Almond Bundt Cake

Almond Bundt Cake recipe featuring butter, sour cream, almond extract, and ground almonds for incredible flavor and texture. This moist, tender cake is topped with a simple almond glaze and toasted almonds. Perfect for any occasion from brunch to holidays!

Love More Dessert Recipes? Try My Classic Almond Cake or this Almond Crescent Cookies next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Moist, tender, and infused with a rich, nutty almond flavor that feels both elegant and comforting. Its soft crumb and delicate sweetness make it perfect for coffee breaks, brunch, or dessert. Simple yet beautiful, this cake always looks impressive with minimal effort.

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Ingredient List

For the Cake (Makes one 10–12 cup Bundt cake)

• 1½ cups unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ teaspoons almond extract
• 1 teaspoon citrus zest (lemon or orange)
• ½ cup ground almonds or almond flour
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup full-fat sour cream, room temperature

For the Glaze

• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• 2–3 tablespoons milk
• ⅛ teaspoon almond extract

Optional Topping

• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Friendly Notes: Don’t have ground almonds? Pulse whole almonds in a food processor until finely ground — just don’t turn them into almond butter! For the citrus zest, I love lemon for brightness, but orange adds a gorgeous warmth. Use what you have on hand or what sounds delicious to you!

Why These Ingredients Work

Let me tell you why each ingredient is earning its spot in this cake! The butter and sour cream team up to create an incredibly tender, moist crumb that stays soft for days.

The almond extract delivers that signature bakery flavor, while the ground almonds add texture and reinforce that nutty taste throughout. That little bit of citrus zest is pure magic — it brightens everything without being noticeable, just making the whole cake taste more vibrant.

The eggs provide structure and richness, and the combination of baking powder and baking soda gives you a perfectly risen cake with a fine, even crumb. Trust me, every ingredient here has a job to do!

Essential Tools and Equipment

Here’s what you’ll need to make this beauty:

• One 10–12 cup Bundt pan (this is non-negotiable!)
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Two large mixing bowls
• Medium bowl for dry ingredients
• Wire whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Wire cooling rack
• Small bowl for glaze
• Pastry brush or spoon for greasing the pan

How To Make Almond Bundt Cake

Step 1: Prepare the Pan and Oven

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Now, this is important — generously grease your Bundt pan with butter or baking spray, getting into every single nook and cranny. Then dust it lightly with flour and tap out the excess.

Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar

In your large bowl, beat the softened butter until it’s smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add the granulated sugar and beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is light, fluffy, and almost doubled in volume.

Step 3: Add the Eggs and Flavorings

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. The mixture might look a little curdled at first, but keep going — it’ll come together! Mix in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and citrus zest until everything is beautifully combined. Your kitchen should already smell amazing at this point.

Step 4: Combine Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This ensures all your leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the flour, which means an evenly risen cake.

Step 5: Finish the Batter

Here’s where technique matters! Add the dry ingredients to your butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream. Start with flour, then sour cream, then flour, then sour cream, and finish with flour. Mix on low speed just until combined after each addition.

Finally, gently fold in the ground almonds with a spatula. Don’t overmix or you’ll develop the gluten in the flour too much, which makes the cake tough instead of tender.

Step 6: Bake to Perfection

Spoon the batter evenly into your prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top with your spatula. Tap the pan gently on the counter a couple times to release any air bubbles. Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

Step 7: Cool and Unmold

This is the moment of truth! Let the cake cool in the pan for exactly 10 minutes — not longer or it might stick. Place your wire rack over the top of the pan, then carefully flip everything over. Gently lift the pan off.

Step 8: Make and Apply the Glaze

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk (start with 2 tablespoons), and almond extract until you have a smooth, pourable consistency. Add more milk if needed — you want it thick enough to coat the cake but thin enough to drip down the sides beautifully.

Drizzle the glaze over the completely cooled cake, letting it cascade down the ridges. Immediately sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds if you’re using them, before the glaze sets.

You Must Know

Room temperature ingredients are absolutely crucial for this recipe! Cold eggs and sour cream won’t incorporate properly into the butter, and you’ll end up with a dense cake instead of a light, fluffy one. Take everything out of the fridge about an hour before you start baking.

If you forget, you can quickly bring eggs to room temp by placing them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 5 minutes.

Personal Secret: I always add a teaspoon of citrus zest to my almond cakes. Most people can’t quite put their finger on what makes it taste so special — it’s that little hint of brightness that makes all the flavors pop! Lemon is my favorite, but orange zest around the holidays is absolutely divine.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• The Bundt Pan Trick: After greasing and flouring your pan, pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes while you make the batter. This sets the coating and makes releasing the cake even easier.
• Perfect Glaze Consistency: The glaze should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but thin enough to drizzle. If it’s too thick, add milk ½ teaspoon at a time. Too thin? Whisk in more powdered sugar.
• Avoid the Tunnel of Doom: Overmixing after adding the flour creates tunnels and a tough texture. Mix just until you can’t see dry flour anymore, then stop!
• The Toothpick Test: Insert it into the thickest part of the cake. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no wet batter.
• Almond Extract Alert: A little goes a long way! Don’t be tempted to add more than the recipe calls for, or your cake will taste like marzipan (which some people love, but it can be overpowering).

