This Italian lemon almond flour cake (also known as torta caprese bianca) is full of lemon flavor and has a lovely texture! Because it uses almond flour, it’s also naturally gluten-free and grain-free.
I posted this cake recipe six years ago and am reposting it today with new pictures (you can see the old one at the bottom of the post) because the old ones didn’t do it justice and because hardly any of my readers were around here back in 2012.
It’s gotten tons of reviews and everyone seems to love it, so I thought you all needed to see it, too. :) It’s been a hit for gluten and non-gluten eaters alike.
If you’re tired of carrot cake for Easter, this would be a great option for Easter dessert! If you’re not tired of carrot cake, then I can highly recommend the gluten-free carrot cake I posted last week. Or these almond flour carrot cupcakes!
One thing that people keep asking about this almond flour cake is if you can omit or replace the 1 cup + 3 tablespoons of chopped white chocolate. Unfortunately that’d be a no.
That’s a whole lot of something to omit from a recipe! It’s not an add-in. It’s needed for sweetness and the structure of the cake.
A few reviewers have experimented with it, but I haven’t. So please check out the reviews if you’re interested in that.
This almond flour cake really isn’t one of my regular healthy (or at least healthyish) recipes. If you’d prefer something without all the sugar, try my paleo lemon cookies or these paleo lemon bars.
Both are also vegan! As is this awesome-looking vegan panna cotta, which I can’t wait to try.
The traditional Italian torta caprese, which I have yet to make, is made with semi-sweet chocolate. This one uses white chocolate but weirdly enough, the chocolate flavor isn’t really apparent.
I can’t really even tell it’s in there. If you dislike white chocolate, I think you’d have no problem with this lemon cake!
And although I thought the cake was lemony, it wasn’t extremely lemony. Normally I don’t do subtle.
If I want something lemony, I want the lemon flavor to punch me in the face and not just be hanging around in the background. But it worked here.
If you cut into it and it looks a little underdone in the middle, don’t panic! That’s how it’s supposed to be.
You can see what that looks like in the bottom picture. You can’t really see it in the new pictures.
A few random things – you don’t have to refrigerate the cake, but it tastes much better that way. And this recipe halves wonderfully! Use a 7″ cake pan and bake for 30 minutes.
Also, since this almond flour cake recipe was converted from an Italian one, the cup measurements are a bit unusual. If you have a scale, I recommend using it! I know I always say this but it’s especially helpful for this recipe.
Want some more lemony goodness? Try these gluten-free lemon sugar cookies!
Questions about this Italian lemon cake?
- Can I omit the white chocolate? You unfortunately can’t just omit 19 tablespoons of an ingredient from a cake recipe and expect it to work. One commenter did that and said that original version is better.
Other commenters have tried out other things in place of the white chocolate so check out the comments if you’re interested. I’m not listing any of them here because I haven’t tried them and have no idea how they compare to the original! - Can I reduce the white chocolate? I’m guessing a reduction down to 3/4 cup would be okay and not have a huge effect on the outcome but again, I haven’t tried it!
- Can I use semi-sweet chocolate instead of white chocolate? I’ve been meaning to try that but haven’t gotten around to it yet! I think it’d work but am not positive. If you try it out, please let us know how it worked out. :)
- Can I omit the eggs / use an egg replacement? Nope. You’re beating the yolks and whites separately for this recipe and it’s important for the texture.
- Can I use another type of flour? I’ve only tried this with almond flour. Another type of nut flour / meal might work but I can’t say for sure since I haven’t tried it. I don’t think any other nut flour, except maybe cashew, would go with the lemon very well!
All-purpose gluten-free flour, wheat flour, rice flour, etc. will not work here. If you want something with a different type of flour, try this gluten-free lemon pound cake! - Can I use something else in place of the lemon zest, extract and juice? Lime sounds tasty! Or orange.
- Can I use a different sized pan? Yes, but you’ll just have to watch it and take it out when you think it’s ready. I have absolutely no idea of baking times until I try it myself. Sorry I can’t be more helpful! I do know that you can use a 7″ cake pan and bake for 30 minutes.
- Can I use something else in place of the sugar? The Italian recipe uses granulated sugar but I tried it out with coconut sugar. If you use coconut sugar, your cake will be darker than the pictures but will still be delicious! Liquid sweetener won’t work and as always, no idea how to make this low-carb (which isn’t even really a possibility anyway with all that white chocolate!).
- Can I use something else in place of the butter? If you want to use coconut oil, I’d recommend using 10 tablespoons coconut oil + 3 tablespoons water. This is because coconut oil is 100% fat and butter is only 80-82% fat. Using the full amount of coconut oil (13 tablespoons) would make this cake too oily.
I haven’t tried olive oil or any liquid oils and am not super optimistic about them.
If you’re in more of a cupcake mood, try these gluten-free lemon cupcakes from What the Fork Blog!
