An easy, high altitude recipe for a cardamom almond loaf cake that’s tender, buttery and moist, drizzled with sweet almond icing. If you enjoy almond pastries as much as I do, you’ll really love today’s simple almond cake that’s perfect for breakfast or dessert.
You might also love this almond poppy seed cake, cardamom almond star bread, almond biscotti, and chocolate almond drip cake.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Made in One Bowl. Nothing beats an easy, one-bowl cake recipe, and today’s almond loaf cake comes together quickly with just a bowl and whisk.
Perfect for Gifting. When I was testing this loaf cake, I actually made four loaves and gave three of them to my son’s preschool teachers. It stays moist for days, and can easily be wrapped and frozen for later.
Cake for Breakfast. If you like a sweet breakfast, this almond cake is lovely with a cup of hot coffee.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
Cake
- Flour. For a super soft, fluffy texture, use cake flour, rather than all-purpose flour. Cake flour has a lower percentage of protein compared to all-purpose flour, which gives it a more tender cake crumb. I use Swans Down cake flour for my white cakes and vanilla cakes.
- Granulated Sugar. Gives the cake sweetness and moisture.
- Baking Powder. Leavening agent, to make the cake rise.
- Salt. Balances the sweetness.
- Cardamom. Cardamom is a nice complement to almond baked goods, and is a commonly used spice in Scandinavian countries, which are known for their almond pastries.
- Almonds. I added some finely chopped almonds to the cake batter, as well as sprinkled on top of the icing. They add a nice texture, but make sure they are chopped pretty fine, or they will weigh down the batter. Note that your cake will have a slightly more hearty texture with the chopped almonds. If you want it to be a little lighter and fluffier, you can leave out the almonds, and just rely on the almond extract for plenty of almond flavor.
- Eggs. Gives the cake structure and strength.
- Whole Milk. Adds moisture and richness.
- Butter. Gives the cake moisture and a rich, buttery flavor.
- Vanilla + Almond Extracts. Flavor.
Icing
- Powdered Sugar. Sweetens and thickens the icing.
- Almond Extract. Flavor.
- Whole Milk. Thins the icing to your desired consistency.
- Almonds. Adds a nice crunch sprinkled on top of the icing.
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line a standard sized loaf pan with a sheet of non-stick baking paper or parchment paper, so that the paper hangs over two sides. The paper serves as a “sling”, making it easy to lift the cake out of the pan. Lightly spray with non-stick baking spray.
- In a bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cardamom. Whisk in the chopped almonds. Note: The chopped almonds add a slightly heartier texture to the cake, but the cake is a bit more soft and fluffy without the almonds.
- Add the eggs, milk, melted butter, vanilla and almond extract, and whisk for about 15 seconds, until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the pan. Bake the cake on the center oven rack for about 37-40 minutes, until a cake tester or sharp knife comes out clean. The top of the cake should be domed, golden brown and cracked down the middle.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes, then gently lift the cake out (using the paper) and set on a cooling rack. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and cool completely for several hours before drizzling with icing.
Icing
- When the cake is cool, set it on a serving plate.
- In a bowl, whisk together all of the icing ingredients (except the chopped almonds) until smooth. It will be thick, but drizzly, and should be thicker than you think it should be, or it will just run off the cake.
- Spoon the icing over the cake, letting it cover the top and drip over the sides. Sprinkle with the chopped almonds before the icing sets. The icing will set in about 15-20 minutes.
- Note: If you like less icing, or want it thinner and less opaque, make half the icing recipe and increase the milk slightly.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this recipe dense like a pound cake?
No, today’s almond loaf cake is much lighter and fluffier than a pound cake, not to mention easier to make with no mixer required. Here is my almond pound cake recipe.
How should I store the leftover cake?
Store the leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Can I use oil instead of butter?
This almond loaf cake recipe works well with both a neutral tasting vegetable oil or with melted butter, but I prefer butter for the best flavor. If you want to use some oil instead, I recommend using half oil and half butter, or you’ll compromise the flavor with too much oil.
Will all-purpose flour work instead of cake flour?
You can use all-purpose flour, but your cake will be slightly more dense. For a super soft, fluffy texture, use cake flour, rather than all-purpose flour. Cake flour has a lower percentage of protein compared to all-purpose flour, which gives it a more tender cake crumb. I use Swans Down cake flour for my white cakes and vanilla cakes.
Can this cake be frozen?
Yes, you can wrap the cake (without icing) in several layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3-6 months. Thaw the cake completely before drizzling with the icing and serving.
What if I don’t have cardamom?
You can certainly leave the cardamom out, but if it’s not a spice you keep on hand, I encourage you to try it! It’s delicious in almond baked goods, as well as in meat dishes, and it’s a spice I use often in both sweet and savory cooking and baking.
You Might Also Like
Almond Poppy Seed Cake 
Cardamom Almond Star Bread Almond Biscotti Almond Cream Cheese Scones
Favorite Products
Did you love today’s recipe? Please rate the recipe and let me know in the comments what you thought! Also, be sure to follow Curly Girl Kitchen on Instagram, and tag me when you try one of my recipes so I can see all your delicious creations!
High Altitude Cardamom Almond Loaf Cake
All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.
Equipment
- Standard-Sized Loaf Pan
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 ½ cups + 2 tbsp cake flour, spooned and leveled
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ cup almonds, finely chopped (optional)
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp almond extract
Icing
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 2 ½ tbsp whole milk
- 1 tbsp almonds, finely chopped
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line a standard sized loaf pan with a sheet of non-stick baking paper or parchment paper, so that the paper hangs over two sides. The paper serves as a "sling", making it easy to lift the cake out of the pan. Lightly spray with non-stick baking spray.
- In a bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cardamom. Whisk in the chopped almonds.Note: The chopped almonds add a slightly heartier texture to the cake, but the cake is a bit more soft and fluffy without the almonds.
- Add the eggs, milk, melted butter, vanilla and almond extract, and whisk for about 15 seconds, until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the pan. Bake the cake on the center oven rack for about 37-40 minutes, until a cake tester or sharp knife comes out clean. The top of the cake should be domed, golden brown and cracked down the middle.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 20 minutes, then gently lift the cake out (using the paper) and set on a cooling rack. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and cool completely for several hours before drizzling with icing.
Icing
- When the cake is cool, set it on a serving plate.
- In a bowl, whisk together all of the icing ingredients (except the chopped almonds) until smooth. It will be thick, but drizzly, and should be thicker than you think it should be, or it will just run off the cake.
- Spoon the icing over the cake, letting it cover the top and drip over the sides. Sprinkle with the chopped almonds before the icing sets. The icing will set in about 15-20 minutes.
- Note: If you like less icing, or want it thinner and less opaque, make half the icing recipe and increase the milk slightly.
What adaptations do I need to make if not at altitude? Can’t wait to try it as I love cardamom and almond!
Erica, please see my FAQs for information about adjusting recipes for altitude: https://curlygirlkitchen.com/baking-faqs/
Can I use almond flour instead?
No, the cake will not turn out the same.