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

• Lemon Almond Bundt: Increase the lemon zest to 2 teaspoons and add 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to the batter. Make a lemon glaze using lemon juice instead of milk.
• Cherry Almond: Fold in 1 cup of chopped maraschino cherries (patted dry) or fresh cherries to the batter. Classic combination!
• Chocolate Chip Almond: Fold in 1 cup of mini chocolate chips for an almond joy-inspired cake.
• Amaretto Version: Replace the milk in the glaze with amaretto liqueur for an adults-only treat.
• Coconut Almond: Add ½ cup of sweetened shredded coconut to the batter and top with toasted coconut instead of almonds.

Make-Ahead Options

This cake is actually better the next day once all the flavors have had time to meld! You can bake the cake up to 2 days ahead, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap (without the glaze), and store it at room temperature. Add the glaze a few hours before serving.

Want to freeze it? Absolutely! Wrap the completely cooled, unglazed cake tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, still wrapped, then bring to room temperature and glaze before serving.

The batter itself doesn’t freeze well, so I recommend baking first if you want to prep ahead.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

• Bundt Pan Size Matters: This recipe is designed for a 10–12 cup pan. If your pan is smaller, you’ll have leftover batter — use it to make a few muffins! If it’s larger, the cake will be flatter but will still taste delicious.
• Almond Flour vs. Ground Almonds: They’re pretty much the same thing! Almond flour is just more finely ground. Either works beautifully here.
• Sour Cream Substitute: In a pinch, you can use full-fat Greek yogurt, but the cake won’t be quite as tender. Don’t use low-fat versions of either — the fat is what makes the cake moist!
• Why Room Temperature? When ingredients are at the same temperature, they emulsify properly, creating a smooth batter that bakes evenly. Cold ingredients can cause the butter to seize up into little lumps.

Serving Suggestions

This Almond Bundt Cake is stunning enough to serve all by itself with just a dusting of powdered sugar, but here are some of my favorite ways to dress it up:

• Serve slices with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and fresh berries
• Pair it with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of honey
• Make it breakfast-worthy by serving with Greek yogurt and sliced peaches
• Dust with powdered sugar for an elegant, simple presentation
• Serve alongside coffee or tea for afternoon gatherings
• Top individual slices with a spoonful of fruit compote

How to Store Your Almond Bundt Cake

Room Temperature: Store the glazed cake under a cake dome or covered loosely with foil for 2–3 days. The sour cream keeps it incredibly moist!

Refrigerator: If your kitchen is warm or you want to keep it longer, refrigerate it covered for up to 5 days. Bring slices to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.

Freezer: Wrap unglazed cake slices individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and glaze individual slices as desired.

Reheating Tip: If you prefer warm cake, microwave individual slices for 10–15 seconds. The texture becomes even more tender and the almond flavor intensifies!

Allergy Information

Contains: Wheat (gluten), dairy (butter, sour cream, milk), eggs, tree nuts (almonds)

Gluten-Free Option: You can substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious!

Dairy-Free: Use vegan butter and dairy-free sour cream (like cashew-based). Replace milk in the glaze with almond milk or another non-dairy milk.

Egg-Free: This one’s tricky with 6 eggs! I haven’t successfully tested an egg-free version, but you could try using a commercial egg replacer designed for baking (follow package directions for 6 eggs).

Nut Allergies: If you need to avoid almonds, you can substitute vanilla extract for the almond extract and omit the ground almonds. The cake will be more vanilla-forward but still delicious. For the topping, use pepitas or sunflower seeds instead of sliced almonds.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use a different type of pan if I don’t have a Bundt pan?

You can bake this in two 9-inch round cake pans instead! Reduce the baking time to about 30–35 minutes and check with a toothpick. You won’t get that gorgeous bundt shape, but you’ll have a lovely layer cake you can fill and frost instead of glazing.

My cake stuck to the pan! How do I prevent this?

The key is generous greasing AND flouring every single ridge and crevice. I like to use a pastry brush to get into all the details. Some bakers swear by baking spray with flour already in it — that works great too! Also, don’t let the cake cool too long in the pan (10 minutes max), or it will really stick.

Can I make this cake without almond extract?

Sure! You can use all vanilla extract instead (so 2 teaspoons total vanilla), but you’ll lose that distinctive almond flavor that makes this cake special. The ground almonds will still provide some nuttiness, though.

The top of my cake cracked while baking — is that okay?

Absolutely! The bottom of the bundt pan becomes the top of the cake when you flip it, so any cracks end up on the bottom where no one sees them. Plus, the glaze hides everything. A few cracks just mean you had great oven spring!

How do I know when the cake is done?

Insert a toothpick or cake tester into the thickest part of the cake (usually near the center tube). It should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs — no wet batter. The cake should also be pulling away slightly from the sides of the pan and spring back when gently pressed.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear how your Almond Bundt Cake turned out and any fun variations you tried. Did you go with lemon or orange zest?