Italian Lemon Almond Flour Cake (Torta Caprese Bianca - grain-free, gluten-free)
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
- Ready in:
- Yield: One 10" cake
Ingredients
- 320 grams (this is about 3 cups + 3 tablespoons) almond flour (not almond meal) or blanched almonds, ground into almond flour
- 200 grams (1 cup + 3 tablespoons) white chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoons whipping cream or milk (I used 1.5% milk)
- 180 grams (3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, softened
- 130 grams (about 2/3 cup) granulated sugar or coconut sugar1, divided
- zest of 4 lemons, about 2 tablespoons
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- 40 grams (about 2 tablespoons) of limoncello or lemon juice
- berries and powdered sugar as garnish, optional
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F / 176°C and grease a 10" / 26cm pan or line it with parchment paper. If using blanched almonds instead of almond flour, process them in the food processor until they're pretty finely ground. If you grind them too much, they'll release oil and become almond butter.
- Combine the white chocolate and milk / cream in a microwave safe bowl.
- Heat in 30 second increments and stir after every 30 seconds. Set aside to cool while you prepare the rest. Beat the butter with 100 grams of sugar and beat until fluffy.
- Add the lemon zest, egg yolks and lemon extract and beat until well combined. Then add the almond flour / ground almonds and the melted chocolate. Add the limoncello / lemon juice and beat until combined.
- In a separate bowl with spotlessly clean beaters, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 30 grams of sugar to the egg white mixture. Fold the egg whites into the almond batter until well combined. Spoon the batter into the greased pan and bake for 40 - 45 minutes. If making half the cake, use a 7" / 18cm pan and bake for 30 minutes. The cake will puff up in the oven, but when cooling, it'll fall back down.
- Let it cool completely in the pan and then invert the cake onto a plate, and then flip that back into the pan or onto another plate (so that it's not upside down). Sprinkle on some powdered sugar if desired and top with berries, but only before serving. Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated (I think it's best that way) for up to 5.
Notes
- If using coconut sugar, blend in a coffee grinder first so that it's basically like powdered coconut sugar. I'd be worried about how well non-grinded coconut sugar would do with the egg whites. I'm guessing not well. Please note that your cake will be brown and not yellow! It's unfortunately not possible to use coconut sugar and have the cake come out yellow.
Adapted from Dolce Mania - Torta Caprese Bianca
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250 comments on “Italian Lemon Almond Flour Cake (grain-free, gluten-free)” — Add one!
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This cake is simply gorgeous! I love the inner texture – looks so moist ♥
Thanks so much, Natalie! :)
I fell.in love with this recipe and am trying to make it for passover seder this year since it doesn’t contain wheat flour. Looking forward to it!!
I hope everyone will enjoy it! Thanks for your comment. :)
Hi!
When incorporating the 30 g of sugar into the soft peaked egg whites, do you then beat them into stiff peaks?
Hi there and so sorry for just now seeing your comment! And no – no stiff peaks. Just add the sugar and mix until combined. :)
Just tried this we all loved it! This a keeper! Plan to use this recipe for my sister’s birthday.
I hope she’ll enjoy it! So happy you liked the cake. :) Thanks for your comment!
I am so excited to bake this cake! :)
I was just curious though, so you think I could make this cake in a bundt tin?
Do*
I haven’t tried it but I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t work in a bundt pan. I think it’s too dense and delicate for that. Sorry about that (and for my slow reply!).
Hi, I am making this for my brother that cannot have any grain or corn. His diet has led me to trying a lot of recipes that otherwise would never even know about. His favorite is lemon so I hope that it turns out great. Thank you for the recipe.
You’re welcome! Hope he’ll enjoy the cake. :)
This recipe is life:) I have made it several times and turns out perfect every time. I have even done a chocolate version of this and it beautiful.
So happy to hear that! Do you just the same amount of semi-sweet chocolate? Thanks for the tip! :)
Hi, This recipe sounds fab, but I’d rather not use chocolate, or use semi-sweet regular (since I have it at home). Can I omit it all together? Seems like some folks have. I’m okay with cakes not being too sweet. Or should I sub some brown sugar/honey for the chocolate?
Hi there! I’ve still only tried this recipe as written. You can try out what the others have in the comments, but like I told them, it’s not possible to just omit an entire cup of chocolate from a recipe. You’d need to add additional fat and sugar, not just for the taste, but for the texture. Sorry I don’t have a better answer for you!
Erin I forgot to also comment and this go for Beth that this cake can be freeze as I have done it, just make sure it is in good freeze paper and bag and since the cake is just for my self, I divide it in 1/2 and the part I freeze, I took it out one months later, still was delicious with some heavy cream on top and of course at room temperature, can not say enough about this cake.
Awesome! That’s great to know. Thanks again for the great feedback. :)
I am Gluten Free and this is one of the best cakes I have found so far, I do love it, love it, love it, thank you so much for share it, I do need a cake because of my low sugar and this one can not be better, it is a WINNER .
I’m very happy to hear that you loved the recipe so much! Thanks a ton for your nice comment. :)
I have made this cake multiple times and it’s always amazing. I decorate it with an Italian meringue buttercream for more formal occasions and everyone loves it. Thank you for the recipe
I’m so happy that you’ve been enjoying it! I never thought about decorating it. I’ll have to try that next time! Thanks for your comment. :)
Is it possible to substitute coconut oil for the butter?
