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Chocolate Almond Cake is an indulgently chocolatey, tender cake made with almond flour and a hint of almond extract, topped with a layer of toasted sliced almonds. It's a simple little dessert, prepped in 15 minutes, popped in the oven, and homemade in about an hour! It's easy to make ahead, and it's the perfect elegant dessert for a dinner party, a small birthday party, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or even as a brunch cake. Serve it plain, with coffee, or topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
- Simple Ingredients - Butter, sugar, eggs, milk, flour, almond flour, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips with that almond extract for irresistible flavor! No frosting, no layering, just a sprinkle of sliced almonds and a dusting of powdered sugar!
- Perfect Size for Small Gatherings - It's not a huge cake, great for a dinner party or a small birthday, without baking a big layer cake. I made it for my husband's birthday dinner with 5 of us, including 2 kids, and everyone loved it!
- A Dessert or Brunch Cake - A versatile little cake, serve it after dinner with ice cream or with coffee at a holiday brunch. Also try my similar Cranberry Almond Cake, especially around the holidays!
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Ingredients & Substitutions
Simple ingredients and pantry staples, this little dessert looks fancy but is super quick and easy to pull together!
- Butter - Use 1 stick (8 tablespoons) of room-temperature butter in total. Use 7 tablespoons in the batter, 1 tablespoon melted for the topping, and a little to grease the pan. I use salted butter, but unsalted works too.
- Sugar, Eggs, and Milk - These make the simple base of the cake and with just ⅔ cup of sugar, so not overly sweet.
- Almond Extract - Adds a rich almond flavor that pairs so well with chocolate.
- Flour and Almond Flour - Half regular flour and half almond flour give the cake a tender crumb.
- Cocoa Powder and Chocolate Chips - Give the cake its chocolate flavor with little pockets of melted chocolate. Dark chocolate cocoa powder and chips are great, but really any kind will work including chocolate chunks, mini chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate bars.
- Baking Powder and Salt - The baking powder helps the cake rise, and the salt enhances the flavor of all ingredients.
- For the Topping - Sliced almonds with a little butter and sugar to get them slightly golden give this cake its gorgeous look! A dusting of powdered sugar before serving adds a beautiful touch!
See recipe card for full ingredients and quantities.
Instructions
Chocolate Almond Cake comes together quickly in a mixer, topped with almonds and popped in the oven!
Step 1 - Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Save 1 Tablespoon of the stick of butter for the topping and use a bit to grease a 9 inch round quiche or glass pie pan.
In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth with no lumps of butter.
Step 2 - Add the eggs, milk, and almond extract and keep mixing.
Stop to scrape down the sides and get everything incorporated.
Step 3 - Add each dry ingredient slowly with the mixer running until everything is blended.
Step 4 - Pour the batter into your pan.
Step 5 - Mix up the almond topping in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top.
Step 6 - Bake for 45 minutes.
Step 7 - Allow the cake to cool. Then use a small strainer to dust the top with powdered sugar before slicing and serving. Sometimes a fork is helpful to remove that first slice.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Don't Open the Oven to Peek! - The cake needs to bake and rise for 45 minutes. The temperature is not very hot, so don't worry about it burning, just let it bake at least 40 minutes before checking. You want consistent heat and opening the door can cause the temperature to drop and the cake to sink.
- Let it Cool before Slicing - Cooling the cake makes it easier to cut clean slices and remove it from the pan. Wait to add the powdered sugar so it doesn't melt into the cake.
- Serving Ideas - Serve this simple cake plain with coffee for dessert or brunch. Or top it with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
- Make Ahead and Leftovers - The cake can be made a day in advance, cooled completely and covered, I like to pop the whole pan in a produce bag or bread bag. Then just leave it on the counter, and slice and serve the next day! Leftovers can sit at room temperature for a day or two, or be refrigerated for 3 days or frozen for 2 months.
Recipe FAQs
A 9 inch round baking dish, quiche pan, or pie pan works best. You could also use a square baking dish and cut the cake into squares. This feels a little less fancy this way but would taste just as good.
Yes! The cake can be made a day in advance, cooled, and covered (a produce or bread bag works great). Leave on the counter and dust with powdered sugar, slice, and serve the next day.
I have not tested this, but I think it would be fine to substitute the half cup of flour for 1 to 1 gluten-free flour. If you try this, please leave a comment with how it turned out!
I recommend sliced almonds. They bake up and toast nicely, and slivered or chopped almonds won't look as nice.
More Favorite Baking!
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Chocolate Almond Cake
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Print Pin RateIngredients
- 7 Tablespoons butter room temperature (1 stick, but use 1 Tablespoon for the topping and to grease the baking dish)
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- ¼ cup chocolate chips
For the Topping
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon butter melted
For Serving
- powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. From the stick of butter, reserve 1 Tablespoon for the topping and use a bit to grease a 9 inch round baking dish, quiche or pie pan.
- Add the remaining 7 Tablespoons of butter and the sugar to a stand mixer and cream together until fully mixed. Stop to scrape down the sides and incorporate any lumps of butter.
- Add the egg, milk, and almond extract and continue to mix.
- Add the dry ingredients slowly with the mixer on low, letting them mix in until incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Mix the topping in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top of the cake.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Allow to cool, then add powdered sugar to a strainer and tap to dust the top of the cake. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Serve the cake for dessert plain, or topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Also goes well with coffee for brunch!
- Butter - Use 1 stick of butter total, a bit to grease the pan and a Tablespoon for the topping. I use salted butter but either is fine.
- Use Sliced Almonds - They bake up and toast nicely. I would not use slivered almonds or whole almonds chopped, they won't look as nice!
- Make Ahead - The cake can be made a day ahead, cooled completely, covered and left on the counter.
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