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Ready to make an easy vegan vanilla almond flour cake? You will only need one bowl and six ingredients! This wonderful cake is oil-free, gluten-free, grain-free, Paleo, and versatile (change the flavors in multiple ways).
I like naked cake.
Forget frostings, fondants, and glazes. Hold the chocolate chips, nuts, and sprinkles. My preference is plain. Best yet, vanilla. The cake itself should be moist, flavorful, and worth every forkful.
My vanilla almond flour cake is just such a dessert! It makes a perfect birthday cake or any day cake.
Table of Contents
- Recipe Benefits
- Ingredients
- Step by Step Instructions
- Step One: Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan
- Step Two: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
- Step Three: Add the Wet Ingredients
- Step Four: Pour Batter into Pan
- Step Five: Bake the Cake
- Step Six: Cool the Cake
- Taste & Texture of the Cake
- Flavor Variations
- FAQ
- More Delectable Vegan Cakes to Try:
- Vanilla Almond Flour Cake {vegan, oil-free} Recipe
Recipe Benefits
This simple and sublime gluten free vanilla cake is all of the following and more:
- Vegan (dairy-free, egg-free)
- Oil-free
- Grain-free
- Gluten-free
- Made with 6 ingredients (plus water & optional salt)
- Ready to bake in under 5 minutes
- Made in one bowl
- Versatile (vary it with different flavors and add-ins)
If you like, you can substitute the water with the nondairy milk (e.g., almond milk, soy milk, oat milk) of your choice. I prefer the cake made with water.
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
- potato starch (see notes for options)
- coconut sugar (see notes for options)
- flaxseed meal (see notes for options)
- baking powder (certified gluten-free, as needed)
- vanilla extract
You will also need some water (I use filtered tap water) to make the batter. I also suggest adding a small amount of fine sea salt (or salt of your choosing), but it is optional.
Step by Step Instructions
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
You will dirty exactly 1 large bowl to make the cake. No mixers, food processors or blenders required. That merits an Hallelujah! Or, at the very least a yippee!
Step One: Preheat Oven & Prepare Pan
Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Use a nonstick 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan to trace a circle on a piece of parchment paper. Cut out the circle and use it to line the bottom of the cake pan.
Step Two: Whisk the Dry Ingredients
Mix all of the dry ingredients–the almond flour, potato starch, coconut sugar, flaxseed meal, baking powder, and (optional/adjustable) salt– in a large mixing bowl.
Measure the water in a glass measuring cup; add the teaspoon of vanilla to it.
Step Three: Add the Wet Ingredients
Add the vanilla water to the almond flour mixture.
Whisk until the batter is combined and smooth.
Step Four: Pour Batter into Pan
Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the top.
Step Five: Bake the Cake
Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with only moist crumbs attached.
Step Six: Cool the Cake
Place the cake on a wire rack and cool completely. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and then invert the cake onto a flat plate or cutting board (an uneven plate, with a dip in the middle, may cause the cake to break).
Turn the cake right side up onto a serving plate, platter, or stand. If your middle name is fancy (mine is), sprinkle with some powdered sugar / confectioners’ sugar :).
Taste & Texture of the Cake
The cake is moist, fragrant with vanilla, and, like my 3-ingredient almond flour cookies, buttery, despite the absence of vegan butter or any other oils. You can justify eating it a slice for breakfast (I do; it is perfection with a cup of coffee) or serve it with seasonal fruit all spring and summer long.
I hope that you love this vegan almond cake every bit as much as I do!
Flavor Variations
The flavor of this simple gluten-free cake can be varied with:
- Different extracts: e.g., almond extract, rum extract, lemon extract, orange extract, peppermint extract
- Citrus zests: e.g., lemon zest, orange zest, lime zest, grapefruit zest
- Spices: e.g., ground cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, allspice, pumpkin pie spice
- Chocolate: e.g., miniature semisweet chocolate chips or finely chopped dark chocolate
- Sprinkles: e.g., all natural multi-colored sprinkles (to make a funfetti / confetti cake)
And while I love my cake plain-ish, feel free to make two batches of the recipe for a layer cake, slathered and smoothed with any and all of your favorite buttercream frostings and fillings!
