This Almond Pound Cake with a crunchy, candylike topping is rich, dense, and full of almond flavor. Serve it with whipped cream and fresh raspberries for an elegant dessert.

I can’t express how much I love this recipe. I’ve made this Almond Pound Cake countless times over the years and it has definitely stood the test of time.

It’s sweet and simple, but elegant at the same time. The unique almond crunch topping crackles as it bakes and makes the cake so pretty. Not to mention, incredibly delicious!

I went through a phase in my early twenties where I became obsessed with recipes that called for almond paste. Once I discovered the rich almond flavor it added to pastries, cookies, and cakes, including this one, I was hooked. If you haven’t baked with almond paste before, you don’t know what you’re missing.

• Dry ingredients – All purpose flour, cream of tartar, and salt. Cream of tartar works in a similar way to baking soda to add substance to recipes like the whipped egg whites used to make meringue. It creates the unique silky, dense texture of this cake.
• Wet ingredients – Unsalted butter, eggs, lemon juice and zest, and pure vanilla extract.
• Almond paste – Look for almond paste in the baking section of your grocery store. It’s a mixture of ground almonds and sugar that’s used to add intense almond flavor to baked goods. Don’t confuse it with marzipan which is much sweeter and smoother so it can be rolled into cute shapes and eaten on its own.
• Almond crunch topping – The lovely crunch topping consists of slivered almonds, granulated sugar, unsalted butter, and milk.
• For serving – Whipped cream and fresh raspberries.

This is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. You’ll find detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.

1. In a medium bowl, combine the flour with the cream of tartar and salt and set it aside.
2. Cream together the butter and almond paste in a large bowl with an electric mixer (or stand mixer) on low speed. Add the sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, being 1 minute after each addition. Finally, add the lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla and mix until combined.
3. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients all at once and beat for another minute.
4. Spoon the batter into a greased 9-inch springform pan and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula.

1. Combine the topping ingredients in a small saucepan.
2. Cook over low heat until the butter has melted, then remove from the heat.
3. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour over the surface of the cake batter.
4. Then, spoon the buttery almond crunch mixture evenly over the top.

1. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 45 to 50 minutes, until cooked through. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
2. Remove from springform pan and carefully transfer to a serving dish to cool completely. Slice and serve with a dollop of whipped cream and some fresh raspberries.

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• Check out my entire collection of cake recipes for more ideas!

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Print Almond Pound Cake

This Almond Pound Cake with a crunchy, candylike topping is rich, dense, and full of almond flavor. Serve it with whipped cream and fresh raspberries for an elegant dessert.

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 12 servings

Calories 365kcal

Author Valerie Brunmeier

Equipment

• 9-inch springform pan

Ingredients

Almond Crunch Topping

• ½ cup slivered almonds
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Almond Pound Cake

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour divided
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
• 3.5 ounces almond paste (½ a 7 ounce tube)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Whipped cream and fresh raspberries for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan generously with nonstick cooking spray.

Almond Crunch Topping

• Combine the all the topping ingredients except the flour in a small saucepan and heat over LOW heat until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Almond Pound Cake

• Combine 1 ½ cups flour with the cream of tartar and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Add the butter and almond paste to a large mixing bowl (or your stand mixer). Using an electric hand (or stand) mixer, beat on low speed until well combined. Add the sugar and continue beating for a few minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, being 1 minute after each addition. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla and mix until combined.
• Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, all at once, and beat for another minute.

Assemble and Bake

• Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan,..