Almond Fondant Cake (Naturally Gluten-Free)

Name: Almond Fondant Cake (Naturally Gluten-Free)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 3 eggs; 100 g sugar; 200 g ground almonds; 100 g melted butter; 2-3 drops bitter almond extract; a handful of flaked almonds

By Wafa

Updated July 20, 2026

Total time: 30 min
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Difficulty: Easy

A wonderfully moist, tender almond cake made with just a handful of ingredients. Easy, naturally gluten-free, and even better the next day.

Ingredients

Serves : 8 servings

3 eggs
100 g sugar
200 g ground almonds
100 g melted butter
2-3 drops bitter almond extract
a handful of flaked almonds

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and butter a round tin (or line it with parchment paper).

Step 2

In a bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar until the mixture turns slightly pale.

Step 3

Add the ground almonds and stir to combine.

Step 4

Stir in the lukewarm melted butter and the drops of bitter almond extract. Mix until you have a smooth batter. (Pour the drops into a spoon first, never directly over the bowl, the extract is very powerful.)

Step 5

Pour the batter into the tin, smooth the top, then scatter flaked almonds generously all over the surface.

Step 6

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden and a blade inserted in the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs, but no liquid batter. (Start checking 5 minutes before the end, every oven lies a little.)

Step 7

Let it cool for a few minutes, turn out of the tin, and cool on a wire rack before serving.

Tips

Lukewarm butter is the golden rule. It's the step that makes or breaks this cake, hot butter starts to cook the eggs and the batter splits.
Measure the bitter almond extract drop by drop: 2 to 3, no more. It's an extremely powerful flavour, and a heavy hand gives it a factory-frangipane taste.
Spread the flaked almonds right to the edges. They toast in the oven and add the crunchy contrast that answers the soft centre so every slice gets its share.
Trust the blade, not the clock. Moist crumbs = it's done, even if the centre still looks soft.

Wafa's notes

This almond cake is everything I love: just a handful of simple ingredients, a quick preparation, and a dessert that always brings everyone together around the table. Soft, rich, and delicately flavored with almonds, it’s the kind of cake you make without needing a special occasion, simply to enjoy a cozy moment with family or friends.

Nutrition

Let's be honest: almond fondant is a rich cake, that's the price of its texture. But it's quality richness: most of its fat comes from almonds, prized for their good unsaturated fatty acids, and it's naturally gluten-free. It's also far more filling than a classic flour cake, a modest slice is plenty to satisfy a sweet craving. My tip: serve it in thin slices with tea or coffee, that's when it's at its best. Note: these figures are per 100 g and approximate, they may vary with the brand, ingredients and preparation method.

Calories

470

Protein

12.7 g

Carbs

21 g

Fat

37 g

Approximate values per 100 g; they vary with ingredients and preparation.

The guide

The secret to a truly moist texture

Real fondant comes down to two precise moments: the butter, and the moment it leaves the oven.

The melted butter must be lukewarm, never hot. Poured scalding over the eggs, it starts to cook them and splits the batter, the result is a cake that weeps grease as it bakes. Melt it first and let it wait while you prepare the rest: time is on your side.

Then there's the baking: overbaking is what turns a fondant into a dry cake. Take it out as soon as a knife blade comes out with a few moist crumbs, no liquid batter, but not perfectly clean either. Does the centre seem a touch too tender when it comes out? That's exactly what you want: it firms up as it cools, and that slight softness at the heart is what makes all the difference the next day.

A naturally gluten-free recipe

There's no flour in this fondant, and that's no oversight: ground almonds replace it entirely. The eggs give it structure, the almond gives it body and moisture, gluten simply has no role to play here. That's what makes this cake naturally suited to those with intolerances, without the slightest compromise on indulgence.

Just one thing to watch for coeliacs: check for the "gluten-free" label on your bag of ground almonds, as some brands flag possible traces from their facility.

Delicious variations

Orange blossom or lemon

Swap the bitter almond extract for 1 to 2 tablespoons of orange blossom water for a delicately fragrant version, or for the zest of a lemon for a fresh note that lightens the richness of the almond. Both pair beautifully with tea.

Chocolate version

Replace 30 g of ground almonds with 30 g of unsweetened cocoa powder: you get an intense almond-chocolate fondant, halfway to a brownie. Keep the bitter almond extract, it works well with cocoa.

With fruit

Fruit brings the acidity that balances the sweetness of the almond. And if the almond-cherry duo tempts you in an even more generous version, I have exactly what you need: my Cyril Lignac almond and morello cherry cake.

Storage: how long does it keep?

Good news: this fondant is one of those cakes that gets better with time. The next day, the almond flavours have developed and the texture has settled, I honestly find it better at day two. Keep it for 3 to 4 days at room temperature, under a cake dome or in an airtight box; no need for the fridge, which would dry it out.

It also freezes very well: wrap the slices individually, keep for up to 2 months, and let them thaw for an hour at room temperature. The perfect make-ahead dessert.

Frequently asked questions

Is this fondant really gluten-free?

Yes, naturally: ground almonds fully replace the flour, and the eggs provide the structure. The only thing to watch for coeliacs, check for the "gluten-free" label on your bag of ground almonds, as some brands flag possible traces.

Do I need bitter almond extract?

It's not essential, but it's what gives that pronounced almond flavour, the ground almonds alone are more subtle.

Why is my fondant dry?

You probably overbaked it. Take it out as soon as the blade comes out with a few moist crumbs, the centre finishes firming up as it cools.

Can I make it the day before?

Yes, and I even recommend it: the almond flavours develop and the texture settles, it's honestly better the next day.

Can you freeze an almond fondant cake?

Very well, yes: wrap the slices individually and keep for up to 2 months. An hour at room temperature is enough to thaw it, the perfect make-ahead dessert.

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