I totally "get" it Trudy! I get super excited to try a new recipe 🙌
This was so easy and delicious. It really looks and tastes like something from a French bakery! Will print and save😀
That's awesome, Cindy! Who needs a trip to France, right? Thanks for sharing your review!
My family absolutely loves this cake. It is a favourite and i make it at least once a month!
Thank you, Vasundhara! I'm so happy you have enjoyed this cake. Thanks so much for taking the time to share your results! 💕
Hi there, I made the cake because of all the 5 stars rating and it didn’t came out good! I follow the recipe the way you show it! Unfortunately didn’t turn out the way the picture shows! 🙁
Best wishes, Luisa
Hi Luisa, you might want to try it again. There are a ton of people who have made this cake and have really loved it.
I made this cake because I had some almond flour to use up, and when I googled recipes for it, your blog came up.
I’m so glad I found you! Your recipes are amazing, and so easy - a winning combination. Everyone who tried my cake said it was fabulous. Thank you so much for all the work you put into developing, testing and writing recipes for us to enjoy, FOR FREE!
Welcome to The Café Lillie! Thanks so much for your kind words and taking the time to leave a review 💕
Hi. Can you explain what the almonds in point 2 for? Is it for the garnishing on top?
Hi Uma, yes, they are used at the end to top the cake. I have clarified this is the recipe. Thanks for asking!
I have made this recipe 3 different times with various changes each time....every time it turns out scrumptious and holds well in texture and flavor for days. One of my faves!
Awesome, thanks so much, Merry!
This cake is awesome! Want to do it again for a friend’s birthday. If I double the recipe do I have to leave in the oven longer?
I would make it in two pans. If you tried to put it in one pan, it will take forever to bake.
I have tried this cake twice. The first time I followed the exact recipe and the second time I decreased the vanilla extract and increased the almond extract and both times the cake came out sooooooo good. I want to bake a bigger cake for my friend's birthday. A 14" cake pan. Should I double or triple the recipe to fit this size pan? Also should I increase the baking time? Thoughts?
Hi Kay, it's going to take quite a while for that to bake. If you try it, I would double the recipe and probably wrap the pan with some foil towards the end to keep the edges from getting too brown.
Can I use olive oli instead of regular oil in this recipe?
Yes, you can. It will change the flavor a bit (more of a olive oil flavor) but it will still be delicious!
I love this recipe! Baked it once before and I want to do it again... but I’m wondering could I double the recipe? What would be your advice? Thank you!
Hi Marie, yes you can definitely double the recipe. I would bake it in two pans.
Is it possible to substitute in Olive Oil?
You could definitely sub olive oil. It will have a little different flavor as olive oil is more flavorful than other oils.
Hi, was wondering if instead of using canola oil I could use vegetable oil because I don’t have enough for 3/4 cup. Also I don’t have plain yogurt but I do have vanilla yogurt. I hope to hear back from you soon so I can make this delicious looking cake!
Both of those will work, Petra! Enjoy!
Hi- can I make this cake with just almond flour? Also can I use stevia instead of sugar? What do you recommend I tweak for sugar substitute? Trying to make this keto friendly.. thanks so much!
Hi Suz, I haven't test this recip with just almond flour or with sugar substitutes. Perhaps one of our readers will be able to help with this.
I made this with lemon instead of orange because that’s what I had on hand and split the recipe between 2 6” pans (one for now, one saved for later) and it was delightful!
Great idea to make two smaller cakes, Linda! Thanks for sharing your results!
Hi there can't wait to try this recipe sounds delicious! Do you think I could leave off the glaze and put fresh raspberrya into the mixture instead?
Hi Claire, you definitely could. I would probably freeze the raspberries and break them apart with your hand into small clumps so you don't have so much berry in each bite and also so that they don't "bleed" into the batter.
Hi Scott and Chris,
I am going to making this cake for my boyfriend's birthday and I don't have all the ingredients.
1) Can I make almond flour at home by soaking and then powdering almonds?
2) I will be baking this in a round 8X2.5 inch tin. Should I be baking for less or more time?
3) Can I skip the glaze and use a ganache instead? Would you recommend that?
Hi Shreya, how sweet of you to bake a cake for his birthday! I'm wondering if you might be better off, making this cake without the lemon, just a bit of almond extract:
The reason I say that is that I'm afraid you 8-inch pan will be too small and you'll have batter overflowing the pan. Also, this cake calls for almond flour which is super finely ground blanched almonds (it's almost like regular wheat flour, although not quite as fine.)
You can skip the glaze on the almond cake but that's what "sticks" the almonds to the cake.
If your boyfriend is a chocolate fan, the ganache would be a nice way to dress it up.
I tried this recipe recently and was a big hit. I ran out of vanilla extract but had a vanilla pod so used that in the cake. I omitted the vanilla in the glaze as it would show the seeds too much. Also use Dahi which is a Pakistani yogurt instead of the Greek. It turned out great though took a little longer to bake. About an hour. May be the dahi added a little more liquid than the Greek yogurt. Definitely a keeper
So happy you enjoyed this cake, Mama! Thanks for sharing your results and adaptations!
I baked this cake the other day for my mother’s birthday, she and my dad are very picky with cakes but this was a huge hit! I am always a bit nervous baking with almond extract as it can be overpowering but this recipe has the perfect amount. I also added a squeeze of fresh lemon juice in the orange glaze as they like a bit of tang!
Also, it looks so beautiful with the sliced almonds and icing sugar, one would see the final product and think it’s a lot more effort than it actually is! Easiest cake and clean up.
Thanks for a beautiful recipe!
Hi Sara, I know your mother loved having you bake her birthday cake! Thanks so much for leaving your review!
Could I replace buttermilk for the plain yogurt?
That should work fine, Jennifer!
Super yummy!! A hit with everyone. I get asked to make it by neighbors often. I cut sugar in the cake back by 1/4 to 1/3, and use Face 0% Greek yogurt. have wondered what cutting back the oil might do to the cake. Welcome any feedback if you've tried it.
Thanks for sharing your adaptations, Laura. I know this information will be helpful to others!
I reduced the granulated sugar to just 1 cup but i still found it a bit too sweet as it already has glazing on top (i also reduced the icing sugar for the glazing) and i only put half cup of oil and it turned out good. Next time I’ll reduce the sugar even more into just 3/4cup maybe . I had to put foil on top as it was browning too quickly and baked it for 45 mins but maybe next time I’ll only do it for 40mins.
