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A slice of Almond Cake with sliced almonds on top sits on a decorative plate, while a fork holds a tender piece of the cake.
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Simple Moist Almond Cake Recipe

A simple, moist almond cake made with regular all-purpose flour, sour cream, almond extract, and finely ground almonds. Buttery, tender, and perfect for tea, brunch, dessert, or any occasion worth celebrating.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 357kcal
Author: Stephanie Wilson

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup blanched sliced almonds finely ground or ½ cup almond flour or almond meal (plus more for garnishing top of the cake)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter softened, plus more for buttering pan
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar plus optional 2 tablespoons for topping
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350℉ and butter or grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. I also like to line the bottom and sides with parchment rounds and a sleeve.
  • In a spice or nut grinder (or food processor or blender), pulse the almonds until finely ground. Then, in a medium bowl, combine the flour, ground almond meal (or almond flour), baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
  • With an electric mixer or stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy; about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until mixed, then add the almond and vanilla extracts along with the sour cream.
  • Beat in the flour mixture just until mixed with no dry flour streaks.
  • Transfer the dough to the springform pan. Smooth the batter with a spatula and sprinkle almonds and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar over the top.
  • Bake 35-45 minutes, or until the top is golden and springs back when lightly pressed. During the last 10 minutes of baking, place a sheet of parchment paper or tent foil over the cake if it is browning too quickly. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing the outer ring of the pan and cool on a wire rack. When ready to serve, sift powdered sugar on top and slice into wedges.

Notes

  1. Regular flour matters: This recipe uses all-purpose flour for structure. Do not replace all of it with almond flour.
  2. Room-temperature ingredients: Butter, eggs, and sour cream blend best at room temperature and help create a tender crumb.
  3. Almond flour option: You can use ½ cup almond flour or almond meal in place of the finely ground almonds. Almond flour (blanched, finer grind) will yield a slightly softer crumb, while almond meal (coarser, may include skins) will give a bit more texture.
  4. Don’t Overbake: Start checking at 30 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  5. Serving Suggestions: Dust with powdered sugar, serve with fresh berries and whipped cream, or drizzle with raspberry sauce for a dinner party dessert.
  6. Storage: Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or wrap well and freeze for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 332mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 513IU | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg