Go Back
+ servings
Serving a slice of cake
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Italian Almond Cake

This easy Italian almond cake is so flavorful and moist, you'd never guess it's so simple to make at home! You'll fall in love with this cake at first bite.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Breakfast, brunch, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: almond cake, italian almond cake
Servings: 8
Calories: 321kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 stick salted butter, melted
  • 1 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon sugar (divided)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1-½ cups sliced almonds (divided)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-½ teaspoons almond extract
  • ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°F.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter and sugar.
  • Add eggs and whisk again.
  • Using a food processor, coarsely grind ¾ c of the sliced almonds. If you don't have a food processor, you can also finely chop them by hand using a knife.
  • Next, add the orange zest, ground almonds, and both extracts to the batter and whisk all ingredients together.
  • In a separate bowl, stir together the dry ingredients of flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • Add dry to wet ingredients and stir well until smooth.
  • Grease a springform pan or cake pan with either butter or cooking spray, then line the bottom with parchment paper.
    Tip: If you're using a round cake pan, line both the bottom and sides with parchment, with a little extra sticking up to act as "handles" to lift the cake out of the pan after baking.
  • Pour the batter into the pan and spread evenly using a rubber spatula.
  • Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly over the batter, then add ¾ c of sliced almonds on top.
  • Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Remove the ring from the springform pan and let cool. If you used a round cake pan instead, lift the cake out of the pan with the parchment paper, and let cool.
  • Finally, dust the top of the finished cake with a little powdered sugar. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Type of pan: I used a 10" springform pan to make my cake, but there's absolutely no reason a regular round cake pan wouldn't work just as well. If you use a regular cake pan, though, make sure to line both the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper (with a little extra sticking up to act as "handles"), so you can easily lift the cake out of the pan after baking.
 
  • Food processor: While this makes the job of coarsely grinding the almonds for the batter an easy one, you can also finely chop them with a knife.
 
  • Variations:
    Amaretto - Although I haven't tried this myself (but definitely want to soon!), I've read that you can substitute Amaretto for almond extract, though you will need about 4 times the amount of Amaretto.
    Lemon zest - Lemon zest can be used in place of orange zest, but will change the flavor slightly, as lemons are tart rather than sweet.
 
  • Additional topping ideas: In addition to the sliced almonds, top this cake with some slices of peach, fig, pear, or plum...or berries, like raspberries, cherries, or strawberries. A light drizzle of honey would also be spectacular!
 
  • Storage:This cake will stay delicious when kept in an airtight container on the counter or in the fridge for several days.
 
 
 
Small Recipe Logo

Nutrition

Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 18g | Sodium: 204mg | Potassium: 109mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 455IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 48mg