For a small DIY wedding, a classic, high altitude almond wedding cake that’s soft, moist and fluffy is sure to please everyone. The white almond cake is velvety and tender, and the cake is frosted with fluffy almond buttercream. A delicate white chocolate rose makes a stunning presentation. This gorgeous two-tiered cake is perfect for any special occasion!
For more cake decorating inspiration, you might also love this Lambeth style chocolate cherry cake, buttercream flowers cake, and painted buttercream hummingbird cake.
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Why You’ll Love This Cake
If the recipe for this almond wedding cake seems familiar, it’s because it’s based on my popular white velvet cake. With cake flour and buttermilk, the cake is impossibly soft, tender, buttery and velvety, with the most beautiful melt-in-your mouth crumb. Almond extract in the cake batter and buttercream gives the cake a classic wedding cake flavor. And assembled in two tiers with 8-inch and 6-inch layers makes a special presentation for a wedding, engagement, anniversary or other special occasion.
Making your own wedding cake is more popular than ever. A wedding is a day you’ll always cherish, and a small, intimate gathering with just family and a few close friends in attendance deserves a gorgeous and delicious cake. My diy almond wedding cake is modestly-sized for a two-tiered cake, and doesn’t even require the use of supports or dowels, so don’t be intimated. Assembling the cake requires nothing more than simply stacking, filling and frosting the layers.
See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.
Ingredients
White Almond Cake
- Unsalted Butter. Adds fat and richness to the cake, for a moist and flavorful cake.
- Granulated Sugar. Adds sweetness and moisture.
- Vanilla + Almond Extracts. I used vanilla bean paste, and love the little black specks. You can use vanilla extract, too. Use a good-quality almond extract for the best flavor.
- Egg Whites. Adds protein and structure to the cake, while using only whites keeps the cake a beautiful white color.
- Cake Flour. The lower percentage of gluten in cake flour makes a lighter, more tender cake.
- Baking Powder. Leavens the cake to make it rise.
- Salt. Balances the sweetness.
- Buttermilk. Adds moisture and acidity for a soft, tender cake crumb.
Almond Buttercream
- Unsalted Butter. Adds fat and richness.
- Powdered Sugar. Sweetens and thickens the buttercream.
- Meringue Powder. Adds stability and improves the texture.
- Salt. Balances the sweetness.
- Vanilla + Almond Extracts. I used vanilla bean paste, and love the little black specks. You can use vanilla extract, too. Use a good-quality almond extract for the best flavor.
- Milk. Thins the buttercream for desired consistency for spreading or piping.
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and spray the bottoms of your cake pans with non-stick spray.For the tiered cake shown in this post, you’ll need two 8-inch pans and two 6-inch pans. Alternatively, you can bake this cake in three 8-inch cake pans for a single-tiered cake.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar for 10 minutes on medium speed (#6 on a Kitchen Aid mixer), scraping the bowl occasionally.
- Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
- Beat in the egg whites, one at a time, beating each for 10 seconds before adding the next. Scrape the bowl down and beat for 10 more seconds.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl well and incorporate any stray bits of flour.
- Divide the batter between the pans. You should divide the batter by scooping 2 cups into each of the 8-inch pans, 1 cup into each of the 6-inch pans, and then evenly dividing any leftover batter between the four pans.Bake on the center oven rack for about 25-30 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
- Set the pans on a wire rack, cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and cool completely before frosting.
Buttercream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar, meringue powder and salt and mix until combined.
- Add the vanilla, almond extract and milk (as needed for desired consistency), increase the speed to medium (#4/6 on a Kitchen Aid Mixer) and whip for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally, until very light and fluffy.
How to Assemble a Tiered Cake
When assembling tiered cakes, you usually need to have a support system of cake boards and dowels between each tier, to ensure the cakes don’t collapse on each other. But my diy wedding cake is a petite cake, as far as tiered cakes go, and supports aren’t necessary. Assembling this cake is no different from assembling a 4-layer cake.
- Carefully remove the cooled cakes from the pans. Place one of the 8-inch cakes on a cake board. It’s helpful to use a cake decorating turn table for assembling and frosting your cake. Frost the top of the cake with a layer of buttercream. Top with the 2nd 8-inch cake and frost all over with a very thin “crumb coat” of buttercream.