FAQ
- What is the Best Storage for the Cake? Store the completely cooled cake in a covered container at room temperature for 2 days; store inanairtight container in the refrigerator for 5 days or the freezer for 1 month.
- What Can I Substitute for the Coconut Sugar? An equal amount of brown sugar or granulated sugar can be used in place of the coconut sugar. You can also use an equal amount of maple syrup or agave nectar (reduce the amount of water added by two tablespoons).
- What Can I Substitute for the Flaxseed Meal? An equal amount of chia meal (ground chia seeds) can be used in place of the flaxseed meal to make this vegan vanilla cake.
- Is it Necessary to Use an 8-Inch Round Pan? Yes. Pan size matters, especially with cake. An 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan can also be used, but keep in mind that the cake may need more baking time if the pan is glass or ceramic (instead of metal). The cake can also be baked in a 9-inch (22.5 cm) cake pan. Begin checking for doneness at the 25 minutes mark. Note that the cake will be thinner than the 8-inch cake.
- I Do Not Have Potato Starch. Can I Use Something Else? An equal amount of cornstarch can also be used if you do not need the cake to be grain-free. Tapioca starch will not work as a substitute. I tried. The resulting cake is sunken and gooey (I still ate some of my test batch, but it is more pudding cake, with an emphasis on pudding, than cake).
- Can I Substitute a Different Gluten-Free Flour for the Almond Flour? No, this cake recipe will only work with almond flour.
More Delectable Vegan Cakes to Try:
- Vegan & Grain-Free Vanilla Layer Cake
- Chickpea Flour Chocolate Layer Cake
- Easy Cashew Cheesecake
- Vegan Coconut Flour Cupcakes
- Gluten-Free & Vegan Vanilla Bundt Cake
- Vegan Red Velvet Cake
- Chickpea Flour Gingerbread Bundt Cake
- Pumpkin Hemp Heart Cheesecake
Vanilla Almond Flour Cake {vegan, oil-free}
Ingredients
- 1.75 cups blanched almond flour , (not almond meal)
- 2/3 cup potato starch (see notes for options), (see notes for options)
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar , (see notes for options)
- 1.5 tablespoons flaxseed meal, (see notes for options)
- 2.25 teaspoons baking powder
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (180C). Use a nonstick 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan to trace a circle on a piece of parchment paper. Cut out the circle and use it to line the bottom of the cake pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, potato starch, coconut sugar, flaxseed meal, baking powder and (optional) salt.
- Measure the water and add the vanilla to it. Pour into bowl with almond flour mixture and whisk until blended and smooth. Spread into prepared baking pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out with only moist crumbs attached.
- Transfer cake to a cooling rack and cool completely in pan. Run a butter knife around edge of pan and invert cake on a plate. Turn right side up on cake plate.
- If desired, lightly dust with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Adding to my previous comment that I want as well to try to make a lemon cake from this recipe and maybe try as well ground hazelnut with some spices like cinnamon and cloves.
Excited to try new varieties.
It’s such a blessing to find an amazing recipe and then create my own favourites.
You are a blessing to humanity and thank you again for all your hard work.
I sooo appreciate!
That sounds so good, Shira! Love the spice and hazelnut ideas. Thank you SO much for the very generous compliments 🙂
Amazing cake.I used fresh pressed orange juice instead of the water and orange zest instead of vanilla.as well I just grinded whole almonds because where I live the almond flour is very expensive and as well I always have whole almonds at home.
It was quiet liquid so I added 2 tablespoons coconut flour to the dough and cake came out amazing.
Thank you so much!!!
That sounds absolutely scrumptious, Shira! So glad you love the recipe and made it your own.