I tried this out last weekend and the results were absolutely amazing!! I substituted orange with mandarin and the taste was so so good! Awesome recipe! Thanks so much!! It was a real hit at the high tea I hosted at my home.
Ooooh... Mandarin sounds wonderful! Thanks for sharing your review, Himali!
can i use splenda for sugar?
Hi Zara, I haven't tried this cake with Splenda so I can't really say without further testing. If you try it let us know how it turns out!
I made this for the second time today as the first was sooooo good! But for some reason, the bottom (and bit of sides) come out super dark! Used canola oil and canola spray. Nonstick springform pan and cooked to the second the toothpick came clean ( started checking at 30 min and took a total of 40). Even tried a different oven today and same thing. Able to improve it with a little gentle scraping and it tastes great, but what am I doing wrong?
Hi Lee, it might be your pan. I would try baking it on a sheet pan or wrapping the pan with some foil to prevent it from browning too much.
Would this would with dairy free yogurt? Or any other dairy free alternative suggestion?
Hi Orli, without further testing, I can't say for sure. If you try it, please share your results as it would be helpful to other readers.
You made a great recipe even better than the original!!! Thank you for sharing our story and your amazing changes to this recipe. I made it this past weekend and it got rave reviews! Look forward to making this again soon.
Aww, thanks so much, Sari! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
Thank you for this delicious recipe. I made this cake for my birthday. It was such a hit with everyone. I did not have a deep pan only a bundt pan and it worked perfectly. I made the glaze which really makes the cake extra special. Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will try the French Apple Cake next. So good.
Thanks so much, Laura! I'm so happy to know it works well in a Bundt pan!
Easy, Delicious!!!!!
Thanks! So happy you enjoyed it, Janet!
Hi! Is it possible to do it with coconut oil or vegetable oil?
Hi Kenza, vegetable oil will work fine!
Baked this today as I had a lot of guests coming over. It was a hit and so easy to make too! Definitely a keeper, thank you for sharing!
Yay! Thanks for sharing your results, Laura!
Such an easy, delicious cake to make! The glaze is delicious! I made it for my Mother's 89the birthday. I also added some Cointreau to the glaze - mmm!
A definite recipe to go to, time and again, thanks for sharing it with us.
Thanks so much, Jacqualine, for sharing your results! And happy birthday to your mother! 89! That's something to celebrate! Hope you get to bake her many more cakes in the years to come 💕
I've baked this for the third time this morning. It's a big favorite at our house
. Next will be your Ricotta/Lemon Cake. Can't wait!
Wonderfull! Thanks so muh, Joanne! I'm so happy you enjoyed this cake!
Hi, can I omit the glaze?
Hi Lin, you can omit the glaze but that is what makes the almonds stick to the cake.
Hi, can I halve this recipe and use a loaf pan instead?
Thanks!
Sure! If your loaf pan is an average size you could probably use the whole recipe.
Thank you so much for this recipe. It turned out really well. I modified it slight with 3/4 cup almond flour and 3/4 all purpose flour.
Also used a stick of melted butter instead of the vegetable oil. It still turned out moist.
Love it and will definitely make it again. Thanks again for sharing this recipe.
Thanks, Lynette! So happy you enjoyed it!
Hi, thanks for sharing the recipe. 'I'm new to cake baking and i'm planning to bake this for my son's birthday. Can i use it as a base for 3 layers cake? Thanks
Hi Betty, that shoud work fine. Just be sure to allow the cakes to cool completely before stacking or icing. Happy birthday to your son!
I just baked this cake for my mother-in-law's 92nd birthday. It was delicious! My family is still eating it a few days later, and it still tastes just as good as the day I baked it. I cut down the sugar to one cup and it was plenty sweet! I also added a touch more almond flavoring. Thanks for the recipe!
Happy birthday to your mother-in-law! 92 years calls for a major celebration! I'm so happy you enjoyed the cake, thanks so much for sharing your results💕!
Hi, I’d like to make this cake for my mom’s birthday, and have some lemons handy. Do you think I could substitute the orange zest and fresh orange juice with lemon? I’m thinking I would need less lemon juice than orange.
Absolutely! That will be delicious, Alice!
It worked really well! Delicious 🙂
Awesome! Thanks, Alice.
H Chris, i made it twice as per recipe; it was delicious and moist. thanks a lot.
I wanted to ask whether
1) i can replace the oil by melted butter?
2) i can increase the almond - is it possible to replace some all purpose flour by additional almond meal? for example use 100 grams all purpose flower + 172 grams almond meal?
cheers Jennifer
Hi Jennifer, you could sub butter for the oil but it won't be as moist. I might do half and half if you really want more butter flavor.
Regarding the almond flour, yes, I think that will work. The cake might be a little heavier but it will be delicious!
Making this cake for the second time for family. It was a hit with everyone the first time, young/old and a few with very particular taste, and I received many accolades. Your recipes are the best! Thank you from 🇨🇦!
Aww, thanks so much, Bonnie! So happy everyone enjoyed this cake! It's one of our favorites too!
Hi there!
Quarantine baking finally saw me bake this after having keenly pinned this some time last year on Pinterest. It turned out great and received compliments from those I managed to safely deliver a slice to! I shared a photo on Pinterest for anyone interested. Next time, I may too play around with the almond flour to all purpose flour ratio... it may be nice to have a slightly nuttier taste. Thanks again for sharing this lovely recipe!
Thanks, Gaya! We appreciate you sharing your results and are so happy you got to try this recipe! Stay safe and enjoy baking!
A wonderful recipe, I used the 9 inch /2 inch cake mould , your cake seems very high mine was a bit flat is it supposed to be that way or is it shown differently in the photograph, thank you for the incredible recipes.
Thanks, Pani. It's not a super high cake. With the close-up photography, it may look a little higher. We're so happy you enjoyed it!
My daughter, who loves food almost as much as me, wants an almond flavored rainbow cake for her birthday. (Lemon curd also needs featured). And because I love the showstopper challenge her birthdays, I'm trying to figure this out.
So question, do you think I could make 2 batches of this and tier them?
