Moist almond pound cake made with almond flour. This flavorful, lightly sweet pound cake is topped with creamy almond glaze and generously garnished with toasted sliced almonds.
Pound cakes are a popular classic dessert for good reason! First of all, they are dense cakes packed with flavor. The high amount of butter and eggs ensures pound cakes are moist, rich, and flavorful.
And second, pound cake recipes are so versatile. These batters may be baked in a variety of different shaped and sized vessels. Choose to bake this almond flour pound cake in either a 10-inch bundt cake pan or two 8×4-inch loaf pans (also known as one pound pans).
More examples! This lemon chamomile pound cake is baked in a tube pan. Ube pound cake and matcha pound cake are both baked in loaf pans. And, any of these recipes can also be baked in a standard muffin pan, as well!
Ingredients
For best results, measure ingredients by weight using a kitchen scale. Otherwise, if you prefer to use cups for volume measurements, please use the spoon and level method to properly measure flour.
All pound cakes start with same four basic ingredients: flour, butter, eggs, and sugar. Then, comes the exciting ingredients that boost flavor profiles and enhance cake texture.
- Almond Flour: This recipe was created and photographed using blanched almond flour (that means almonds without skin). You may use unblanched skin-on almond flour. However, you will have dark brown specks throughout the cake.
- Extracts: This cake is flavored with a combination of pure vanilla extract and almond extract. Together these two extracts create a warm, nutty, floral flavor.
- Sour Cream: Don’t skim on the fat! Use full-fat sour cream for the best flavor and texture.
Recipe Variations
This almond pound cake is topped with a super easy almond glaze. It is a simple mixture of confectioners’ sugar (also known as powdered sugar), heavy cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract. It’s a sweet glaze that sets to a semi-firm shell. It pairs wonderfully with the lightly sweet almond cake.
If you want to add another dimension of flavor, try these other frosting and glaze options:
- Chocolate Glaze: Use the luscious chocolate glaze used in this chocolate eclair recipe. It’s a shiny glaze made with cream, chocolate, and corn syrup.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Sweet and tangy cream cheese works well with the floral almond cake. Try the frosting from these carrot cake cinnamon rolls.
Baking Pan Variations and Options
As mentioned earlier, this pound cake batter recipe may be baked in either one 10-inch bundt cake pan or two 8×4-inch loaf pans. Baking times remain similar for both this options.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Expert Baking Tips
Use a kitchen oven thermometer to ensure proper oven temperatures. Don’t reply on the temperature your oven says. More than often, the actual temperature inside the oven does not match the oven setting.
Ovens aren’t perfect. They often have “hot spots.” Rotate baking pan midway through baking to ensure even cooking and even heat distribution.
Bake the cake in the center of the oven. You may have to adjust the rack positions.
Cool cake in pan for about 8-10 minutes. Then, invert and unmold onto wire rack to further cool to room temperature. Don’t leave the cake in the hot pan. The heat will cause the the cake exterior to get soggy. Let the cake breath!
More Almond Dessert Recipes
Almond Pound Cake
Ingredients
Almond Cake:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, (325 g)
- 1 cup almond flour, (110 g)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup unsalted butter, (226 g) softened, room temp
- 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar, (350 g)
- 1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 5 large eggs, room temp
- 1 cup sour cream, (227 g), room temp
Almond Glaze:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar, (115 g)
- 3 ½ Tablespoon heavy cream, or whole milk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt, , or fine sea salt
- ½ cup toasted sliced almonds, , or more as needed to garnish
Instructions
Almond Pound Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Generously grease bundt pan (or loaf pans). Lightly flour pan. Tap out excess flour. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, almond flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set side.
- In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter. Add sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix until smooth and fully incorporated. Scrape down bowl as needed to ensure thorough mixing.
- Add eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next. Mix on medium speed until well combined.
- Alternate adding dry flour mixture and sour cream. Add a third of dry flour mixture. Mix on low speed until almost combined. Add half of sour cream. Mix until almost combined. Repeat and end with third of dry flour mixture. Mix until there are no longer any dry streaks of flour.
- Transfer batter to prepared cake pan. Level batter. Bake for 60-65 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Let cake sit in pan for about 10 minutes minutes to cool slightly. Unmold cake. Cool to room temperature on wire rack. *Alternatively, evenly divide batter between two loaf pans (about 730g batter per loaf pan). Spread batter into an even layer. Bake for about 55-60 minutes.
Almond Glaze:
- Whisk together confectioners' sugar, heavy cream, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt until smooth. *If glaze is too thick, add additional heavy cream one teaspoon at a time until desired glaze consistency is achieved.
- Spread glaze over cooled cake. Top with toasted almonds. Let sit for about 10-15 minutes to allow glaze to set. Use a serrated knife to slice portions.
Notes
- This recipe was created and photographed using blanched almond flour. You may use unblanched almond flour (skin on almonds). However, resulting cake will have brown almond skin specks thoroughout.
- How to toast slice almonds: spread sliced almonds on baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes in 350℉ oven until lightly golden brown. Cool before use.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
I can’t have almonds but love the flavor and extract is fine. Can I omit the almond flour and use all purpose then add extract?
The almond flour in this recipe adds fat and moisture (which AP flour doesn’t provide). I suggest you try this chocolate chip bundt cake recipe and omit the chocolate and 2 teaspoons of almond extract.
Love the new site Maryanne! Your pictures are beautiful.
Thanks Immaculate! How are you?!
I love your new website Maryanne! It’s so beautiful and I love your recipe index! You are giving me the last push to start redesigning my site too, it’s so clean and fresh… and professional! :)
I also loved Hadley’s and its date shake. I loaded up on dates, nuts and soy beans last Saturday, can’t wait to make the date shake at home!
See you next week and enjoy celebrating your site! xoxo
Thanks Ellen!! See you next week :)