Almond Cake (Pakistani Bakery Style)

Name: Almond Cake (Pakistani Bakery Style)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 2 tbsp butter; 20 sliced almonds; ½ cup crushed almonds; 6 tbsp butter; 10 tbsp powdered sugar ((see notes)); 1 tsp vanilla essence; 2 tbsp honey ((see notes)); 1 cup flour; ½ cup crushed almonds ((see notes)); 1½ tsp baking powder; 3 eggs; ½ cup cottage cheese ((see notes))

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This Almond Cake (Pakistani Bakery Style) is a simple tea cake with no bells and whistles! Made for almond lovers, this easy recipe combines flour with freshly sliced and ground almonds for a delightfully moist cake.

A freshly baked slice of almond cake is in a small white plate, with the whole cake in the background.

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You can always distinguish a Pakistani-style Almond Cake with the beautiful circle of halved almonds surrounded by a sea of crushed ones. Lightly sweetened with some honey, the fat from the almonds gives it a moist and tender crumb.

If you've visited my blog before, you probably know that tea time is an essential Pakistani tradition. Sweet and savory snacks like khalifa-nankhatai-pakistani-cardamom-shortbread cookies, coffee cake with buttercream icing, chicken patties, and chicken pakoras always accompany afternoon tea.

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Why you'll love this almond cake recipe
Ingredients for the almond cake
Substitutions & variations
How to make the almond cake
Expert Tips
Recipe FAQS
Other tea-time recipes you may like
Almond Cake (Pakistani Bakery Style)

Why you'll love this almond cake recipe

One bowl recipe - An uncomplicated recipe mixed in one bowl, this almond cake is straightforward to prepare.
Beautiful presentation - The rings of sliced almonds layered with crushed almonds make for a stunning presentation.
Enjoy it at any meal - I love this cake for breakfast, brunch, tea, and even a light dessert.

Ingredients for the almond cake

Ingredients for a Pakistani bakery style cake made with almonds are on a white marble kitchen counter.

Flour and almonds - Freshly ground almonds add texture and fat, making the cake moist and tender. The flour adds structure; without it, the cake will be too oily and crumbly, running the risk of falling apart.
Honey - The floral notes of honey work beautifully with the almonds in this recipe.
Powdered sugar - Honey can caramelize and burn when cooked for an extended time. A little bit of powdered sugar helps prevent that.
Butter - This cake requires less butter than most other baked goods, as the almonds provide most of the necessary fat.
Cottage cheese - The traditional Pakistani Almond Cake recipe incorporates a dried evaporated milk solid called khoya. This is often difficult to source, so after some recipe testing, I found that cottage cheese makes the perfect substitute.

Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and recipe instructions.

Substitutions & variations

Ricotta - Similar to cottage cheese, this is a great substitute. However, it will increase the calories per slice of cake.
Use almond extract—I like using vanilla extract in this recipe, but ½ a teaspoon of almond extract is great if you want a stronger almond flavor. Don't add too much; it can make the cake taste bitter.
Add a dollop of cream - A great way to serve this cake as a dessert is with a dollop of homemade whipped cream with vanilla bean.
Add chocolate chips—Chocolate and almonds make a great combination. Add ½ cup of chocolate chips to the cake if you're a chocolate lover.

How to make the almond cake

A buttered springform baking pan has sliced almonds lying face down in circles.

First step - Butter the baking pan and place the sliced almonds face down. Make a large, wide circle and fill in the remaining space with two smaller circles.

A springform pan is buttered and filled with a layer of sliced and crushed almonds.

Second step - Coarsely crush ½ cup of nuts and scatter them along the bottom and sides, filling in all the space.

Creamed butter and sugar in a kitchen aid mixer.

Third step - Butter the cream and sugar till you have a smooth, creamy mixture.

Honey and vanilla essence are added to a creamed butter and sugar mixture in a kitchen aid mixer.

Fourth step - Add in the vanilla essence and honey and mix well.

A prepared mixture for an almond cake recipe is in a kitchen aid mixing bowl.

Fifth step - Crack open the eggs, beat them with a fork, mix in the cottage cheese, and set aside. Mix all of the dry ingredients and alternate adding the dry and wet mixtures. Stir in the remaining chopped almonds at the end.

Almond cake batter is poured in a butter and almond lined springform pan, ready to be caked.

Sixth step - Once you have a creamy batter full of almonds, gently pour it into the baking pan, making sure not to disturb the almonds as you do so. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-45 minutes, and enjoy.

Expert Tips

Use a Springform Pan - This is essential because it lets you remove the cake and flip it upside down without disturbing the almonds.
Spread a generous amount of butter on the pan - This is a crucial step, as it prevents the almonds from drying out and burning.
Cool the cake - Ensure it is completely cooled before removing it from the pan to prevent it from falling apart.
Cook on low heat - Baking the cake at a low temperature for an extended period also prevents the almonds from burning.

Recipe FAQS

Can I use almond flour to make this gluten-free?

Unfortunately, this recipe needs 1 cup of flour to help with its texture and structure. Using almond flour will make the cake crumbly and oily due to the large amount of almonds it already contains.

How do I store the cake?

The cake can be stored on the counter for up to three days, in the fridge for a week, and in the freezer for up to six weeks. For maximum freshness, use an airtight container.