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Homemade vanilla almond cake with almonds on top

Vanilla Almond Cake Recipe

A buttery, tender vanilla almond cake with rich almond flavor and sweet vanilla undertones. Inspired by European classics, it's perfect for both casual treats and elegant celebrations.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Flavor Set Time 1 day
Total Time 1 day 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 12 Slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, French, Scandinavian
Calories: 385
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 cup Almond flour Or finely ground blanched almonds
  • 1½ teaspoon Baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • 1 cup Granulated sugar
  • ½ cup Unsalted butter Softened
  • ¼ cup Vegetable oil
  • 3 Large eggs Room temperature
  • 1 cup Buttermilk Or almond milk + 1 teaspoon vinegar DF option
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract Pure recommended
  • ½ teaspoon Almond extract Use carefully—strong flavor
  • 1½ cups Powdered sugar For glaze
  • 3–4 tbsp Milk For glaze
  • ¼ teaspoon Vanilla extract For glaze
  • ⅛ teaspoon Almond extract For glaze
  • ¼ cup Sliced almonds Toasted for topping

Equipment

  • Stand or hand mixer For creaming butter, sugar, and mixing batter
  • Cake Pan 9" round, or 10-cup bundt, or two 8" pans
  • Offset spatula Optional, for smoothing batter or frosting
  • Wire rack For cooling the cake
  • Mixing bowls At least two: one for wet, one for dry
  • Measuring cups/spoons For accurate ingredients
  • Digital kitchen scale Highly recommended for flour & sugar

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C), grease and flour pan
  2. Whisk flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt together
  3. Beat butter, oil, and sugar until fluffy
  4. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in extracts
  5. Alternately mix in dry ingredients and buttermilk, do not overmix
  6. Pour batter into pan and bake 40–45 mins (50–55 for bundt)
  7. Cool 15 mins in pan, then on rack until completely cool
  8. Mix glaze ingredients, pour over cake, and top with toasted almonds
  9. Let glaze set 20 minutes before serving

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.