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This Easy Almond Cake is rich, buttery and beautifully moist. Perfect for feeding a crowd, it makes a simple but elegant dessert. And of course it is perfect on its own with a cup of tea too!
The recipe is a slightly adapted version of a recipe by the fabulous Nigella Lawson in her book How to Be a Domestic Goddess, one of my all-time favourite cookbooks (affiliate link). Over the years I slightly adjusted the flavouring and I have also adapted the method to better suit the way I bake.
I have been making this cake for years – it’s my go-to for easy, elegant entertaining, snacks and afternoon tea. It’s delicious plain but you can make it extra-special too.
Tips for Success
Check the almond cake frequently while it is baking, particularly the first time. It sometimes browns quite quickly, and in my experience is often cooked within 40 minutes, instead of the usual 50.
Easy Almond Cake keeps really well covered at room temperature so it’s great for baking ahead. The marzipan (almond paste) makes it incredibly moist and delicious. While it is lovely just as a plain cake for slicing, a little easy embellishment makes it special occasion worthy!
I do not recommend freezing this cake. In my experience, its wonderfully moist texture means it does not freeze particularly well.
My favourite way to decorate this simple but delicious cake is to sprinkle it with sieved icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar) and fill the centre of the cake with berries of your choice. I always offer a little ice cream to go alongside as well.
I have been baking this Easy Almond Cake for years and it never fails to delight family and friends. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we do, and that it will become a favourite in your kitchen too.
Easy Almond Cake – Printable Recipe
Easy Almond Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened and chopped in small pieces plus extra for greasing the pan
- 1 cup marzipan, softened and chopped in small pieces
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1¼ cups self-raising flour
- 6 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Grease and flour a 10 inch (25 cm) springform pan, preferably a Bundt cake pan or tube pan.
- Blend together the butter and the marzipan in the large bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed.
- Add the sugar and cream everything together until smooth.
- Blend in the almond extract.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, with a tablespoon of flour for each, beating on medium speed between each addition. Scrape down the bowl regularly.
- Blend in any remaining flour. The mixture should be fairly smooth.
- Transfer the mixture to the baking pan, smoothing the top.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until the cake is beginning to turn golden brown and a skewer or piece of dry spaghetti inserted in the cake comes out fairly clean. (This is a moist cake, so some batter may cling, but it should not be wet.)
- Remove the pan from the oven and cool completely before carefully turning out on to a cake plate. I like to carefully run a kitchen knife around the side of the pan before doing this.
- Cut the cake in slices to serve. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
did you make this recipe?
Make sure to tag #apriljharris on Instagram and follow @apriljharris for more.
If you like this recipe you may also enjoy:
and if you love marzipan, why not try my Simnel Cake recipe?
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Lovely recipe and I love that you used marzipan.
Thank you, Janette 🙂
Looks yummy! I’m going to try it topped with a bunch of fresh berries.
Thank you, Nancy. It really is lovely with berries.
My mom would love this. She is crazy about almond flavored desserts. I like the simple, but beautiful way you’ve decorated the cake with brightly colored berries. Thank you for sharing, April!
Thank you, Michelle 🙂
It looks so beautiful with the fruits 🙂
Nigella is great – I just love here recipes
Thank you, Winnie. And I must say, I love Nigella’s recipes too 🙂
Almonds and cake make for a great combination. You have made it look so spectacular!
Thank you 🙂 I love incorporating fruit in cake decoration.
I made this cake for my mom for Mother’s Day. It is a beautiful cake that’s incredibly delicious! I’m not a huge dessert fan, usually preferring to eat more savory things, but this, I even went back for seconds! It is wonderful! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
I’m so glad you and your mom enjoyed the cake, Debi 🙂 It really is a family favourite!
So pretty! Love its simplicity!
Thank you, Patricia!
This looks absolutely gorgeous April and thanks for sharing it at my Say G’day Party! All pinned
Thank you so much, Joanne, and thank you for pinning too 🙂
The perfect afternoon tea cake, for sure, especially with all those gorgeous berries. Beautiful! Good old Nigella never fails to give us great cake recipes!
Thank you, Elizabeth! I adore Nigella’s recipes. I have made so many of them and they always turn out beautifully 🙂
Beautifully done, April! This is just perfect for a special gathering or a lazy weekend afternoon!
Thank you, Dan!
Love almond cakes, they’re always so tasty! This is a gorgeous summer cake and would really love slices of this with summer berries! 🙂
Thank you, Abigail. I love almond too. It is such a lovely, delicate flavour 🙂
Almond cakes are just wonderful, garnish it with some fresh berries, count me in! 🙂
Thank you, Florian.
This looks absolutely delicious April! Pinned and shared!
Thank you, Joanne, and thank you for pinning and sharing too!
This sounds amazing! What a neat looking cake!
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
Thank you, Jess, and thank you for hosting too 🙂
Hi April, what a lovely cake. Homemade with fresh fruit is perfect for the holidays.
Thanks for sharing this recipe at Cooking and Crafting with J & J.
Julie
Thank you, Julie!