Italian Almond Cake

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If you’re a lover of classic Italian flavors, then I know you’re going to love my Italian Almond Cake! This deliciously light cake is loaded with nutty ground almonds and flavored with fragrant lemon zest.

All you need to live the dolce vita, is a strong coffee and a slice of this Italian Almond Cake!

Italian Almond Cake on round wooden board with one wedge cut. — Deliciously nutty cake with a hint of lemon!

Almond flavored sweets like my Torta Sbrisolona, Spanish Almond Cake or Italian Wedding Cookies are always so well received and my Italian Almond Cake is no different. This cake has a beautifully light crumb with hints of lemon zest and a base of nutty ground almonds.

I have adapted this cake from a Marcella Hazan recipe that I have been making for years. It is perfect served as a light dessert with mascarpone cream on the side or with a strong coffee for an Italian style breakfast.

Whilst there are many different versions of Almond Cake, I know you’ll love this recipe because it uses so few ingredients to create a delicious cake. Plus, it’s the perfect excuse to use up all those egg whites you have sitting in the freezer.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

This cake is full of deliciously nutty almonds and lemony zest.
It is the perfect way to use up any unwanted egg whites (you’ll need 8 for this almond cake recipe!)
Whether you’re serving this cake with whipped cream and fresh berries for dessert or with an espresso for breakfast, it’s a guaranteed crowd pleaser.
The texture of this cake is so light and tender due to being based on egg whites. But never dry thanks to lots of almonds!

For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Table of Contents

Ingredients

Ground almonds – also known as almond meal or you can use almond flour. I used blanched ground almonds for this recipe so the cake became white in color. You can use unblanched ground almonds, but the cake will just be a darker color.
Granulated sugar – also known as superfine sugar or castor sugar.
Egg whites – just the egg whites are required for this recipe. Leftover egg yolks can be used for making extra rich pasta, Zuppa Inglese or my Torta Della Nonna.
Salt – just a pinch of salt to bring out the subtle flavors in this recipe.
Lemon zest – grated zest creates a light, lemony flavor in this cake.
Cake flour – I like to use cake flour for a light consistency. This flour is ground extra fine and has less gluten which creates a tender and light texture.
Baking powder – just a little to give this cake lift. The egg whites do most of the work here.

Instructions

Four step process showing how to make this light cake.

Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC and prepare a springform pan.

Combine ground almonds, granulated sugar, cake flour, baking powder and lemon zest in a bowl.
Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until white and foamy. Gradually add the remaining granulated sugar and whisk until thick, firm peaks form.
Fold in the dry ingredients in three batches. Fold to combine everything thoroughly.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.

Hint: Be sure to have egg whites at room temperature. I find that cold egg whites don’t whisk up quite as well.

Substitutions

Cake flour – make your own cake flour by putting 2 tablespoons of cornstarch (corn flour) into a measuring cup and then adding all purpose (plain) flour to the 1 cup level. Stir to combine. This will give you 1 cup of cake flour.
Lemon zest – instead of lemon zest, you can use a few drops of food grade lemon oil or lemon extract.
Ground almonds – you can make your own ground almonds by blitzing almonds with the granulated sugar required for this recipe in the food processor. Just be careful not to overdo it or might end up with almond butter instead!

Variations

Orange – why not try using orange zest or orange extract instead of the lemon zest in this Italian Almond Cake?
Extra nutty – top this Almond cake with sliced almonds before popping it into the oven to bake for a decorative crunch.
Extra flavor – Increase the almond flavor by adding a few drops of almond extract.
Deluxe – drizzle with chocolate ganache topping before serving. Use the chocolate ganache from this Chocolate Tart recipe.

Equipment

An electric hand mixer or stand mixer will make beating the egg whites easy! You will also need an 8 or 9 inch springform cake pan for my Almond Cake recipe.

Storage

Italian Almond Cake keeps well in an airtight container for three days. Leftovers can also be frozen in slices. Just be sure to wrap the slices well in plastic wrap because freezing can dry the cake out a little. But it will still taste delicious!

Tips for Success

Overhead view of a round cake with five wedges cut. One wedge lying on it's side.

Have the egg whites at room temperature because they will whisk more easily. However, when separating eggs, it’s easier to separate when they’re cold. Just set the whites aside to come to room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients

Grease and fat are the enemies of beautifully thick and stiffly whisked eggs white. Take care when separating eggs. If any yolk gets into the egg whites, you won’t be able to whisk them to the correct consistency. Plus it’s important to use a scrupulously clean bowl and beaters for the same reason.

Be very gentle as you fold the dry ingredients into the beaten egg whites. It is important to not knock the air out of the egg whites because this will primarily make the Italian Almond Cake rise. I recommend folding the dry ingredients into the egg whites in three batches to be extra careful.

FAQ

How many calories in Italian Almond Cake?

There are approximately 328 calories per serve in Italian Almond Cake. This is approximate and depends on making the cake exactly as stated, using exactly the same ingredients and cutting the cake in exactly ten even slices.

Don’t have any almond meal?

You can easily substitute almond meal with ground almonds or almond flour. But it’s also possible to make your own ground almonds by blitzing whole almonds in the food processor with sugar. Just be careful not to over blitz the almonds as they will release their oils and become almond butter or paste instead!

What is cake flour and can I substitute it with all purpose flour?

Cake flour has a lower protein content and less gluten than all purpose (plain) flour. As a result of this, cake flour produces cakes with a lighter, fluffier and finer texture. Cake flour is usually quite easy to buy in your local grocery store, but if you can’t find it, you can easily make it at home. I find it is easiest to make 1 cup of cake flour by adding 2 tablespoons of cornstarch (corn flour) to a 1 cup measure and then filling the remainder with all purpose (plain flour). Stir to combine.

Serving Suggestions

Wedge of cake on a white plate with whole cake in the background.

You’ll love serving my Italian Almond Cake when friends pop around in the afternoon for tea and coffee. If you want to make it a more impressive spread, you could also add my Jelly Cakes, Italian Knot Cookies or my Puff Pastry with Nutella to the table.

For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.