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    Home » Italian Recipes » Desserts

    Italian Almond Cake Recipe (Torta di Mandorle)

    September 26, 2023 by angelakallison 25 Comments

    Jump to Recipe

    Italian Almond Cake, known as "torta di mandorle," is a flavorful and simple to make Italian dessert made from almond flour, olive oil, and sugar. This classic Italian recipe is a real treat that's great for any occasion.

    Italian Almond Cake on a white plate.

    Italian Almond Cake is a fluffy and sweet treat with the most amazing texture. It's full of almond flavor and pairs perfectly with a hot cup of coffee or tea.

    This is a great recipe to have on hand for the holidays or whenever you are craving a sweet treat. 

    If you love almond flavors and ricotta cheese, you have to try my Almond Ricotta Cake or these Almond Ricotta Cookies. For more almond flour cakes, try this Almond Flour Apple Cake or Almond Flour Pear Cake recipes. 

    You'll Love Italian Almond Cake

    Italian Almond Cake is one of those recipes you'll make again and again. It's a perfectly dense and moist cake with the most amazing almond flavor and chewy texture. 

    If you love almonds, then this recipe for you. Known also as Torta di Mandorle, it's a simple dessert full of classic Italian flavors. 

    This is one of those Italian desserts that you're sure to love. It's flavored with almond extract and has the most amazing texture and stays fresh for days. 

    Slice of Italian Almond Cake on a white plate with a checkered napkin in the background.

    I like to serve this delicious cake for a light and simple dessert treat paired with espresso or a glass of Vin Santo. It's great for brunch, breakfast, or a midday treat too! 

    If you love classic Italian desserts, give this easy Italian Almond Cake recipe a try. Simple and delicious, it's the perfect treat to have on hand for any occasion. 

    Ingredients and Variations

    Ingredients for recipe including eggs, sugar, and olive oil.
    • Almond Flour: almond flour is a great ingredient for adding texture to this cake. You can find almond flour in most grocery stores in the baking aisle. Just be sure you are not using almond meal, as that would be too coarse for this recipe. You could also make your own almond flour. 
    • Flour: all purpose flour is needed in addition to the almond flour to help the cake rise and hold together. Almond flour alone makes this cake too dense. 
    • Baking Powder: make sure you are using baking powder and not baking soda here. 
    • Salt: use kosher salt to balance the sweetness in this recipe. 
    • Sugar: regular granulated sugar is ideal here. 
    • Eggs: you will need three large room temperature eggs. 
    • Olive Oil: olive oil is a great alternative to butter in baking. It's healthier and adds great flavor and moisture. 
    • Almond Extract: the almond extract is needed to bring out the almond flavor in this cake. 
    • Topping: finish off your Italian Almond Cake with a sprinkle of sliced almonds and powdered sugar. 
    • Variations: you can flavor this recipe with lemon zest or orange zest to add an additional depth of lemon flavor. 

    How to Make Italian Almond Cake

    Italian Almond Cake is traditionally made in a 9-inch springform pan. This will allow the cake to rise and be easy to remove from the pan. Start by preheating your oven and grease and line your pan with parchment paper. 

    Process shots showing how to make recipe including making the batter and pouring into springform pan.

    Step 1: mix dry ingredients

    In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together until well combined. 

    Step 2: mix wet ingredients

    In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the eggs and sugar until light and frothy; about two minutes. Then, mix in the olive oil and almond extract until just combined. (You can also make this in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.) 

    Step 3: combine ingredients and bake

    Pour the flour mixture into the wet and mix until well combined. Then, pour the cake batter into the prepared springform pan. 

    Bake on the center rack in a preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes. You will know the cake is done when a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the cake comes out clean. 

    Let the delicious Italian almond cake cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing the collar. Cool completely before serving.

    Step 4: garnish and serve

    Lastly, place the cake on your serving platter. Then, decorate the top of the cake with a sprinkle of almond slices and a dusting of powdered sugar. Slice and serve as is or with fresh berries. 

    Overhead photo of Italian Almond Cake with sliced almonds and powdered sugar sprinkled on top.