I have always loved almond flour based pastries and since I am GF that is convenient. I also really like treats but don’t want them super sweet and want them to be healthy! This checks all the boxes. It’s lovely and simple, and easy to make. I also appreciate the many suggestions in comments. I think addling almond flour or citrus zest would be great. I just made it again today and next time I will experiment with some of those additions.
I am so glad you like the cake, Dana! Yes, almond extract, or cirptus zests, are great additions (I also like adding cardamom, about a teaspoon). Enjoy!
Could you add almond extract? If so how much would you suggest?
Hi Olivia! Yes, definitely, that would be delicious. The amount depends on how strong you want the almond flavor. I think 1 teaspoon is a judicious amount, then taste and add a small amount more, as desired. 😍
I used tigernut flour instead of almond flour and needed about 60g more water as it was too dry. I used lavender-infused water and almond extract. It also needed only 30 minutes cook time. It is light like a sponge cake. I topped it with 4 tablespoons of blueberry jam instead of using any sugar in the cake. Thank you for the recipe. 🙂
That sounds so good, Hitoshi! I imagine that the tiger nut flour delivered some subtle sweetness to the cake— such a good idea. Thank you for sharing the specific quantity you used, as well as the adapted time. Glad it was a success! ☺️
Very happy with how few and clean these ingredients are! My toddler has an egg and wheat allergy so finding a tasty and healthy alternative to cake has beed difficult. Thank you for sharing:-)
You are so welcome, Dulce!
Soft cake,
Needs more flavor
Hi Mary,
You can always play with flavors as you like, such as adding more vanilla, a pinch more salt, or spices. Cheers.
THIS WAS INCREDIBLE. I made one mod which was to use soymilk instead of water, and to let the batter sit in the baking pan for 20 min to allow the flax to gel a bit.
The crumb is INCREDIBLE. Moist, fluffy with a bit of chew, holds together incredibly well, not too sweet.
I topped the cake with homemade apple butter and sliced almond. I cannot believe these are both vegan AND GF.
There is no better blog on the internet for grain-free, GF recipes.
Ella! I could not be happier about the success of your cake. Also I am very hungry reading your description of how you topped it (YUM!). Thank you so much for your kind and very generous comments. Cheers 🌺
I made this agin today, this is the only cake recipe I make because I am a terrible baker, but not with this recipe! I would like to know how I can get the metric measurements back, the last few of your recipes for some reason I do not have the conversion button. The matric is so easy for me!
Thank you again.
PS. I am making meat loaf with your lentil beet ground”beef” recipe. And I make your bean tofu recipes . All of the pretty much.thank you
Tirna
I love this recipe. However I did not use almond flour exclusively. My son likes tigernut flour so I made it with a mix of 1/2 almond flour and 1/2 tiger nut flour. I used cornstarch instead of potato starch. It worked like a dream and in fact I placed blueberries on the top 5 min into the baking and it came out wonderfully. Just wanted to note this as tigernut did work also. I used vanilla extract and with the blueberries I held on the powdered sugar top. Just a lovely morning breakfast cake with a hot beverage.
That sounds wonderful, Victoria, thank you for sharing your adaptations!
I just made it again! I made it before and I left a comment, and I did some tweaks and additions. It came out so beautiful this second time around. I made the mistake of using too much gluten free flour which has tapioca starch in it the first time, the author is correct, tapioca starch will make it too dense and doughy. So this time I did half cornstarch/half gluten free flour blend, and it was beautiful. I also used Naked oat milk + water with 3/4 tsp of apple cider vinegar and let it sit for 10 mins, flax egg liquid instead of flax meal, 1/2 to 3/4 tsp almond extract, and I grated a generous amount of nutmeg, 2 tbsp poppyseeds, and a touch extra salt, and a 1/4 tsp more baking powder. I also used regular sugar I didn’t have coconut sugar. It came out amazing, just took it out the oven and cooled it, now will keep it in airtight container for a day and that will soften the outer crust, but even just after it cooled, it tasted so good with some vegan cashew butter. My baking time is a bit longer, but maybe it’s my oven because it happens with other recipes too, I just check it until it looks done.