- Center one of the 6-inch cakes on top. Frost the top of the cake with a layer of buttercream. Top with the 2nd 6-inch cake and frost all over with a very thin “crumb coat” of buttercream.
- Place the crumb-coated cake in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
- Frost the cake all over with a pretty, swirly layer of buttercream. It doesn’t need to look perfect – the random swoops and swirls are what make this cake so gorgeous.
Making the White Chocolate Rose
The gorgeous rose on the cake is made of white chocolate, so it tastes as delicious as it is lovely. To make the rose, I followed this video tutorial by Ann Reardon. Her explanation is very clear, and I loved how delicate and realistic the finished flower looked. I’ve listed a few pros and cons to this flower making technique, but the pros definitely win.
Pros.
- The finished flower looks incredibly realistic and makes a gorgeous cake topper.
- You can use either white chocolate or candy melts, and both are so much tastier than flowers made out of fondant or gum paste.
- The petals are paper thin, so the chocolate hardens very quickly, making for a quick project.
- The flower is food-safe, completely edible, and tastes great.
- You don’t need any special tools.
- You can make the flower in advance, and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to place it on your cake.
Cons.
- The petals are delicate since they’re paper thin. You have to handle them gently, so make a few extra in case you break any while assembling the flower.
- The outer petals were very quick and easy to make, but the smaller inner ones, which the tutorial shows being easily removed from a rolled up piece of parchment paper gave me trouble. I just couldn’t get them out of the paper without breaking them. I suggest just making a smaller version of the first petal type, for the center of the flower.
- To assemble the flower, you’re layering the petals from the outer layer to the middle layer, holding them together with melted chocolate. Because the petals are so thin, I found that the heat from the warm chocolate would start to melt my petals a bit as I was putting my flower together. This wasn’t a big deal, and as you can see, it still turned out great. But I did put the flower in the fridge several times throughout the process to keep it cool, before I added more layers of petals.
Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common questions with cake making, so that you can be successful in your own baking! I also suggest reading these comprehensive posts on making Perfect American Buttercream, How to Stack, Fill, Crumb Coat and Frost Layer Cakes and How to Use Piping Bags.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between white cake and wedding cake?
A white cake is typically more delicate and spongy, almost like an angel food cake. A wedding cake is a white cake also made with egg whites, but contains butter for a richer, slightly more dense, velvety texture. Almond is a classic flavor for white wedding cakes.
How far in advance can you bake a wedding cake?
Both the cake layers and the buttercream can be made in advance, wrapped well and frozen separately for 3-6 months.
Once you’ve frosted and assembled the cake, you can store it in an airtight container or cake carrier and freeze it for up to 2 weeks. Thaw out the frozen cake in the refrigerator for 24 hours, then let come to room temperature for 5-6 hours before serving.
Is it safe to put real flowers on a cake?
Yes, it’s perfectly fine to decorate a cake with real flowers, with a few precautions. Make sure that the flowers you use are clean, non-toxic, and free of pesticides. You should also wrap the stems in floral tape before inserting them into the cake.
How do you get your white cake so white?
Using only egg whites without the yolks keeps the cake nice and white. And although this is a butter-based cake, which can add a yellow tint to cakes, creaming the butter with the sugar for a full 10 minutes lightens the color of the butter.
How do I make a white buttercream?
All-butter buttercream will always have an ivory, yellowish tint. For a whiter buttercream, substitute vegetable shortening for half of the butter.
Is your almond cake for high altitude?
Yes, I test all of my cake recipes at Denver’s high altitude of 5,280 feet. See the recipe notes for adjustments for sea level / low altitude.
Do I need to use cake flour?
For the softest, lightest, most tender cake, you need to use cake flour, not all-purpose flour.
What if I don’t have buttermilk?
Whole buttermilk is rich, creamy and acidic, making a moist and tender cake. In a pinch, you can make sour milk with 2 1/2 cups of whole milk and 2 1/2 tbsp white distilled vinegar. Stir together and let sit for 15 minutes to let it curdle. Instead of vinegar, you can also use lemon juice; the flavor of the lemon will be very subtle in the baked cake.