How sweet! You're a good mama, Kate! Yes, others have done this with good results. Another option would be to make this cake with a little almond extract: https://thecafesucrefarine.com/lemon-curd-poppy-seed-cake/
It's fabulous - and a little lighter than the french almond cake.
Thank you so much for this recipe! It was absolutely delicious and not difficult to make at all. I will definitely be using again!
Yay! Thanks for sharing your results, Talin!
This, is the most amazing almond cake recipe. I followed your recipe exactly and, wow! It’s going into my family’s recipe keepsake forever. It was delicious, simple to make and everyone in the family from 3 years old to 70 years old loved it. Thank you for sharing this!
I love that everyone loved this cake, Lynn. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
Chris,
Thank you for this recipe. On first try it came out good but it was a bit too sweet for me . My second try was excellent. I used less sugar (1 cup), less all purpose flour (3/4 cup) and more Almond flour (1 1/2cups).
It was absolutely delicious.
Thanks, Elif! I appreciate you sharing your results!
This cake was light and fluffy with a similar crumb and flavor to a cake mix cake (pillsbury or Duncan Hines) - I'm guessing the use of canola oil may have been the reason for this, causing a strong oily taste. The cake was quite sweet, and the almond and orange flavors were not brought out very well. This is not the recipe I was hoping for in a french bakery, made-from-scratch quality cake. Perhaps I should have tried recipe for a sponge or dacquoise cake.
Thanks for sharing your review, Kay.
I have had so many problems using canola oil in my baking. Between the oily taste, there can be a fishy taste. I use sunflower or a safflower exclusively for baking unless the recipe calls for olive oil
This is a wonderful, easy-to-make cake. The orange glaze really gives it a 'pop' of flavor; I've included a teaspoon of orange liqueur each time I've made it. It is definitely bookmarked for future use! I also love the website, it gives me a warm and cozy feeling. 🙂
Thanks, VG, I love your modification with the orange liqueur!
This is an amazing recipe. Thank you! Can I make a coconut cake with this by replacing almond flour and almond extract with desiccated coconut and coconut extract?
Hi Yumna, I haven't tried that combination but it sounds delicious and I would think it should work.
Thank you. Delicious and so easy to make. I used orange marmalade as a glaze under the almonds.
Thanks, Dabinder! The orange marmalade was a wonderful idea!
OMG!!!! This cake has to be the best cake I've ever made! Thank you for this wonderful recipe! It's a winner, winner chicken dinner!
Awesome! Thanks so much for sharing your review! I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Melanie!
My all-time favorite almond cake recipe!!! I have substituted a gluten-free flour blend for all-purpose flour with great results.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing your results, Pamela. I know this will be helpful to others who are GF!
Can I use only almond flour to make a Passover cake?
Hi Lynn, I haven't tried this personally but others have with good success!
Is there any substitution for the yogurt? Can I put cream cheese or sour cream?
Sour cream or buttermilk will work well!
Hi Vivian, sour cream or buttermilk would work.
Can I use butter instead of oil? If yes, how much?
Hi Preethi, you could sub an equal amount of melted butter for the oil but the cake won't be as moist and the texture will be a little different.
Can I use vegetable oil instead of canola oil?
Yes, that will be fine.
So far so good cake is cooling but should I turn upside down? Or finish w top
Hi Lesley, the bottom will become the top so flip it out of the pan onto a cooling rack.
Incredible cake. The flavors are so well balanced and it is very moist. Love It!!!
Thanks so much, Becky! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
Wow! That is one tasty cake! I didn't have an orange and the lemon worked fine. I found that one cup of sugar in the cake was sweet enough for me. way to go!!
Thanks so much for sharing your results, Ev!
Can you substitute almond flour for the almond meal?
Yes!
A delicious cake!! Turns out beautifully every time
Thanks so much, Kirthi! I love that you love this cake as much as we do 💕
Hadn't previously seen M S comments (04/02/2020); this demonstrates ignorance & is misleading. Without exception recipes giving a time-to-prepare indication are timed following assembly of the listed ingredients. I also made the glaze in the same bowl after the cake was in the oven. However you make this the results are delicious & for my family a new favourite.
Thanks, Claire 💕
Fabulous recipe & easy & quick to prepare as stated. Purely for personal preference I reduced the sugar to 1cup. A delicious, moist, flavoursome cake. Thank you for sharing this excellent recipe.
You're welcome, Claire. Thanks for sharing your review!
I happened upon your site looking for a pistachio cake...your almond cake looks and sounds amazing! I have an odd question ...you think I could sub ground pistachio meal for the almond meal in this recipe with luck?
Hi Natalie, I think you could although the flavor would be very different.
I tried making this cake and it turned out perfect everyone loved it, thank you for the recipe I even tried adding coconut flavor to it the second time and it was so good and smelled like heaven
Thanks so much for sharing your results. Your version sounds wonderful!
Hi Chris,
my friend adores almond cake and i am wondering if this cake would be suitable to layer making a 3 tier cake and covered with fondant???
Hi Debby, I think that should work fine!
delicious! made this for a friend's birthday and only had a 6" pan so I put the rest into a loaf pan, made two great cakes and i got to taste it early. great flavor and texture!
I juiced two homegrown oranges instead of orange juice, it made for a very tart glaze! thanks for the wonderful recipe. 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing your results, Anika. Your version sounds wonderful!
Recipe calls for at least 2 bowls, not one and a few minutes is literally about 3 minutes but throughout article it kept repeating, "one-bowl, no-mixer and just-a-few-minutes-to-throw-together" is misleading. It doesn't take a few minutes to measure 14+ ingredients. For better accuracy, please change and clarify these details as some may feel mislead.
Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment, MS. Relatively speaking, this is a really easy cake compared to many that require a mixer and lots of steps. If you check out the comments, I think you'll find that others will agree.
Kind Regards,
Chris
Ddaon't be so picky and ungrateful, have a good day! p.s. my cake is in the oven
and the glaze is in a bowl.
Haha! Thanks, Marilyn! We could all use an extra dose of gratitude, couldn't we? Hope you enjoyed the cake!
I absolutely will make this cake again! Moist as described and my whole family loved it. Thanks for this recipe.
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it, Annie! Thanks for sharing your results!
