Italian Gluten Recipe

I perfected an Italian Gluten Free Almond Orange Cake that stays soft and fragrant with bright citrus and almond notes, and is wonderfully simple and quick to make.

I made this soft, fragrant cake because I wanted something quick that actually tasted like Italy. It uses almond flour and bright orange zest so it is nutty and citrusy without being cloying, and the crumb surprised me, tender but a little rustic, like a family recipe that forgot to behave.

I call it my take on an Italian Gluten Free Almond Orange Cake, though sometimes it reads more like a Flourless Orange Almond Cake in a light dress. No fuss, no weird substitutions, just a small honest cake that makes you stop and wonder how simple things get so right.

Ingredients

• Almond flour gives a nutty flavor, adds healthy fats, protein, some fiber, low carbs.
• Sugar makes it sweet fast, mostly carbs and empty calories, use less if worried.
• Eggs bind everything, adds protein and moisture, help structure and give richness.
• Orange brightens with citrus zing, adds aroma, a bit of acid balances sweetness.
• Butter brings silkiness and flavor, adds fat and calories, makes crumb tender.
• Baking powder lifts the cake, tiny bit of air makes lighter crumb quickly.
• Sliced almonds give crunch, extra nut flavor and texture, optional but nice.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 cups (about 200 g) almond flour, finely ground
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temp
• Zest of 1 large orange (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh orange juice
• 6 tablespoons (about 85 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon baking powder, gluten free
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds for topping (optional)
• Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8 inch or 9 inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment, or just grease well if you dont have parchment.

2. In a bowl whisk together 2 cups (200 g) finely ground almond flour, 1 teaspoon gluten free baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt. Make sure there are no big lumps.

3. In a large bowl beat 4 large room temp eggs with 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar until the mix is pale and slightly thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes by hand or 2 minutes with a mixer. Stir in the zest of 1 large orange and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract if using.

4. Add 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh orange juice and 6 tablespoons (85 g) melted cooled butter to the egg mixture and gently mix to combine.

5. Fold the wet mixture into the almond flour mix until just combined, scraping the sides. Dont overmix, batter should be smooth but a bit looser than a typical wheat cake batter.

6. Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons sliced almonds on top if you want a crunchy finish, you can toast them lightly first for extra flavor.

7. Bake 25 to 35 minutes, start checking at 20 minutes. The cake is done when the top is golden, springs back slightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs not wet batter.

8. Let cake cool in the pan about 10 to 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. Almond cakes are fragile when hot so handle gently.

9. Dust with powdered sugar if you like, slice and serve. Tip: use room temp eggs and weigh the almond flour if you can, that makes the texture more consistent.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 350°F / 175°C)
2. 8- or 9-inch round cake pan (parchment or well greased)
3. Mixing bowls (one large, one medium)
4. Whisk and/or electric hand mixer
5. Rubber spatula (for folding and scraping)
6. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale (weigh the almond flour)
7. Zester or microplane and a citrus juicer or reamer
8. Wire cooling rack and toothpick (for doneness check)
9. Small skillet (optional, to toast sliced almonds)

FAQ

Italian Gluten Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Almond flour: use finely ground hazelnuts 1:1 for a similar nutty crumb, or a 1 to 1 gluten free all purpose flour but expect a slightly different texture.
• Granulated sugar: swap for coconut sugar 1:1 for a deeper, caramel note, or use honey/maple syrup at about 2/3 to 3/4 cup and cut other liquids by ~3 tablespoons.
• Eggs: make flax “eggs” 1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water per egg, stir and rest 5 minutes; batter will be denser so add a pinch extra baking powder.
• Unsalted butter: replace with neutral oil (light olive or avocado) or melted coconut oil 1:1 by volume, cake may be a bit moister and flavor will shift.

Pro Tips

1) weigh and texture your almond flour. If it feels a bit clumpy or coarse, give it a quick pulse in a food processor or sift it, but dont overdo it or you’ll end up with almond butter. weighing by grams makes the cake way more consistent than cups.

2) whip the eggs long enough to get them pale and slightly thick. that air is what gives lift since there’s no gluten, so beat until it ribbons slightly. if you under-beat the eggs the cake will be dense, if you overmix after adding dry ingredients you’ll knock out the air.

3) melt the butter and let it cool till just warm, then add slowly while folding gently. folding, not stirring hard, keeps the batter airy. also if the top is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil the last 10 minutes so the center can finish without burning.

4) handle and cool the cake gently. almond cakes are fragile when hot so wait the 10 to 15 minutes before inverting, then let it cool completely before dusting or slicing. for clean slices chill briefly in the fridge for 20 minutes, and toast the sliced almonds first for a nicer crunch and flavor.