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High Altitude White Almond Wedding 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
- Stand Mixer with Paddle and Whisk Attachments
- 8-inch cake pans (2)
- 6-inch cake pans (2)
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp almond extract
- 6 large egg whites, room temperature
- 3 ¼ cups cake flour, spooned and leveled
- 3 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 2 ½ cups whole buttermilk, room temperature
Buttercream
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tbsp meringue powder
- ¼ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 2-4 tbsp whole milk
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and spray the bottoms of your cake pans with non-stick spray.For the tiered cake shown in this post, you'll need two 8-inch pans and two 6-inch pans. Alternatively, you can bake this cake in three 8-inch cake pans for a single-tiered cake.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar for 10 minutes on medium speed (#6 on a Kitchen Aid mixer), scraping the bowl occasionally.
- Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
- Beat in the egg whites, one at a time, beating each for 10 seconds before adding the next. Scrape the bowl down and beat for 10 more seconds.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl well and incorporate any stray bits of flour.
- Divide the batter between the pans. You should divide the batter by scooping 2 cups into each of the 8-inch pans, 1 cup into each of the 6-inch pans, and then evenly dividing any leftover batter between the four pans.Bake on the center oven rack for about 25-30 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
- Set the pans on a wire rack, cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel, and cool completely before frosting.
Buttercream
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute until smooth.
- With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar, meringue powder and salt and mix until combined.
- Add the vanilla, almond extract and milk (as needed for desired consistency), increase the speed to medium (#4/6 on a Kitchen Aid Mixer) and whip for 4-5 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally, until very light and fluffy.
Assembly
- Carefully remove the cooled cakes from the pans. Place one of the 8-inch cakes on a cake board. It's helpful to use a cake decorating turn table for assembling and frosting your cake.Frost the top of the cake with a layer of buttercream. Top with the 2nd 8-inch cake and frost all over with a very thin "crumb coat" of buttercream.
- Center one of the 6-inch cakes on top. (There's no need to use dowels or supports, since this is a pretty petite cake as far as tiered cakes go.)Frost the top of the cake with a layer of buttercream. Top with the 2nd 6-inch cake and frost all over with a very thin "crumb coat" of buttercream.
- Place the crumb-coated cake in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
- Frost the cake all over with a pretty, swirly layer of buttercream. It doesn't need to look perfect – the random swoops and swirls are what make this cake so gorgeous.
Notes
- Using all butter in the buttercream will make an ivory buttercream. If you want a brighter white buttercream (as pictured in this post), substitute vegetable shortening for half of the butter.
- For even more almond flavor and a little crunch, try adding a handful of finely chopped almonds in between each layer of cake.
- To make the white chocolate rose, see this video tutorial by Ann Reardon. Place the rose on the cake before the buttercream crusts over, so that the buttercream acts as “glue” to adhere the flower.
- If placing real flowers on your cake, be sure they are clean, non-toxic and pesticide free. Wrap the stems in floral tape before inserting them into your cake.
- Leftover cake should be stored in an airtight container or cake carrier for up to 3 days.
- If baking, decorating and assembling the cake in advance, place the entire assembled cake in a cake box or airtight cake carrier. Freeze for up to 2 weeks.
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 6 egg whites, room temperature
- 2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 1/4 cups cake flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter = 8 oz / 227 g
- 2 cups granulated sugar = 15 oz / 425 g
- 6 large egg whites = 6.6 oz / 190 g
- 3 1/4 cups cake flour = 13 oz / 368 g
- 3 1/2 tsp baking powder = 13 g
- 2 1/2 cups buttermilk = 20 oz / 567 g
I have tried so many “wedding cake” recipes over the years and never found THE one. Well, this is it! Oh my goodness! I’ve actually never commented on a recipe or blog before but had to let you know how good this was. I ended up making 4 8-inch layers and it was a nice tall cake. The cake was ridiculously moist, and so light and fluffy. The frosting, OH THE FROSTING! It was light, fluffy, buttery, but somehow not too rich! I made this for my future daughter-in-law’s college graduation party and now she wants me to make it as her wedding cake. The only negative is that the frosting didn’t hold up for decorating (maybe because it’s all butter), so I ended up just frosting it the way you did and it was beautiful. This recipe will forever be my “go to”!
