Scandinavian Almond Cake

This Scandinavian Almond Cake (aka Swedish or Norwegian almond cake) has been a staple on our holiday table for years. With simple ingredients and an easy one-bowl method, it bakes up into a moist, sweet, almond-flavored treat in under an hour.

Angled view of almond cake with sugared cranberries and rosemary on the side.

Let us tell you about the cake that puzzled us for years. Our husband's Aunt Carol (AKA the lasagna master) always made the most good almond cake for our New Year's celebrations. After she passed, we wanted to keep that tradition alive. We even had her recipe, which she gifted us at our bridal shower. But every time we made it, something felt off. The directions broke every baking rule we ever learned, and the batter never fit any of our pans!

Then, years later, while flipping through our mother-in-law's recipes, we found Aunt Carol's almond cake recipe she had given us, but on this recipe card, it was called "Scandinavian Almond Cake". It even called for a special pan which our MIL happened to have tucked away and has now passed on to us (no wonder it didn't fit in our baking pans!).

Now that we had the full name of the recipe, we did a little research and realized this exact recipe appears all over the internet and in old cookbooks. So, while it wasn't a family invention- and definitely not Scandinavian by heritage (Aunt Carol was Italian and later became Jewish)- she made it ours because she baked it with love.

Now that the puzzle is solved, we're so happy to share this beautiful almond cake recipe with you (complete with clarifying instructions and pan substitutions). It's easy, elegant, and suited to breakfast, dessert, or a quiet cup of tea.

Key ingredient

The best part of this cake is that it doesn't require any fancy ingredients. The almond flavor comes entirely from the almond extract making this cake easy and accessible for any home baker.

Moody picture of an almond cake with no decorations highlighting the ridges of the cake.

Full ingredient list can be found in the recipe card below.

Step-by-step instructions

If you hate doing dishes, then this almond cake is for you because everything can be mixed in one bowl. The ribbed pan used for this recipe can be easily found online, but it isn't necessary (although it does make for the prettiest presentation, right?).

A six picture collage showing how to make an almond cake in one bowl.

Steps 1, 2 & 3. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, sugar, almond extract, and milk. Whisk in the dry ingredients, then add the melted butter and mix until combined. Steps 4, 5, & 6. Add almonds to a prepared pan, then pour in the batter. Bake until golden brown and crisp.

*These are abbreviated instructions. The full list of directions is in the recipe card below.

Expert tip

For a festive look, decorate the cake with sugared cranberries and sugared rosemary (as seen in the pictures).

Swaps

The simplicity of this almond cake is what makes it so special, but that doesn't mean you can't jazz it up. Check out the fun flavor additions below.

Almond cake close-up with almonds, cranberries and sugared rosemary.

Citrus almond cake. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon or orange zest to the batter for a bright, fragrant twist.
Spiced almond cake. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoons of cardamom, cinnamon, or ginger to the batter.
Vanilla almond cake. Swap half the almond for vanilla extract for a sweeter flavor.
Raspberry almond cake. Add ½ cup of raspberries to the batter before baking.
Glazed almond cake. While the cake is good with a dusting of powdered sugar, you can choose to glaze the top. Vanilla, citrus, or chocolate glaze all work well.

Serving suggestions

For a more decadent dessert, serve it with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream. If serving with tea don't forget the fruit jam or add a side of fresh fruit (berries are solid)!

Angled view on an almond cake with icing on top and sugared cranberries.

Overhead of an almond cake on a silver tray.

Storage and prep

Scandinavian almond cake can be wrapped and stored at room temperature for up to 4 days. To freeze, wrap well in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Kitchen questions

Our cake is getting stuck in the pan. What did we do wrong?

Make sure you grease and flour the pan. If using a traditional almond loaf pan, those ridges need to be fully greased. We use baking spray (with flour), and it works every time. We make sure it's well-coated.