Hi! I'm writing to say a HUGE BIG thank you! I made this last week, and it was such a great cake - beautiful, tender crumb with the nutty flavour of almonds shining through. And it was EVEN better the next day. 🙂
I wanted to ask - is using the glaze necessary? I found that it made the cake a bit too sweet. I like that it helps the slivered almonds stick but just wondering if I could use just a bit on the top.
Many thanks in advance!
Thanks, Niyati, you could definitely halve the recipe for the glaze. It does help seal in the moisture but it will still be delicious using less.
Hi
Can this cake be used for a frosted cake?
It definitely could! Just skip the glaze.
Hi Sakshi, I think it should work fine as a frosted cake.
can i substitute normal flour for almond flour?
Hi Krishanti, I haven't tried this without almond flour so I don't want to say for sure. The almond flour does give it a wonderful flavor and texture.
I love almonds and when I saw this cake I wanted to make it. I went to a friend’s house for Christmas and everybody loved it. The cake is easy to make and it’s moist and so delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks for sharing your results, Norma. I'm super happy you enjoyed it!
Hi! I love anything almond and would love to make this cake! I have two questions: do you think I could substitute lemon zest & juice for the orange? Also, what’s the difference between almond flour and almond meal?
Thank you 🙂
Hi Susan, yes, you could definitely sub lemon for the orange. It will be delicious!
Almond flour is very finely ground, usually blanched, almonds where almond meal is coarser ground almonds. The texture will be different with each of them.
Delicious and extremely easy to make! This cake is very moist. My friends were impressed . Thanks for sharing a great recipe!
Yay! Thanks so much, Joanie! 💕
Thank you so much for the recipe , I have been trying to recreate this cake forever. The cake turned out delicious and moist. I did substitute the oil with butter .
Awesome! Thanks for sharing your results, Shweta!
The first time i made the cake was delicious but the second time was not moist
What is the readon what went wrong
Hi Jeannine, it's hard to say without having been in the kitchen with you.
Hi, Can I use butter instead of Sunflower oil?
Although I love butter, I don't recommend it for this cake. The oil is what makes this cake so moist. It has fantastic flavor without butter. You can use any neutral-flavored oil with good results.
I made this cake and took it to a friends place for dessert. It was an instant hit. Thank you.
Yay! I'm so happy you enjoyed this cake, Malavika! Thanks for sharing your results!
at 350f roasting almond slices for 5 minutes burnt them completely. Turned down to 300f and 4 minutes was enough.
This is so one of my favourite cakes! I don’t have any vegetable oil but I wonder how olive oil would taste?? What do you think?
Hi! I was wondering if I can substitute something else for the yogurt. I’m anxious to try this recipe and have everything else on hand. Thanks!
If you have sour cream or even buttermilk, that would work. You could even make your own buttermilk with milk and a little vinegar.
Beautifully delicate and moist cake, but did not rise well with doubling the recipe.
This recipe sounds delicious. I really enjoy anything almond. I am interested in having this as a birthday cake. Have you ever added any kind of chocolate element to it? Like a chocolate glaze or chocolate curls? In considering such a change, would you omit the orange glaze? I am possibly making a mistake by wanting to modify it and not considering it as you have presented it?
Thanks!
Jen
Hi Jen, I haven't tried this with chocolate. It is delicious the way it is so I don't want to throw you off by giving advice on something I haven't done. If you decide to try an adaptation, let us know how it turns out.
This cake is absolutely delicious! So easy to make and for the glaze only half cup of powdered sugar is sufficient 😊
Yay! I'm so glad you loved this recipe, Atifa! Thank you so much for sharing your results!!
My cake fell and I live above 6000'. Should I add more flour so it won't fall at high altitude?
I'm hoping that perhaps some other readers who have experience baking at high altitude will be able to chime in here as I'm not sure. I live in the mountains of NC but we are only 2600 ft.
Hi Shauna, I'm not very familiar with high altitude baking. I live in the mountains of NC but we're only at 2600 so my baking is not really affected. Perhaps one of our other high mountain readers can chime in to help you with this!
Can I use this cake for a trifle?
Sure!
Question: so I made this cake today and I can’t get it to cook in the middle...it’s very odd. I did not follow the method you used, I did the standard mix your wet ingredients in one bowl and your dry ingredients in another, then incorporate your dry ingredients into the wet in thirds. I didn’t know if the method screwed things up? It’s been in the oven now for over an hour.
Hi Lauren, I haven't made it that way so it's hard to say. Hope it finally did get baked!
Hi Lauren. The cake takes on average 1.5 hours in my oven. (I have made it 3 times). Just be patient and only open the oven to check on the cake after at least 45 min (to avoid sinking in the middle). It really is delicious and worth the wait - just takes a while longer than the recipe indicates.
If you wanted this recipe to be gluten free, can you use a gluten free flour in place of the regular flour portion? Thanks so much. I love this cake, but have since gone GF
Hi Bonnie, I haven't made this with GF flour but I would think it should work.
A beautiful cake. Looks like one ud see in a coffee shop.. I didn't have natural yoghurt, so substituted hazelnutand reduced the sugar, also changed from oil to softened butter, and it was gorgeous!!
Many thanks
Thanks for sharing your results, Caro. So happy you enjoyed it!
I would suggest poking holes all over the warm cake prior to glazing. A certain amount of glaze ran into the middle portion of the cake resulting in an uneven glaze.
Good suggestion! If you brush it on really slowly, the glaze will sink in but poking holes will expedite the process! And sometimes time is definitely of essence!
Made this for my daughter's birthday, using lemon zest and juice rather than orange It was so delicious! Everyone in the house began eating it directly off the cake dish with forks rather than waiting for individual slices. A winner for sure! Thanks!
Haha! I love it! Thanks for sharing your (fun) results!
Have you made this with lemon instead of orange?
I haven't but it would be delicious!
Any chance this recipe would work as cupcakes? I'm going to a meetup and we won't have plates and forks to cut and eat slices, but I have all the ingredients for this in my pantry and it's easy to whip up. I've made it as a full cake already and everyone loves it.
I think it should work fine. They won't be rounded top cupcakes but you might call them something like "Almond Cake Tartlets". 🙂
The only problem I had making this cake is that the recipe didn’t specify whether it is a standard 9” pan or a 9x3 inch pan. Turns out I had too much batter for my 9x2 inch pan so I had to put some of the batter in another smaller baking pan. It took more than 40 minutes to bake and the center still was not well cooked. Waiting for it to cook thoroughly than caused the edges to brown too much.
