Almond Cake -Easy Gluten-Free Paleo Keto Options

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I love this almond cake. As a result, I use it for all cakes where I want something gluten free that rivals a traditional cake. It is so easy and delicious, I think even if I could go back to gluten, I don’t think I’d want to. Even with sugar, when I suffered from gestational diabetes I could eat this cake (thank you almonds and eggs). It is also a very adaptable cake and it is my workhorse recipe.

The key to its success: whipping whole eggs. This makes the cake moister and sturdier (if a wee bit denser) than a cake made with separated eggs. Most cakes make you separate eggs – this is more work; I hate those broken yolks spoiling my perfect whites or all the bowls to keep everything separated and whip the eggs and fold everything just so. This cake requires a little folding with the almond flour to keep the cake as fluffy as possible, but it’s a one bowl affair and the folding is quick and easy.

There are so many things to do with this almond cake. Some options include:

  1. Split the cake and fill it with jam or lemon curd (this works with the plain version or the lemon version).
  2. Fill the cake with berries and cream. Having switched to sturdy food processor whipped cream, I recommend strawberry or raspberry whipped cream or lemon cream with the lemon version of this cake.
  3. Go dairy free with whipped coconut cream and sub lime zest for the lemon.

Make this Paleo or Keto: And its super easy to make keto or paleo almond cake. Just substitute your favorite sweetener – I recommend erythritol or coconut sugar.

Similar Recipes:

As I said, this cake is a workhorse and it forms the foundation of lots of other recipes. Try my:

Almond Chocolate Cake

Streusel topped crumble coffee cake

Gluten Free Sticky Toffee Pudding

Ingredients and Substitutions:

  1. Almond Flour: I buy mine at costco which leads to a courser crumb. Use any almond flour you like, the finer the flour the finer the crumb.
  2. Eggs: Gotta use them. They form the structure of the cake, no substitutes here.
  3. Sugar: I usually use organic granulated sugar, but you can use others – I find liquid sweeteners, like honey, are delicious but deflate the cake a tad. Erythritol works well for Keto, and I like coconut sugar though it makes the cake a little darker.
Easy Perfect Almond Cake
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Easy Perfect Almond Cake

Recipe by Laura ArmeyDifficulty: Easy
Servings

8

servings
Prep time

20

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes

The magic in this cake comes from whipping the eggs. This recipe was inspired from one where the eggs are separated – separating eggs is much more work and then there is all that finicky folding together. Whipping the eggs makes for a moister more well structured cake that is super easy.

This cake is also very adaptable. A simple white cake with vanilla extract, a simple almond cake with vanilla and almond extracts, a lemon cake leave out the extracts and add zest.

This cake is easy peasy to make paleo or keto. For a paleo version, add honey along with the almond flour or use coconut sugar in place of the regular sugar. For a keto version use your favorite low carb sweetener – erythritol sweeteners work great here.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 Cups Almond Flour

  • 4 Eggs

  • 1/2 Cup Sugar

  • 1/2 tsp Salt

  • 1 Tbs Vanilla (optional) and/or 1 tsp almond extract

  • Zest of two lemons (optional)

Directions

  • Set things up: Line an 8 or 9-inch springform pan with parchment on the bottom and grease it. Preheat oven to 325 F.
  • Whip eggs, salt, and sugar until they are transformed into foam – it should fall in ribbons from the whisk; to achieve beat 8-10 minutes on high speed in stand mixer with whisk attachment. You can do passably well with the hand mixer for a similar period of time or processing for 5 minutes in the food processor. Without the stand mixer the cake will be a tad denser.
  • Add almond flour and extract or zest if using and process at slow speed just until blended.
  • Pour into prepared pan.
  • Bake until a toothpick comes out clean – about 30 minutes.

Notes

  • I love this cake, it is super easy. I make it into lemon cake with lemon zest, or a keep it simple with vanilla and or almond extract. Split it and fill it with jam, add sweetened whipped cream and fruit for something more special, this is the perfect easy cake.