I’m actually not sure. Butter is 80% fat and coconut oil is 100%. I’m thinking it may actually come out too greasy! And sorry for my slow reply. I just got back from a vacation where I didn’t have any reception.
Hi–can I freeze this and then serve it later—I have made it before and it was amazing…just wondering about freezing it
thanks
Beth
I’m not actually sure about that. I’ve never tried! Sorry I don’t have a better answer for you. If you try it out, I’d love to hear how it goes!
Haha! In spite of my wrong almond flour, the cake tastes great! The outside appears to be a bit hard and dry, but the inside is soft and nice.
Next time I’ll try the “original” recipe! :)
Yay! I’m very happy to hear that it came out well, anyway. I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for coming back to let me know that it ended well and sorry for my slow reply. :)
To all german readers! There can be a big misunderstanding if you try german almond flour. This is a very fine and extremely DRY flour with all the oil extrated! When you take this flour (like I unfortunately did), your cake will be very dry an hard….
An alle deutschen LeserInnen: Wenn Sie Mandelmehl nehmen, statt geriebene, blanchierte Mandeln, wird der Teig extrem zäh und trocken! Es sind hier gemahlene, blanchierte Mandeln gemeint!
Thanks for the warning to the German readers. :)
I’d really love to try this recipe and I live in Germany too. Would it be okay to use the Almond meal from Aldi’s because it is quite fine but not dry. Kaufland sells another almond meal but not as fine and DM sells almond flour but I think that you are totally right, it is very dry and I cannot make anything with it. Thanks!
Hi! Gemahlene Mandeln is what you want. I haven’t been to Aldi for a while so I’m not sure of the current status of their almond flour. It used to be that they only have almond flour (Gemahlene Mandeln) around Christmas-time. I usually use the Gemahlene Mandeln from Kaufland or Lidl. This Mandelmehl from DM is defatted almond flour (which we don’t use in the US and therefore won’t work in any American recipes using almond flour) is definitely not what you want! I hope you’ll enjoy the cake. I’d love to hear how it comes out for you. :)
I’m looking forward to making this for a party tomorrow where 2 of my guests are gluten free. Can I make it a day ahead and store it at room temperature?
I’m so sorry I didn’t see your comment until now! This cake keeps well for a few days so making it a day ahead is definitely okay. Sorry again!
Can i replace sugar for Xylatol
I’ve never tried it, sorry.
i just tried the cake today. Its good but too oily. I think I can adjust the sweetness to my taste. Its sweet enough for my family that I think I can reduce the sugar to 100 g. Also the cake was too oily, I can taste that I was eating a lot of butter., I used 3 sticks butter + 1tbs per recipe (1 sick = 1/4 cup). This is a lot of more than regular cakes. May be reduce the butter or substitute with more healthy ingredient next time
Hmm. Nobody has mentioned this cake coming out too oily (and there have been quite a few reviews). Are you sure that the sticks are 1/4 cup each? I’ve never heard of anything other than 1/2 cup sticks.
3/4 cup of butter is 1 and 1/2 sticks and that is why the cake was oily. I just know this because I am measuring out the recipe right now. I plan on using paleo custard instead of white chocolate. Wish me luck!
That’s true for the US but it’s not always the same amount around the world. But if she’s in the US, that would definitely explain why her cake came out oily! I hope your cake came out well. I would have never dared using custard in place of chocolate. You’re brave. ;)
Can anything be substituted for the lemon. Another fruit maybe lemon bothers my stomach
Orange zest and orange juice. :)
Has anyone made this without the white chocolate? What might I sub? 😬
The third commenter below you has a sub listed but says it’s not as good as the version with white chocolate. I just don’t think there’s a good sub for white chocolate in this recipe. Sorry about that!
You could try cocoa butter. Not sweet but would give the white chocolate consistency maybe. Add a little more sweetener.
I made this cake per the recipe and it was delicious! I am thinking of trying it by subbing ricotta cheese lightly sweetened with honey. Then it may be similar to an Italian ricotta cake. If I try it I will let you know, or if you do, let us know. I will definitely be making this again!
That sounds like a delicious and interesting sub! So you’re going to use ricotta in place of the white chocolate? I’m not very hopeful that that’ll work but I sure hope it will! Can’t wait to hear the results if you try it. Thanks for your comment. :)
Hi! Got some almond flour this week from a friend, who couldn’t manage to bake ANYTHING with it (she used it instead of “normal” flour and it didn’t work). Now I found your recipe and – voila – still in the oven, but the cake looks (and smells) amazing. Thanks for the great idea!
I split the batter into 2 small cakes, so I can give one to my unsuccessful friend, haha
Jelena (from Germany, so greetings to your husband ;) )
Hi there! And aww. That was nice of you to take over the flour from your friend! Haha. I hope the cake came out well. :) Greetings from Berlin!