Hi Anna, I'm sorry that you had trouble with this cake.
I'm not sure why the batter didn't fit in your pan. A 9-inch pan with 2-inch sides is what I use all the time for this cake and it works well. Some pans are only 1½-inches tall and I can see where that might be a problem. I have amended the recipe to include the height of the pan so I appreciate you bring this up.
Maybe a convection oven would work better?
Hi William, I love convection but, since a lot of readers don't have it, I always use the regular oven when testing my recipes so that results will be consistent.
The recipe specifies for you to use a 9" cake pan that's why it didn't work for you. You were using a baking pan. I am assuming it was just a tad bit too small for the amount of batter.
Hi Thanks a lot for sharing what seems like a very special recipe, everyone here loves it. I have a question though. Could you please explain why the recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract whereas that of Almond's is just 1. I haven't baked an almond cake or used almond essence before so I am concerned whether the vanilla flavor overpowers the almond flavor or not. Not that anyone has made this complain, I would really appreciate if you could tell me what justifies more vanilla essence compared to almond, here in an almond cake. How about adding 2 tsp of almond extract and 1 of vanilla instead?
Hi Saman, that's a good question. Almond extract has a very strong flavor (much stronger than vanilla) and even a teaspoon is a lot although it works in this case. Vanilla will take the backseat but if you prefer, you could just add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. It will still be delicious.
This cake is amazing!!! I think it's the best cake I ever made. It puts all other cakes to shame! I made it for my mom's birthday and she went crazy over it!
I will definitely be adding this recipe to my repoitoire.
Thanks so much!
Yay! I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Nechama! Thanks so much for taking the time to share your results 🙂
Hello,
I live in high elevation (8,519 feet). What changes should I make? Thank you! Can’t wait to make this!
Hi Elaine, I haven't baked in high altitude so I'm can't say exactly how this cake will come out. These are the guidelines I would follow though: http://dish.allrecipes.com/high-altitude-cake-baking/
Loved it! I made this for my husbands birthday and we all liked it. Definitely a keeper. So easy to put together, moist and almondy! Thank you for the recipe!
Thanks, Janis, for sharing your results. I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
Hiiii! I am from Brasil and so pleased to be here.
I would like to thank you for this amazing recipe!!! My family loved!!
We are so far away but so close, that's what the art of cooking had done all around the world!
Thank you!!!
I love that Eliane! So nice to meet you and I'm so happy you enjoyed this recipe! It's true, we are far and yet cooking and the internet can bring us together!
So wonderful! I made it for my daughter's 18th, a smash hit! Thank you!
I love it, Debbie! Thanks so much for sharing your comment. It made my day to hear that this cake was a part of such a special celebration!
Made this today. Smells delish.
Thanks, Linda! Hope you enjoy it!
This is a very good recipe if you love almonds and marzipan this is the one for you. And if you are not too keen on the strong almond flavour, you can put orange extract instead and a zest of orange that would turn it into an orange flavoured cake. So easy to make and delicious too! So happy I found this recipe and I will be making it more often. Thank you for sharing it!
Thanks, Patricia for sharing your results and your ideas for those who aren't crazy about the almond flavor.
I served this cake to guests yesterday, and it was outstandingly good.
Generally, I find North American cake recipes result in cakes that are much too sweet for me so, where I think this is the case, I usually reduce the sugar by 20% on the first attempt, and further reduce (almost always) or increase (hardly ever) the amount as necessary on later attempts. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to experiment with this cake and I did think it would be very sweet, so I took a risk and reduced the sugar by a third, down to a single cup.
Result: Perfection! My guests were European and Canadian, and one of them is a sugar-holic, but every one of them remarked on how lovely the cake was. There's one small slice left, and my husband has put his name on it, so I guess I'm out of luck.
Thank you very much for a lovely recipe. It's joined by list of favourites!
PS Thought you'd like to know that I made the cake a few days ahead and froze it (without the glaze). Unwrapped it and defrosted it in a cake caddy at room temperature, and glazed it several hours before needed. Perfect!
Thanks so much for sharing your modified results, Viv as well as your advance prep technique. That's so helpful!
Hi. Can I use coconut oil instead?
Yes!
THIS RECIPE WAS SOOOOOOOO GOOOD!! My hubby and I loved it! I cannot wait to make it again. Thank you for sharing this with us.🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽❤️
Thanks so much, Daphnee! I love your enthusiasm! So happy you enjoy this cake!
Can I use regular flour instead of almond flour?
I'm so sorry, I haven't tried this cake with almond flour so I don't want to give you an inaccurate answer.
Is the almond meal just ground up almonds?
Yes, it is. Hope you enjoy it, Jennifer!
I so want to make this, though I have a couple of questions I hope you can answer. I make large sheet cakes for my church Bible study. Do you know if this can be doubled ? I'm using an 18 x 22 inch bakery cake pan. I'd like to try a light application of the glaze and then a light frosting with Ermine buttercream to decorate as a birthday cake. Can you foresee any problems with this? I do appreciate your help.
Hi Donna, I think this cake should be fine if you double it. You'll probably have to adjust the time a bit. I love your idea, it sounds fabulous! Enjoy!
Hi Chris,
Would love to bake this for a 60th this weekend. Do you think it would be sturdy enough to bake two cakes and layer them on top of each other (with cream in between)? Or would that require an elaborate dowl setup?
Thank you!
Hi Kirby, I think it should work without problems.
I made this cake over the weekend and loved it. I loved it so much I’m making it again today for a friends birthday at work. I did make one small change and that was to use both orange and lemon zest instead of an orange alone. I also used lemon and orange juice in the glaze and put a little bit of zest into the cake itself. I did take the full 45 minutes to cook it appropriately. Thanks for the deliciousness!
Thanks, Virginia! So happy you enjoyed it. I love your little changes, sounds delish!
I made this cake, last November for my mother law because she loves anything with almonds (it reminds her of (France). Honestly i have had this cake every Sunday ever since :). She loves this cake so much she makes one every single week, and when she visits she brings one as a gift for the host.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe,
Radia
Thanks so much, Radia. I love that this reminds your mother in law of France. Me too!
This is SO good!!! My family loved it and I’ll definitely be making it again. Thanks so much for this recipe!!