I’m so glad you loved it! I do have tons of tips for buttercream in this post. One tip for making it more stable in warm weather is to substitute shortening for half the butter.
https://curlygirlkitchen.com/perfect-american-buttercream-frosting/
The cake turns out beautiful!
I didnt realize course Kosher salt was less salty than table salt..cake is a little too salty. Didnt have Kosher salt. Possibly put in recipe to reduce salt if using table salt? Not everyone knows the difference.
I was amazed at how soft and fluffy the batter was. It really is a lovely cake.
Yes, table salt is saltier as it has a finer grain than coarse Kosher salt. I do mention this on my baking FAQs page. I’m glad you liked the cake!
I just made this cake and it is delicious. It did however not turn out soft or fluffy. What would you recommend? I live in DFW in Texas.
Gisela, did you make any adjustments for your altitude? All of my recipes are for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. Dallas has a very low altitude, so my cake recipes probably won’t rise very much or have the best texture if you don’t adjust for your altitude. This post here has the same recipe (scaled down to a smaller size), and I’ve included sea-level measurements for the ingredients that you can try: https://curlygirlkitchen.com/white-velvet-cake/
Going to try that tomorrow and hopefully it will help. Thank you
First attempt at making a wedding cake flavor is amazing texture is perfect and the frosting incredible I am fearless now
Hi Heather, I love your wedding cakes… Are you making cakes locally in Denver for private events like weddings? Do you have a Bakery in Denver, Boulder?!!
Hey, I love all of your recipes, but when I made this it was very dry, if you have any tips that would be great!
Did you measure your flour correctly? You should be using the “spoon and sweep” method for measuring, by lightly spooning flour into your measuring cups then sweeping it off the top. If you dip your measuring cups into the flour container to scoop it out, it packs in too much flour resulting in a dry cake. Over-baking cakes will also dry them out, so be sure you’re taking them out of the oven as soon as they’re done.
I love it
Hi! This cake is amazing. Made it for my Aunts 70th. Loved it. I’d like to make a 10 inch 3 tiered. Would you happen to know the measurements? Thanks I’m advance!
I’m so glad you loved it! So are you making a 10-inch, 8-inch and 6-inch tier?
Oh! Haha, I’m sorry.. I meant 3 layer 10 inch🙂. Would I double or 1 1/2 the recipe?
Oh, for a 3 layer 10 inch cake, I’d probably double it. That’s a LOT of batter for a standard mixer, though, so unless you have a huge mixer, I’d probably just make the recipe as is, bake 2 10 inch layers, then make a second batch for another 2 layers.
Perfect! Sounds great! Thank you so much for getting back to me!! And your cakes a absolutely beautiful!
I offered to make my friend’s wedding cake although I had never made one before. I’m so glad I found your recipe because it came out absolutely perfect. I live in Ohio so I used the adjusted version. I made it in a 10×3″ cake pan and divided it then added raspberry filling. Wow! It was incredible! I used your frosting for my Bailey’s chocolate top tier and was a perfect match. There were less than 100 people at her wedding and every single person there told me how delicious the cakes were. The bride and groom were over the top in love with them. I had a man tell me, “I don’t eat cake but this is something magical!”. So many said they don’t like frosting but this one was so delicious. Needles to say, this recipe will be a staple for any occasion. I received many requests to re-make this cake for future celebrations. I’m going to make the flower next time too!
I plan to make cupcakes with this recipe this weekend and was wondering if you have ever prepped the batter in advance and then baked a day or two later (stored in fridge, of course). I have definitely done this for cookies, but never for a cake or cupcake batter. I’m not sure if the flour soaking in wet batter would cause problems or not, but anything I could prep ahead, helps. So, have you done this? Thanks.
Firstly, I’d recommend this white velvet cupcake recipe, which I adapted from my white cake recipe, but already adjusted for cupcakes. You can add almond extract to it, too, if you want.
https://curlygirlkitchen.com/white-velvet-cupcakes-high-altitude/
Secondly, no, I wouldn’t recommend waiting that long to bake cake batter. It probably won’t rise as well, and the texture will be all wrong. You can bake the cupcakes in advance and freeze them in an airtight container, though.