    Recipe Tips

    • Make sure you are using almond flour and not almond meal for this recipe. 
    • If you don't have almond extract, you can substitute a tablespoon of Amaretto liqueur instead. 
    • Be sure the cake is completely cooled before sprinkling on the powdered sugar. 
    • Store leftover Italian Almond Cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for up to a month. 
    Italian Almond Cake on a white plate with the remaining cake in the background.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    How do I make almond flour at home? 

    To make almond flour, simply place blanched almonds in a food processor and pulse until you achieve a fine, flour-like consistency, being careful not to over-process to prevent turning it into almond butter.

    What is Italian Almond Cake? 

    Italian almond cake, often referred to as "torta di mandorle," is a classic Italian dessert known for its rich, moist, and indulgent texture, typically made with ground almonds, sugar, and eggs.

    More Italian Cake Recipes

    • Pear Cake recipe.
      Pear Cake Recipe (Easy Italian Pear Cake)
    • Sbrisolona recipe.
      Torta Sbrisolona (Italian Almond Crumb Cake)
    • Italian Apple Cake on a wood cutting board with checkered cloth in the background.
      Italian Apple Cake
    • Italian Lemon ricotta cake recipe
      Italian Lemon Ricotta Cake | Light & Moist Recipe

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card below and/or review in the comments section further down the page.

    Italian Almond Cake Recipe.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 22 votes

    Italian Almond Cake

    Italian Almond Cake, known as "torte di mandorle," is a flavorful treat made with almond flour and almond extract. This is the perfect Italian dessert to have on hand while sipping espresso or a glass of Vin Santo.
    Prep Time10 minutes mins
    Cook Time35 minutes mins
    Total Time45 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Italian
    Keyword: Italian Almond Cake
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 280kcal
    Author: Angela Allison

    Equipment

    • 9 inch springform pan

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cups almond flour (150 grams)
    • 1 cup all purpose flour (130 grams)
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 3 large eggs
    • ½ cup olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon almond extract
    • sliced almonds and powdered sugar for topping

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper; set aside.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
    • In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to mix together the sugar and eggs until light and frothy; about two minutes. Add in the olive oil and almond extract and mix until combined. Pour in the dry mixture and mix until just combined.
    • Pour the almond cake batter into the greased springform pan. Place on the center rack in a preheated oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove the collar from the pan and let cool completely.
    • Before serving, sprinkle sliced almonds over the top of the cooled cake and dust with powdered sugar.

    Notes

    • Make sure you are using almond flour and not almond meal for this recipe. 
    • If you don't have almond extract, you can substitute a tablespoon of Amaretto liqueur instead. 
    • Be sure the cake is completely cooled before sprinkling on the powdered sugar. 
    • Store leftover Italian Almond Cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze for up to a month. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 186mg | Potassium: 29mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 68IU | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 1mg
    « Pear Cake Recipe (Easy Italian Pear Cake)
    Italian Walnut Cake Recipe (Torta di Noci) »
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Vicky

      September 26, 2023 at 8:53 am

      5 stars
      I love the subtle sweetness of this cake! Each slice is moist and packed with delicious almond flavor. A must-try for any dessert lover!

      Reply
      • Francesca

        October 15, 2023 at 4:53 pm

        5 stars
        I’ve made 2 of these cakes today (October 15,2023) and it was amazing, everyone loved it, thank you for sharing your recipe!!

        Reply
        • angelakallison

          October 16, 2023 at 3:40 pm

          Thanks so much, Francesca! So happy to hear you love it! 🙂

          Reply
    2. Sara Welch

      September 26, 2023 at 9:27 am

      5 stars
      Enjoyed this for dessert last night and it did not disappoint! Turned out light, fluffy and moist; the best way to cure my sweet tooth, indeed!

      Reply
    3. Holley

      September 26, 2023 at 9:34 am

      5 stars
      One of my favorite cakes, ever! I love having a slice of this cake with a hot cup of tea!