Wow, I am so thrilled you like the recipe, Flower, and thank you SO much for sharing the specifics of how you made the recipe, that’s great. I love the sound of it with cashew butter, YUM!
Thanks for this delicious recipe– that it is without eggs, vinegar, and oil!
It came out really delicious. I added some sliced almonds to the top and a little almond extract.
I will be making this on rotation.
I am so glad to hear that the cake was a success GeoC 🙂 The addition of almond and sliced almonds sounds wonderful!
I know it’s says no tapioca starch but does arrowroot starch work? I can’t have potato or cornstarch and this is the best recipe I have found for cake.
Hi Michele,
I think arrowroot will work well! Cheers, Camilla
Has anyone subbed potato starch for arrowroot?
Hi Gauthier, you can definitely substitute potato starch ☺️
Great cake, soft and yummy! I did 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract and 1/2 of lemon, then added 1.5 tsp of lemon zest: my new go-to recipe for cake! Thank you for another great recipe!
@Iggy ! Not only am I happy to know that the cake was a success, I am so grateful for your reviews and enthusiasm! You spur me on, friend!
Could I sub Bobs red mill Paleo Flour?
Hi Gauri,
Alas, not, it needs to be almond flour (or, possibly, another finely ground nut or seed flour).
This was very good, not very ‘commercial’ cake-like, as in it’s dense and a bit like cornbread, but in all the best ways. I added a dash of almond extract and it’s perfect!
I read the notes when using other pans…I would love to try this in a loaf pan. I think this would be brilliant in the morning with a cup of coffee! Any suggestions on baking time?
Hi RubyTwoShoes,
Ooh. I wish this could work in a loaf pan, but this needs to be made in shallow pans to work. Without eggs and gluten, gluten free vegan bakes are very particular. This cake will not rise and firm up at the center if made in a 9×5 type of loaf pan. For mornings, you could definitely make this in muffin form! Probably no more than 13 to 17 minutes to bake (fill muffin cups no more than 2/: full).
My mistake! I must have been confusing this cake with another one of yours! I see this one can go in the freezer! I am sorry about that!
Not a problem, Jessica ????
Hello!
Love so many of your recipes! I was looking to make this today for the first time but my question, can you freeze this? It is just my husband and I and I usually freeze some of each dessert/baked good I make of yours so we can finish without over eating(trying to eat a whole dessert in a few days). I make that all makes sense.
Thank you for all your hard work, and wonderful recipes. Yours are always my favorite!
You made my day, Jessica, thank you! Yes, you can freeze it. Be sure to wrap well to avoid freezer burn.
Hi Camilla, can I substitute the almond flour with the coconut flour? If so, please let me know the measurement of the recipe. Thank you.
Hi Janice,
Unfortunately no, coconut flour will not work for this recipe. It does not have the structure that almond flour has. Also, almond flour provides the fat for the cake (since the cake has no added oils). Coconut flour is fat free.
This is sooo good! Moist and light. I had made a traditional Bakewell Tart for dessert for the family but my DIL is sensitive the wheat, eggs, and dairy…all of which are in a trad Bakewell. So…I made this cake, split and filled with raspberries and topped with a smear of almond icing…to mimick a Bakewell. It was fabulous. Everyone preferred it ! PowerHungry never disappoints!
Julie, that sounds heavenly!!! I am now in need of a piece of cake, asap. So happy that you love the cake, and brava for making it your own with the Bakewell spin 🙂
This recipe is fantastic! I am always looking for ways to gwet more protein into my picky vegetarian child’s diet, and this almond cake is just the thing. Plus I am am vegan so I
am happy that I can enjoy it aa well. Thank you so much!
Wow, a win all around! So glad this cake suits your family’s needs, Karen 🙂
Dear Camilla,
you make me crazy. In a very, very, very positive and good way!
I was missing so much variety in food because of my poor health.
This belongs to the past thanks to you!
I love your sober, yet affectionate way you present and describe your recipes and experiences.
I am your very loyal and thankful fan.