I have made this cake a few time s and love the texture! I am making a chocolate chip cake but do you think I could use this with chocolate chips or do you think they’ll sink? I saw your other recipe with the chocolate chips that is a more dense but this is my favorite cake!
This recipe does not work well with add-ins like chocolate chips or even sprinkles.
I’m wanting to use this recipe for my son’s bday cake but I noticed you mentioned altitude. I live towards Abilene, Texas how would you suggest doing this specific recipe for my area? Thank you in advance!
Please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for various altitudes.
https://curlygirlkitchen.com/baking-faqs/
That said, this wedding cake is just a larger version of my white velvet cake, which I do have sea level adjustments available for, per someone in Ohio who gave me this feedback:
https://curlygirlkitchen.com/white-velvet-cake/
“I live in Ohio and these are the alterations I made to the recipe to make up for the altitude. It turned out SO AMAZINGLY PERFECT. Tender and velvety and fluffy. Definitely a new go-to recipe for me!”
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
6 egg whites, room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/4 cups cake flour (if using all-purpose, remove 6 T of flour; add 6 T of cornstarch)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
You are awesome, thank you so much! I am really looking forward to making this cake!
I live in an area that has an altitude of about 3800 feet above sea level; this recipe was perfect as written. The cake was moist, fluffy, and lightly almond flavored. Buttercream was great for piping. I chose to use a lemon filling and the citrus notes complemented this recipe very well.
I live in a area that has an altitude of 1090 , will this recipe work?
You’ll probably need to make a few adjustments for lower altitude. I have some helpful guidelines in my FAQs: https://curlygirlkitchen.com/baking-faqs/
Also, I based this wedding cake recipe on my white velvet cake, and you’ll find sea-level adjustments in that post: https://curlygirlkitchen.com/white-velvet-cake/
How much batter do you think I’d need for a 1/2 sheet pan?
For a 9×13 sheet cake, I’d use the ingredients in this white velvet cake post (you’ll note it’s essentially the same recipe as this almond wedding cake, but the almond wedding cake is 1 1/2 times the size, to make a little more batter for the 6-inch tier on top): https://curlygirlkitchen.com/white-velvet-cake/
For a 13×18 half sheet cake pan, I’d double the white velvet cake recipe.
Good luck!
This was so yummy! I live in NE and used the sea level ingredient measurements. Turned out great…as well as the buttercream. This is my new go to recipe. Thank you for sharing and your website is amazing.
This is the BEST cake I have ever made or tasted!!! Left out the almond extract due to nut allergies, and made four 6 inch cakes. They were very thick but exactly what I needed to make them look like hat cakes for my Ladies hat party. The ladies couldn’t stop raving about this cake! I still get compliments. So glad to have found this website. It is very difficult to find cake and bread recipes for altitude that work, I’ve tried too many to count and had almost given up. And they are exactly my altitude so they’re perfect! Love the name of the website, we curly hair gals must stick together LOL. Highly recommend this recipe!
I love your recipe and the comments are super helpful. Do you have an adjusted recipe for 100 guests?
We’re in Denver and the wedding will be at Golden Hill. Not sure the altitude. At least 5500’
We need an adjusted recipe for 100 people. Thank you I love your recipes!
Could you use pasteurized egg whites from a carton ?
I haven’t tried it in this recipe, but it should work.
Hi! I would like to make this using 2 9inch round cake pans. Does the recipe make enough batter? Please let me know.
I made this cake for a 60th wedding anniversary, along with black and white cupcakes and white velvet cupcakes. Each one was superb!! So moist and delicious!! Your decorating ideas are wonderful, and photos help me to create beautiful baked goods and most importantly delicious baked goods. I am so grateful to have found your website. I hope you continue to bake, create, photograph and inspire and share your creativity.
I plan on making a 2 layer 13×18 sheet cake for my sister-in-law’s wedding. Since you suggested doubling the recipe for a 13×18, would I have to quadruple it?
Yes, but unless you have an industrial sized mixer, you’ll have to make smaller batches, not one huge batch of cake batter.
I tried this recipe and it is amazing!! I also did this gluten free exactly same recipe but using Cup-4-Cup gluten free flour. It was amazing too.