Vegan Almond Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cup almond flour (blanched almond meal; 200g)
• 1.5 cup all-purpose plain flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour; 190g)
• 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp lemon zest (or orange zest, optional)
• salt (a pinch)
• 1 cup dairy-free milk (250g)
• 0.33 cup neutral flavored oil (light olive oil or melted vegan butter; 85g)
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice, optional)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 0.5 tsp almond extract
• 0.5 cup sliced almonds (45g)
• powdered sugar (for dusting)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease or line an 8-inch (20 cm) springform or loose bottom cake pan that's at least 2-inch or 5cm tall with parchment paper.

2. 2

   Add all the dry ingredients (almond flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt) to a large mixing bowl and whisk until the mixture is well combined. For better flavor, you can rub the lemon zest into the sugar first to release its oils.

3. 3

   Add all the wet ingredients (dairy-free milk, oil, vinegar, vanilla extract, and almond extract) to the flour mixture.

4. 4

   Mix until just combined. The batter should be quite thick. Avoid overmixing to prevent the cake from becoming dense.

5. 5

   Scoop the cake batter into your prepared cake tin. Smooth the top of the cake with a spoon or spatula.

6. 6

   Generously sprinkle the sliced almonds on top of the batter.

7. 7

   Bake the cake for 50-60 minutes. The cake is ready when you can insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out with no wet batter (a few moist crumbs are fine). For a slightly fudgy marzipan-like center, underbake the cake by 5 minutes.

8. 8

   Allow the cake to cool in the cake pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

9. 9

   To serve, dust the cake with powdered sugar. Serve with fresh berries, yogurt, or as desired.

Notes

For best results, use a digital scale to weigh ingredients. If using gluten-free flour and the batter seems too thick, add a dash of dairy-free milk. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• vegan
• vegetarian
• almond cake
• baking
• dairy-free
• one-bowl