Thanks for sharing your results, Tia. That's a favorite of ours too!
What a yummy looking cake! Can I make it a day before (for a casual dinner) or would you suggest make it the day of?
TIA!
I think its best made the day of but if you were pinched for time it will still be delicious made the day before.
Wonderful recipe. I think I will add extra glaze next time although delicious as written, just to experiment. The best new cake recipe I have tried in years. By the way, almond meal and almond flour are the same thing. Many thanks!
Thanks, Elaine! So happy you enjoyed this cake!
When i make the glaze it is on the heat or no just mix it in a bowl
Just mix it in a bowl Dina, so easy 🙂
I found your website while searching for an Almond Cake recipe that could be baked with ingredients in my pantry. I had accepted a last minute invitation to dinner at a neighbor’s home and wanted to take a dessert. The result was a simple-to-make cake that was moist, tender, and delicious! The raves from the other diners reinforce my review. This was the perfect cake! I am looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Thank you.
Thanks so much, Greg. Welcome to The Café! So happy you and your neighbors enjoyed this cake! It's a favorite of ours!
I am making this exactly as the recipe says and it's in he oven now but it has overflowiwed the pan a lot! Anyone else have this problem? I even measured the pan. Hopefully it will still be ok.
So sorry you had this problem! No, I've never experienced this nor have I had any other readers with this problem. Hope it didn't make too much of a mess in the oven!
I love this recipe. It’s in the oven right now! One of the most popular cakes I have ever made 🙂 many thanks!
Thanks, Pia! I'm so happy you've enjoyed it. I bet your house smells wonderful right now 🙂
Thank you so much for this recipe. I made it to your specifications and it tastes divine! I had to cover the cake with foil and extend the baking time but it turned out perfect in the end. I’ve never made anything like this before but I love it - it’s delicious!
Thanks for sharing your results, Suzanne!
Hie,I rewritewas searching for an plain almond flour cake recipe and that's how I ended up here,I am looking forward to try this recipe however I want to use Almond flour instead of all purpose flour.Can you please guide me how should I swap APF for AF.Also I dont want any zest so will it be fine on its own?And do I need to soak it with sugar syrup so that it doesn't end up being dry by night? Looking forward to your guidance, Regards Aqsa :).
Hi Aqsa, I haven't tried using almond flour in this recipe so I wouldn't want to advise you. If you try it, please share your results!
I have made this cake about five times and three have sunk in the middle despite a full bake, browning great on top and tooth pick coming out clean. My question is, when you give the flour amount, how are YOU measuring it? The dip method? Spoon and level? My guess is that since I use a scale, I may be using less flour than you do, thus causing the sinking. Thank You for a wonderful recipe!
Hi Debbie, I use the stir and scoop method. I use a whisk or fork to lighten the flour then scoop it up.
I tried the cake and it came out good. Somehow I feel cakes taste better when they are warm, so if want to serve this cake for a party how do I warm it up without spoiling the aesthetics.... is it ok if it bake it a day in advance..... and I prepared the glaze exactly as in the recipe however I only used a small portion of the glaze and already it was tasting too orangey, is that normal ...hope to hear from you😀
Hi Sonali, you could just cover the cake with foil (not too tight) and warm in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 250˚F. Regarding the glaze, everyone's taste is a bit different. Just use less orange next time.
Is it necessary to use almond extract because i dont have it.
Almond extract does add a lovely layer of flavor but you could use vanilla instead and it will still be delicious!
Love it. Definitely baked for about 40 additional minutes because it was soupy in the middle but once it was done the cake turned out perfectly from the pan and was both beautiful and delicious. Even with the extra time, the outer rim was not overcooked.
Thanks for sharing your results!
This is the best cake I’ve ever made, the whole family loves it. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much! It makes me happy that you and your family have enjoyed it 🙂
I’m making this cake for Christmas Eve at my sisters house. I’ve made this cake once before and it’s amazing. One of the best Almond cake I’ve tasted. Thank you for sharing.
I made this cake today, swapped orange for lemon because I didn’t have any oranges, but apart from that I followed the recipe exactly. It looked perfect and smelled delicious. However, it really was very bland. I think it requires a lot more lemon or orange to make it more tasty. Such a shame as it looked great!
As Greek yoghurt is much thicker than regular plain yoghurt, do I need to adjust the recipe at all?
Hi Susan, I've actually used the same amount of each with good results.
Would it be alright to swap the orange juice and zest for lemon juice? I want to make this for my boyfriends birthday, he loves almond cakes but is iffy about orange zest.
Thanks!
Definitely! It's wonderful with lemon zest!
Have you ever tried gluten free all purpose flour?
I haven't but I think some other readers have, with good results.
just like my mommas cakes, one bowl, no butter & yogurt... I knew it was your modified lemon cake as I am tempted to modify further ... it’s the lightest cake , healthiest cake ...
Hi, I am new to your site. I tasted the almond cake at a friend's brunch and fell in love with it. She emailed me the recipe and I then went directly to your site. I checked the recipe and saw that I needed a 9 inch baking pan. I have a 9 1/2 inch spring form pan. Would that work? I realize that would make a thinner cake. Look forward to baking the cake and trying other recipes. Hope to hear back soon, as I would like to bake up this delicious cake ASAP. Thanks in advance. Linda M
Hi Linda, your springform pan should work fine.
I would love to bake these to give as Christmas gifts. How well do they keep? What would be the best to keep them in? Would I sprinkle with sugar right before i give it or when i bake it? Hope to hear back. Thank you
Hi Rosemarie, these keep well for several days. I would sprinkle with sugar right before you give them.
I do not have almond flour... what will I need to do?
You could grind up almonds really fine and make your own almond flour.
Hi, I’m intending to use this recipe as a base for the light fruit cake. Therefore, do I need to tweak the flour content if I were to add dried fruits? I’m asking this becos I do not want it to be too crumbly when I slice it. Thanks.
Hmmm... honestly, I can't say since I haven't tried that.
Has anyone tried this with butter instead of oil?
I have baked this cake several times and it’s a favorite. I have used canola oil, butter, and my favorite- olive oil.
Although I love baking with butter, it was my least favorite with this particular cake.
Thanks for sharing your results, Tricia! I'm with you, I usually love baking with butter but this cake is delicious with oil!
Hi Chris,
Can I replace the oil with unsalted butter? If yes how much butter by weight should I use?