Wish you all the best and further inspiration for upcoming recipes.
Agatha, I cannot thank you enough for this comment. Sometimes I need a little boost to keep on top of this crazy little thing called powerhungry…this kind and very generous comment from you goes above and beyond :). I am so grateful for you, too, and could not be happier that you have found new options for eating here! 🙂
Camilla, I just want to thank you for this recipe. I am on a pretty restricted diet for health reasons and this cake is my treat for every holiday. I make it exactly as you suggest, plus a little sprinkle of cinnamon on the top before baking, and it turns out perfectly every time–especially fresh out of the oven. I so appreciate people like you who take the time to perfect a recipe that has simple, real ingredients. Happy Holidays to you!
You made my day, Juniper 🥰 I am over the moon that you love the recipe, and filled with gratitude that you took the time to post .
Hello Camilla! Thank you for sharing your recipes with us. Just a simple question for you, can I subs coconut sugar for Xylitol? Would be the same amount? Thank you 🙂
Hi Leide! I think that should work, although I have not tested recipes with straight xylitol. I would suggest adding a little bit more liquid to the recipe (since sugar adds volume and moisture to recipes); perhaps 2 to 3 tablespoons, more as needed? I have read on several sites that xylitol absorbs more moisture than sugar, so this addition of liquid should make the substitution work. You may need to eyeball it based on how the batter looks compared to my photos. The cake will not brown as much, but that could be just fine for a vanilla cake to keep the light color.
Regarding amount of xylitol: I googled for recommendations, and most sources I’ve read say that xylitol can be subbed 1:1 for sugar. Go for it, Leide! Fingers crossed, and I would love to know how it turns out 🙂
Have you tried to make a dump cake with any of your cake recipes? I’m hoping to try this one with canned pineapple (in natural juices) but of course I don’t want to use a bunch of pats of butter on it. Not sure if you could suggest or if you’ve tried? Lori
I made this today and I absolutely love it. I didnt have potato starch so i used cornstarch and didnt have coconut sugar and i used cane sugar. I love my cake plain. So good.
Hi !
If I do not have potato starch, could I use xanthan gum instead?
Thanks, Evonne
Hi Evonne,
No, xanthan gum will not work as a sub for the potato starch here, they are used in very different quantities and are quite different as ingredients more generally. You should be able to sub an equal amount of cornstarch for the potato starch. Cheers 🙂
@Camilla, Above it says not to sub tapioca starch. Can you clarify – I’m planning to make it this week!
Sorry for the confusion, Monica–I changed that reply. Tapioca will not work, cornstarch will most likely work as a sub, but potato starch is definitely best. 🙂
This cake is delicious. My batter was on the runny side, so I added a foil ring around the edge and let it bake longer. Served with fresh strawberries and had with tea. Yum.
Trina
Vanilla cake with strawberries and tea? I am inviting myself over to your place, Trin 😍 Thanks for sharing you baking tip, too.
Camilla, this cake is so delicious! I didn’t know what to expect with such a simple list of ingredients. I might actually be a bit too sweet for me (used coconut sugar) maybe a tiny bit less next time. I baked in a 9 inch round pan and it was ready exactly at 25 minutes. I weighed everything. It is deliciously cakey 🙂 I love your recipes because they are simple, quick and tasty. Thank you!
That is simply wonderful news, Sandra! 😊 I am so happy that the cake was a delicious success . Thank you for the generous compliment, too, it means a lot!
I love how simple and delicious this cake is. Made it with vanilla sugar and the taste, texture and smell of this cake are amazing! Wondering how it would be adding either cocoa or carob… Something to try later on, but it’s perfection as it is! Thank you again Camilla!
Yay! The vanilla sugar addition sounds DELICIOUS, Isabel 😊 Ooh, yes. Regarding the cocos of carb powder. I have not tried it… but I think I now must, ASAP. Here is what I suggest: replace 1/3 cup of the starch with the cocoa of carob powder. I think it should work well based on some of my previous bakes. Seriously, though, I am going to try it this weekend, so thank you for the great idea!