      Reply
    4. Michelle

      September 26, 2023 at 10:13 am

      5 stars
      Just wanted to pop by and say that I made this cake tonight and it did not disappoint! It was perfectly moist and so delicious, definitely a keeper. Thank you for such a great recipe.

      Reply
    5. Tayler

      September 26, 2023 at 10:32 am

      5 stars
      My grandma used to make a cake similar to this but I haven’t had it since she passed. Can’t wait to try this one!

      Reply
    6. Melissaine

      October 03, 2023 at 1:49 am

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious, the inside was really moist, almost gooey with beautiful almond flavour and the outside just golden enough to create a soft crumbly texture. We all loved this cake, kids and adults alike.

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        October 04, 2023 at 1:58 pm

        Yay! I'm so happy to hear that. It's one of my favorites!

        Reply
    7. Sylvia

      October 04, 2023 at 8:57 am

      Hi Angela. I can't wait to make this cake. I was wondering instead of using gradulated white sugar may I substitute for light brown sugar? And instead of sliced almonds may I use chopped walnuts? Please advice. Thankyou.

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        October 04, 2023 at 1:58 pm

        You can use brown sugar and chopped walnuts work too! Enjoy! 🙂

        Reply
        • Roger

          October 16, 2023 at 2:08 pm

          Per your measurements
          If 1 1/2 cup is equal to 150 gm how is 1 Cup equal to 130 grams

          Reply
          • angelakallison

            October 16, 2023 at 3:38 pm

            Because, cup for cup, the almond flour and all purpose flour weigh different amounts.

            Reply
        • Vana

          November 04, 2023 at 7:53 am

          5 stars
          Fabulous cake! I brushed it with sweet marsala when warm and again when cooled before adding almond and powdered sugar.

          Reply
    8. Barbara

      October 08, 2023 at 9:13 am

      Can this be made with gluten free flour?

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        October 13, 2023 at 1:41 pm

        Yes it can!

        Reply
    9. Steve

      October 09, 2023 at 12:17 am

      Would using almond flour for the whole recipe be possible or does it have to have the AP flour in it?

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        October 13, 2023 at 1:41 pm

        You could use all almond flour but the texture will be more dense. It will still taste delicious!

        Reply
    10. Rose

      October 19, 2023 at 12:51 pm

      5 stars
      I would like to say that I made this cake to bring to my friends and we all loved it.
      I didn't have the sliced almonds, so I decided to place whole almonds on the top of the cake prior to baking it. It worked.
      I am baking another one today and I've added lemon zest to the sugar. We'll see how that works. And I added a full tablespoon of almond extract.

      Reply
    11. Zee

      October 22, 2023 at 7:33 am

      5 stars
      Made this yesterday, baked for 32 minutes, tester came out clean but it was still too moist in the middle. Still very delicious and much appreciated by the guests. Is it supposed to be very moist or should it be baked for longer?

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        October 24, 2023 at 11:39 am

        It's supposed to be very moist. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply
    12. Adele

      November 03, 2023 at 2:24 pm

      5 stars
      Hi there, baked this cake yesterday but it came out very heavy, is this normal? I'm worried it's going to be too dry and dense, please help.

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        November 06, 2023 at 9:17 am

        It is supposed to be a more dense cake, rather than fluffy. Make sure you are weighing the flour and almond flour for accurate measurement.

        Reply
    13. Heather Peri

      November 11, 2023 at 6:27 pm

      5 stars
      I was looking for a recipe that replicated an almond torte that my husband’s assistant used to give him every single year for a couple of decades from an Italian bakery in San Francisco. She retired last year. This recipe is even better. I just made a practice run because I wanted to bring it to my in laws for Thanksgiving! The only thing I did differently is to put a very thin line of raspberry preserves on the first half and then put the rest of the batter on top. Soooooo stinking good. Love! Love!

      Reply
      • angelakallison

        November 15, 2023 at 4:46 am

        Love the idea of adding raspberry preserves to this! So happy you enjoyed it 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Angela, the recipe creator of This Italian Kitchen. Cooking alongside her Italian family, she grew up creating authentic meals and desserts.

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    Italian Almond Cake recipe.