Thanks!
I think you could replace the oil with butter but oil is what keeps this cake nice and moist.
I made this for a dinner party last night. What a hit! Everyone raved about how delicious it was. I completely agree. It’s my new very favorite cake! I was worried that it was going to sink in the middle, and it did a tiny bit, but nothing to alter the taste or texture. It didn’t. Yum!
Thanks, Marya for sharing your results. I'm so happy you enjoyed it. We love this cake too!
This recipe sounds wonderful! I know cakes are always best fresh, but is this recipe still good if made the day before and wrapped well? How does it keep please?
Thanks,
Angela.
Yes, this cake will be wonderful if you make it a day in advance! Enjoy!
Will the almond flake get soft if I baked it one day before?
No, the almonds will be fine for a day.
Hi Theresa, yes, if your tin is too big, the cake will be flatter. I use a 9-inch (23cm) pan.
OMG ,
my husband is french , and he is always complaining that he cant get a good almond cake , so i decided to try this , to my surprise it was extremely easy !!! and he ate the entire cake .. he says that is his favand he wants it at least once a month lol !!!! absolutely delicious and very easy to follow the steps !!! thank you so so much !!!!
Cela me rend heureux que vous ayez apprécié mon gâteau! 🙂
Beautiful cakes.....I just got mine out of the oven. Made 8 Kanu/Boat shapes and one 8" sandwich cake - as in one half of a cake. They look and smell wonderful! would send a photo if I could. Hubby will love them.
So happy these turned out well for you, thanks for letting us know Sandra! Enjoy!
Is this cake sturdy enough to be baked in a sphere pan? I want to make a soccer ball cake but want to use this recipe. Do you think it will collapse or is it stable enough to hold the spherical shape?
Hi Ash, I'm not sure as I haven't tried that. It is a fairly sturdy cake though.
Haven't tried it yet, but perhaps using a bit too much self raising agent causes the middle to collapse. Also, try avoid taking out the cake in a draught as this also can cause the centre to sink.
Thanks, Joseph!
Hi Chris,
I made this cake on the 21st for my husband to celebrate his birthday and it was amazing. It took 35 mins to bake & I had used a bundt pan which made it a bit hard to have enough slivered almonds to stay on the top but it still was fabulous.
That's awesome, happy birthday to your husband! Great idea to make it in a bundt pan!
Hi Chris,
I made this yesterday and everybody loved it. My cake was done in 35 minutes because I baked with convection oven. Anyway when I took it out to cool, the middle sunk; after cooling for 10 minutes in the pan on the rack, I turned
it upside down to glaze it. The middle did show a bit of sinking but not too noticeable because of the almond and powdered sugar on top of it. I do live in CO, 5280 above sea level. Could I have done anything different to prevent it from sinking in the middle? Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will make it again. It's going to be my go to cake; so easy and elegant.
You could try baking it just a little longer and see if that helps.
This cake is delicious. I live at a high altitude also and went onlne to see what adjustments to make because this recipe is a keeper and we would like it to make it again without the cake falling.
Adjustments for 5000 feet and above: Reduce baking powder, for each teaspoon decrease 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon. Reduce sugar, for each cup decrease 2 tablespoons. Increase oven temp by 25 degrees. Increase liquid, for each cup increase 2 to 4 tablespoons.
Another idea is to ease the cake out of the hot oven so that the temperature shift is not significant. Plenty of ways to do that.
Thanks Jim!
Hi Chris,
I made this yesterday and everybody loved it. My cake was done in 35 minutes because I baked with convection oven. Anyway when I took it out to cool, the middle sunk; after cooling for 10 minutes in the pan on the rack, I turned
it upside down to glaze it. The middle did show a bit of sinking but not too noticeable because of the almond and powdered sugar on top of it. I do live in CO, 5280 above sea level. Could I have done anything different to prevent it from sinking in the middle? Thank you for sharing this recipe. I will make it again. It's going to be my go to cake; so easy and elegant. --Deborah
Thanks, Deborah, living on the east coast, I not familiar with high altitude baking so I'm not sure. As far as the sinking, you might want to cover it with foil the last 10-15 minutes which will help it bake a bit quicker and keep it from browning too much.
This is the most delicious cake, the flavour and texture is amazing. Thanks from Australia.
Thank your sharing this recipe. It came out perfect.
Even covered it in chocolate ganache, and fondant. It was super.
Thanks also for letting me share it on my blog. xx
Made this yesterday for a dinner party. It was easy to make, and turned out beautifully. Everyone enjoyed it. My two year old loved it too 🙂 Thank you Chris for such a lovely recipe!
That's awesome Rachita, thanks for sharing your results!
Hi,
I do not have a 9" round pan so I use an 8" and it turned out sinking in the center but the circular sides are well done. Can you tell me how much time should I bake for an 8" pan? I baked 40 minutes and the toothpick comes out clean but it sank when I leave it to cool.
We ate the cake at the sides and it taste delicious.
Please adv. Thank you.
Hi Eileen, it's hard for me to say why your cake is sinking without being there in your kitchen. One thing you could try is to lightly cover the cake with foil for the last 15 minutes. Also, make sure the cake springs back in the center when you touch it, before removing from the oven. Hope that helps!
Thanks Chris it turns out beautifully the 2nd time I baked
It will be my new favorite now☺️
Great, thanks for sharing your results, Eileen!
Made this on the weekend. So easy and Tastyyyy!!! Loved it 😊
Thanks, Sheril! So happy you enjoyed it! I appreciate you sharing your results! 🙂
An this cake be made with almond flour instead of regular flour? I would like to make it for Passover.
Thank you
Hi Margaret, I haven't tried it with almond flour so I'm not sure if the results would be the same.
I made this cake for dessert at a 2018 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony party. I used a 9” square pan because I haven’t found my round baking pans since I moved. After 40 mins., the cake tested done. The middle fell slightly and I was concerned that the cake would be underbaked and gooey, even though the toothpick came out clean. To my delight, the cake was baked just right! It was delicious! My brother-in-law said “It’s a keeper!” I might try making cupcakes with this batter next time.
That's awesome Claudia, thanks for sharing your results!
Wondering why the recipe includes both vanilla and vanilla essence. And when you refer to vanilla do you mean vanilla pods or vanilla syrup in the bottle?