@Camilla, thank you for the tips! Now it’s on to the *difficult* decision of “cocoa or carob first?”. 😁 Thank you and looking forward to hearing about your explorations!
Made this today without the sugar.
Then blend dates and cashew into a thick paste and serve on top of each slice with a dab of coconut whip cream. Delicious with a nice hot cup of tea. Thank you
How clever, Sandy! That sounds so delicious 🙂 I am right with you (cup of tea + treat)
I swapped out the potato starch for very fine chickpea flour (Lotus brand in AUS) & used mineral water instead of still water. Worked well as cupcakes. This will be my new go to recipe 🙂
This cake was super delicious and super easy to bake!! Thank you!!!
Yay! I am so glad you enjoyed it, Divya!
OMG, so good!!!!
Made this for a client with allergies (I’m a personal chef). It was a huge success, thank you! Topped with a simple chocolate ganache and lots of berries
Any way to sub the flaxseed that is not chia?
Alex–can you eat psyllium husks?
This came out AMAZING! I had to use about 1/4 cup of fine oat flour because I did not have enough almond flour and it came out great.
My man cannot eat starch, is there any chance i can leave this out or substitute it?
Oh shoot, I don’t have a replacement for the starch. It would require some re-testing. I do have other cakes on the site that do not have starch.
Having been baking your cake . Love it love it .
Is the batter meant to be liquidy or thick or somewhere in the middle? I ended up with a very liquidy batter , possibly by mismeasuring.
Hi Bella! It is somewhere in the middle, but thinner than a typical all-purpose flour + eggs type of cake batter. HOpe that helps!
H,i the cake looked perfect, held together nicely, moist and actually pretty good!, having said that there was a slightly bitter aftertaste, wonder if it were the corn starch(i didn’t have potato starch) , or the raw sugar(the only sugar i had)?
do say,
thanks!
HI Ash,
It must have been from the cornstarch. The raw sugar would not cause it. Sorry it came out bitter!
@ash, If your almond flour was not fresh, that can give a bitter taste too.
I added all the ingredients in the right quantity but I felt the cake was ready after baking it for 20 minutes at 180 c. Is that okay??
Sure, that sounds reasonable, Neha–many ovens run hot, so that is likely the case.
Quick, easy, tasty. I will make this recipe again. I used cornstarch since that’s what I had on hand, and I doubled the vanilla and added a little almond extract. I made cupcakes (12) rather than cake and used them for strawberry shortcake. Very good, thanks!
Great Kathy, glad to hear they worked well as cupcakes (and with the cornstarch sub) 😊
Camilla,
Can I use egg replacer instead of flaxseed meal? If yes, what is the quantity I should use?
Hi Ruby,
I apologize, I am not familiar with some of the ready-to-use egg replacers, I have not used them. I am not using much flaxseed meal here, so perhaps an equal amount of the dry egg replacement would work.
@Ruby, Hi! Did the egg replacer work out?
This was delicious! I didn’t have flaxseed, or ground chia, so I blended the whole chia with the water in a nutribullet before adding. Fantastic!
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for sharing your chia seed substitution, I am going to try that next time I make this!
Hi Camilla!
Was wanting to try this recipe!. But did not have potato starch or cornstarch. Do you think arrowroot starch will work instead?
Thank you.
Hi Ashwini,
I have not tested with arrowroot starch. I would normally say yes, since it work so well as a sub, but I had one reader say she used arrowroot and it came out bitter. If you do try with arrowroot starch, I would suggest scaling down to a very small cake (e.g., 1/4 of everything, small pan, shorter baking time) to see if you have the same experience. I plan to try it myself, but ran out of arrowroot starch!
@Ashwini,
I made this with arrowroot starch-85g to replace the potato starch. I also used brown sugar and coconut milk to replace the water. It turned out nicely in 2 small tins (6″ each) for about 30 min. It wasn’t bitter, but I would make sure that the frosting can carry it.
That sounds great, Meredith!