Vegan Almond Cake

(For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card).

No mixer or special equipment is required to make vegan almond cake but you will need a 9-inch cake tin and some parchment paper or a silicone liner to line it. This is a sticky cake and no matter how good your pan is, you won't get the cake out in one piece if you don't line the pan.

I purchased a couple of these Silpat liners a while ago now and they are so handy. No having to cut rounds of paper anymore and you can reuse them for years.

Important: The pan you use to bake this cake must be metal. Do not use a silicone pan. This cake needs good structure as it is delicate.

Here's what we've got going on in this eggless almond cake recipe:

And some notes on each of them:

• Almond flour– This is a naturally gluten-free vegan almond cake. Because it is made entirely from almond flour which is a completely gluten-free flour, and contains no wheat flour at all, the light, soft and fine texture of the almond flour is crucial to the structure and texture of the cake. This means that to make this vegan almond flour cake you must use blanched superfine almond flour. Almond meal will not work well. Bob's Red Mill is a commonly found brand to look for while shopping. Amazon also carry many varieties. I get mine from Costco. They sell a great big bag that's great value for money. If you are in the UK you can usually pick it up from Holland & Barrett. The flour should look pale yellow and very, very fine like flour. Not coarse with brown bits of skin in it, like almond meal which is made from unblanched almonds. Looking for more ways to use almond flour? Check out my other vegan almond flour recipes.
• Olive oil - I like to use extra virgin olive oil for it's deep flavor, but regular olive oil is fine too. The olive oil is used as the fat in the cake, but also for its moisture and flavor which complements the almond and lemon. It is the best choice for this recipe and I don't recommend using any other type of oil.
• Sugar - Cane sugar or white sugar for their mellow flavor and light colour. Don't use any other type as it will affect the look and taste of the cake.
• Lemons - For flavor, acidity and moisture. You could use orange, grapefruit or lime instead. Use the lemon juice and the lemon zest too if you want even more lemon flavor.
• Cornstarch - For binding. Without this additional starch your cake will fall apart. It is essential in this recipe.
• Plant milk - Any variety such as almond milk, cashew milk, soy milk or oat milk. I recommend using plain unsweetened and unflavored milk.
• Baking powder - For fluffiness and rise.
• Baking soda and apple cider vinegar - Because this is an eggless almond cake recipe, a blend of both are used to replace the leavening that would otherwise be provided by eggs.
• Almond extract - For concentrated almond flavor. You could use vanilla extract instead. I highly recommend you use "extract" and not flavoring. It gives far superior results. I love Nielsen-Massey almond extract.

+ (OPTIONAL) Powdered sugar - For dusting over the cake once it is baked and cooled. I use it sometimes. Other times, like in my photos here, I just leave the cake naked.

Wondering how to make almond cake without eggs? Here's how it's done:

1. Whisk up the dry ingredients.
2. Whisk up the wet ingredients.
3. Mix the two together and because this is a gluten-free vegan almond cake made only with almond flour, you don't need to worry about over-mixing like you would with a standard wheat flour cake.
4. Pour the batter mixture into a pan and bake in the oven. Check it with a toothpick/skewer/sharp knife and you're done.

That's it. Then leave it to cool in the pan on a wire rack and you have perfect cake. No buttercream, frosting, or glaze is required. It's more than good enough just as it is. Additions like that would detract unnecessarily from the beautifully moist and flavorful vegan cake.

For decoration purposes I like to either brush the cake with a little maple syrup to give it a really nice shine, or dust it with some powdered sugar.

The great thing about this cake is that it doesn't dry out over time like most cakes do.

• To store: Leftover cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for 5 to 6 days. If you want to keep it any longer store covered very well in the fridge where it will be fine for up to 10 days.
• To freeze: Allow to cool completely in the tin. The best way is to freeze the cake in the tin. Just be sure to wrap the whole thing really, really well. Or once turned out, place the cake very gently in a shallow and airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge. Take note before attempting to freeze, that this cake is very moist and delicate and doesn't transfer easily, so once turned out onto a plate or cake stand, it will be next to impossible to remove it and place it on something else, unless you're doing it by the slice.

This fragrant vegan almond flour cake is amazing served by the slice just as it is, but can also be transformed into an amazing dessert. Try it served with:

• vegan whipped cream or coconut cream
• summer berries (it's particularly good with fresh raspberries)
• roasted strawberries
• poached pears
• vegan lemon curd
• roasted figs
• vegan ricotta
• fruit compote
• vegan custard
• ice cream

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