Thanks,
Simone
Hi Simone, it should read just vanilla extract which comes in a bottle. I sometimes just call that vanilla but I have clarified it in the recipe. Thanks for noticing that!
Very yummy! The glaze was amazing too. I placed a piece of parchment paper on the cake during the last 10 min of baking. I will definitely make it again
I made this cake for my Mother's birthday last week and decided to make it as a peach upside down cake. I lined the bottom of my cake pan with parchment as instructed, buttered the sides, put brown sugar, butter and peaches in first and then poured in the cake batter. It took about 55 minutes to bake because it split on one side and took that long for the toothpick to come out clean. I served it with whipped cream. I was afraid it might be too dry but it was moist and absolutely divine. My family raved about it. You know, when people just quietly mutter "oh my God" and "this is SO good" and "wow" ? THAT kind of good.
(I think I will bake it about 5-7 minutes less next time and it would be perfect).
Now, this has become one of my most favorite cakes and my imagination has gone wild. Original recipe with the glaze, toasted almonds and powdered sugar, one made with lemon curd filling and topped with lemon glaze, another with chocolate buttercream in the middle and on top.....rasberry puree....on and on. Oh, and a pineapple upside down would be heavenly too.
Thankyou so much for this recipe, Chris. Like my sister said....it's a keeper!
Thanks, Debra, love your version!
Can this be frozen in advance for a party???
Yes! I would freeze it uncovered for one hour or until it's pretty solidly frozen. Then wrap well. Freezing it uncovered at first will keep it from getting flattened by the wrapping.
I followed the recipe to a t, omitted the glaze, just topped it with some roasted almond flakes and the cake was delicious. It required the same time as stated above but in the last ten minutes I had to cover it with foil. My husband happily did that part. I baked it for him and he enjoyed it immensely and so did my two year old. It’s a very rich, moist and decadent cake. Loved the simplicity of the recipe.
Yum, your version sounds wonderful Hajra! Thanks for sharing your results!
I followed the recipe exactly but my cake domed quite a bit and when I took it out it was still raw into the center.
Hi Sum,
So sorry this cake didn't work out for you. I hate wasting good ingredients. Every oven is different so it's important to test with a toothpick to make sure the center is done. I think it probably needed to bake just a bit longer in your oven.
I married a Frenchman, so whenever I prepare a French style recipe, he really appreciates it.
I have made this wonderful almond cake twice now following the measurements exactly. In my
oven it required 45 minutes to bake. Each time, as the cake cooled, it sunk a little in the center, even though
it was fully cooked. I was wondering how to avoid the sinking or should I turn it upside down to glaze ?
Linda
Please tell me how I can avoid the cake sinking a little in the center. I followed the measurements exactly and it baked until done for 45 minutes. Should I glaze and serve it upside down?
I will have to revisit this recipe Linda and tweak it a bit.
Hi Linda, I wonder if you baked it just a bit longer if it would not sink in the center. You could turn it upside down to glaze or cool it with the top surface up and then flip it when cooled to glaze it with the bottom up. That might help prevent some of the sinking.
Juice from the Orange or the kind you drink?
Either will work Christine.
Would have been really nice if you posted a picture of a slice of the cake. I'm looking for an almond cake recipe that my childhood taste buds remember! The cake had a slightly golden/orange color to it. This will be my Christmas baking experiment, to recreate that taste my family and I loved so much.
Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Hello Bri, if you look at this post: https://thecafesucrefarine.com/french-grandmothers-lemon-yogurt-cake/
there's a picture of the interior of the cake. It's the same recipe, just different flavorings.
Can the glaze be omitted
Hi Diana, the glaze does add a delicious touch and keeps the cake moist but you could definitely omit it.
I just tried this cake. Made 1/2 the recipe and used a 4 1/2 “ round cake pan. Turned out amazing. Thank you
Yay!! Thanks for letting us know your results Fuzi! It's great that you can make it in a smaller version too!
This sounds delicious! Do you think it would work with GF flour?
Hi Vick, a friend of mine said she made it with 1/4 almond flour and the rest all-purpose King Arthur GF flour and it was delicious!
I just bake it on a bundt pan.
What a great recipe!!!
Thank you so much for sharing.
Andy
Thanks Andy! So happy you enjoyed it and that's great to know it works in a bundt pan!!
This cake is amazing! I am the world’s worst baker, but this recipe turns out delicious and beautiful every time! Thanks for making me look good!
Haha! That's my job! 🙂
Hi! This recipe looks great and definitely makes me want to try making it. I'm thinking trying out my newly arrived snowflake bundt pan. Do you think I can make this cake in a bundt pan?
I haven’t tried that Yudistira, so I don't want to say for sure. I know that it wouldn’t make a real large bundt cake but it would be worth trying!
This cake is divine!!! Thankyou for sharing the recipe. I used rice bran oil and did not have quite enough, just under half a cup... the cake turned out beautifully and stayed moist for at least three days. Thanks again from Melbourne, Australia!
Yay! That's awesome. It's good to know also that you could make it with a bit less oil. I'm always all for less fat!
cake sounds delicious and was going to try for a party coming up. Was wondering if I could bake it in a 10" or 11" pan. I know it wouldn't be as high but looking to maybe get more pieces out of it for 20 people, some of which only want a very small piece.
I think that would work fine Joe, you'll probably need some extra almonds and I might make a bit more of the glaze. Enjoy!
I made this exactly as recipe states. I used a whisk to mix the glaze and a wooden spoon to mix the cake. I used a round 9 inch pan that was 2 1/4 inch high. No spill over. I live in Colorado and it took 5 minutes longer for me to cook the cake..i watched and checked it very carefully so it wouldn't over cook. This is such a delicious cake! So easy to make and my family loved it, everyone said it was so yummy and we couldn't get enough of it. Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe.
Thanks Agnes! So happy you enjoyed this cake!
I rated this with 5 stars because it is amazing. I did however feel the pan is too small as my cake ran over as well. A 9" Springform is the way to go if you don't want a mess in your oven. I will make this again and have now passed this recipe on to other bakers as well. Having it tonight with Mom and Dad after we go out to dinner for dessert. So very very easy and exquisite. Thank you for the recipe.
Thanks Linda! Sorry you had problems with the pan size. Hmmm, that's the size I always use, not sure about the discrepancy.
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!