This Lemon Almond Cake is an easy 4-ingredient cake with a thick buttery almond crumb packed with delicious lemon flavors. It’s gluten-free, healthy, made with no added fat, and no refined sugar.
While the whole recipe is just below, don’t miss all my tips further down, including process shots, ingredient swaps, tips, and more!
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Optional – to decorate or add flavors
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Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Line a 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Lightly oil the paper on the sides and bottom. Set aside.
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Split egg yolks from egg whites and place them in 2 large mixing bowls.
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In the mixing bowl with the egg white, use an electric beater or the whisk attachment of your stand mixer to beat the egg whites until light and fluffy – about 2 minutes on high speed. Set aside.
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In the mixing bowl where you placed the egg yolk, add the maple syrup and lemon zest. Whisk to combine.
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In the previous bowl with egg yolk, add almond flour, lemon juice, half the fluffy egg whites, and stir using a rubber spatula to incorporate. As you stir, add the remaining fluffy egg whites and stir very well until everything is incorporated and a fluffy, consistent cake batter forms.
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Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and sprinkle sliced almonds on top if desired.
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Bake the cake on the center rack of the oven for 35-38 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C) until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
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Let the cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then on a cooling rack for 2 hours before slicing it into 12 pieces.
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If you like your cake sweeter, make the lemon glaze. Stir powdered allulose or powdered sugar and lemon juice until thick. Add more lemon juice to thin out if needed.
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Drizzle on the cooled cake.
Note 2: I use two fresh lemons + the zest of one of them. The zest is bitter and optional, you can skip it if you don’t like its flavor.
Note 3: Large eggs at room temperature work best.
Note 4: You can also use honey, agave syrup, or 2/3 cup allulose or a powdered erythritol/monk fruit blend.
Note 5: Optional, for flavors.
Note 6: Or powdered sugar or powdered erythritol.
Storage: Store the cake in the fridge in a cake box for up to 4 days or freeze slices in Ziploc bags for up to 1 month. Thaw the day before in the fridge.
Serving: 1 slice (9″ cake)Calories: 151.6 kcal (8%)Carbohydrates: 6.4 g (2%)Fiber: 2.4 g (10%)Net Carbs: 4 gProtein: 6.7 g (13%)Fat: 12.3 g (19%)Saturated Fat: 1.3 g (8%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7 gMonounsaturated Fat: 1.6 gTrans Fat: 0.01 gCholesterol: 62 mg (21%)Sodium: 52.2 mg (2%)Potassium: 50.5 mg (1%)Sugar: 1 g (1%)Vitamin A: 90.3 IU (2%)Vitamin B12: 0.1 µg (2%)Vitamin C: 2 mg (2%)Vitamin D: 0.3 µg (2%)Calcium: 56.9 mg (6%)Iron: 1.1 mg (6%)Magnesium: 10.4 mg (3%)Zinc: 0.3 mg (2%)
Ingredients and Substitutions
You only need 4 ingredients to make this recipe. Here’s how to pick and swap them.
- Almond Flour – This gluten-free flour provides the cake’s structure, make a moist and slightly nutty base. Almond meal can also be used, though it will result in a denser texture. It might work with sesame seed flour, but I haven’t tried.
- Lemon Juice – This brings a bright, tangy lemon flavor to the cake. Using the juice of two lemons brings all the lemon flavors you need!
- Lemon Zest – This adds more lemon aroma and flavor from the oils in the peel. If you find it too bitter, you can omit it.
- Eggs – Separated into yolks and whites, the yolks bring some moisture, while the whipped whites create a light and airy texture. Room temperature large eggs are ideal. You can’t swap eggs for anything else.
- Maple Syrup – This natural sweetener adds a subtle sweetness and moisture. Honey, agave syrup, or a sugar-free alternative like allulose or a powdered erythritol/monk fruit blend also work.
- Sliced Almonds – These bring some crunch and nutty flavor when sprinkled on top.
- Powdered Allulose – You can also use powdered sugar or erythritol to create a sweet lemon glaze for extra flavor and sweetness.
How to Make Lemon Almond Cake
This recipe is really easy to whip up, here’s how in pictures.
Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl and beat the whites in another bowl until fluffy.
Incorporate the almond flour and sweetener into the egg yolks and gently incorporate the egg whites.
Transfer the batter to a round springform pan and add sliced almonds on top.
Bake the cake on the center rack of the oven for 35-38 minutes at 350 °F (180 °C).
Carine’s Baking Tips
Let me share a few more tips for a perfect cake.
- Room Temp Eggs – Using large eggs that have been at room temperature for about 20 minutes helps them whip to a greater volume, resulting in a lighter cake.
- Zest for Flavor – Don’t skip the fresh lemon zest if you love a strong lemon flavor; it really boosts the citrus notes in the batter.
- Sweetener Swap – Feel free to use a sugar-free allulose or a blend of erythritol and monk fruit instead of maple syrup to make this cake lower in carbs.
- Glaze It Up – The lemon glaze adds a lovely touch of sweetness and intensifies the lemon flavor. Adjust the lemon juice in the glaze to reach your desired consistency.
- Crunchy Topping – Sprinkling sliced almonds on top adds a delightful textural contrast to the soft cake.
- Gentle Folding – When incorporating the whipped egg whites, fold them gently into the yolk mixture to maintain their volume and ensure a fluffy cake.
- Pan Prep is Key – Thoroughly lining and lightly oiling the cake pan with parchment paper prevents sticking and makes for easy removal.
More Almond Cake Recipes
About The Author
Carine Claudepierre
Hi, I’m Carine, the food blogger, author, recipe developer, published author of a cookbook, and founder of Sweet As Honey.
I have an Accredited Certificate in Nutrition and Wellness obtained in 2014 from Well College Global (formerly Cadence Health). I’m passionate about sharing all my easy and tasty recipes that are both delicious and healthy. My expertise in the field comes from my background in chemistry and years of following a keto low-carb diet. But I’m also well versed in vegetarian and vegan cooking since my husband is vegan.
I now eat a more balanced diet where I alternate between keto and a Mediterranean Diet
Cooking and Baking is my true passion. In fact, I only share a small portion of my recipes on Sweet As Honey. Most of them are eaten by my husband and my two kids before I have time to take any pictures!
All my recipes are at least triple tested to make sure they work and I take pride in keeping them as accurate as possible.
Browse all my recipes with my Recipe Index.
I hope that you too find the recipes you love on Sweet As Honey!