This Burnt Almond Cake tastes just like your favorite bakery’s burnt almond cake! It features fluffy almond cake, almond pastry cream, and almond frosting, covered in candied almond slices.
The city where I grew up, San Jose, doesn’t have a nationally known signature dish. It’s more suburban sprawl than cutting-edge culinary destination. However, there are certain foods that I will always associate with San Jose. During high school I practically lived on falafels from Falafel Drive-In, and to this day I swear their spicy falafels and banana shakes are the best I’ve ever tasted.
In the sweet realm, I can’t talk about San Jose without talking about burnt almond cake, made famous by Dick’s Bakery and Peter’s Bakery.
People tend to divide into two camps—you’re either on Dick’s side, or Peter’s side. There’s no equivocating, and there’s no neutral territory. For myself, I’m a Peter’s Bakery girl. This small hole-in-the-wall bakery was near my house, and I actually had my wedding cake made there, so of course I stay loyal, and would defend the superiority of Peter’s burnt almond cake over Dick’s any day of the week.
I haven’t tasted or thought about burnt almond cake in years, but I recently read something that referenced a different almond cake recipe, and suddenly I couldn’t stop thinking about the cake that reminds me so much of my childhood. I had to make one myself.
If you’re not familiar with burnt almond cake, you may wonder what all the fuss is about. (And also why anyone sane would put the word “burnt” in a cake title in the first place.) Put simply, it’s a fluffy white cake filled with almond pastry cream, frosted with buttercream, and coated with a thick layer of caramelized almonds. My version has almond flavor in every single component, so if you’re an almond fan who’s tired of vanilla or chocolate (or passion fruit!) having all the fun, allow me to introduce you to your new love.
Just to be clear, this is my version of a burnt almond cake, not a recreation of the bakery ones. (I feel like I need this disclaimer so that crazed Dick’s and Peter’s fans don’t track me down chanting “Not the same! Not the same!”) It’s been ages since I’ve tasted the real thing, and I don’t remember the details well enough to be confident of getting things right.
That doesn’t mean that it’s not AWESOME, though. The almond-flavored white cake is moistened by both an almond simple syrup and the creamy almond pastry cream layers. The buttercream is one of those wacky flour-based ones (newly obsessed with them) that has the light texture and flavor of whipped cream but the stability of buttercream. And the homemade caramelized almonds are the crowing touch, adding a great crunch, a bit of chew, and a whole lot of flavor from the deep, darkly caramelized toasted nuts.
No, it’s not the cake of my childhood—but at the risk of boasting, I think it’s even better. And the fact that I can make it in my own kitchen any time I want? That’s the best part of all.
💛More Almond Desserts to Try
- Raspberry Almond Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Cranberry Curd Almond Cake
- Raspberry Rhubarb Almond BarsPersimmon Almond Rosette Tarts
- Chocolate Raspberry Almond Truffle Tart
- Raspberry Almond Spiral Cake
Strawberries and Cream Layer Cake
Blueberry Layer Cake
Burnt Almond Cake
Ingredients
For the Almond Cake:
- ⅔ cup large egg whites, (from approximately 4-5 large eggs)
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 10.5 oz cake flour, (3 cups)
- 10.5 oz granulated sugar, (1 ½ cups)
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 6 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
For the Simple Syrup:
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp amaretto, or 1 tsp almond extract
For the Almond Pastry Cream:
- 1 tsp unflavored powdered gelatin
- 1 tbsp cold water
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 tbsp powdered sugar
For the Almond Buttercream:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 12 oz unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, I used superfine so it dissolved quickly
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
For the Caramelized Almonds:
- 6 oz sliced almonds, (1 1/2 cups)
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
Instructions
To Make the Almond Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two 9” cake pans with parchment, and spray them with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl whisk together the egg whites, 1/4 cup milk, and vanilla and almond extracts. Set aside for now.
- In the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low speed for 30 seconds to mix and sift the ingredients. Add the softened butter and the remaining 3/4 cup milk to the bowl, and mix on low speed until the flour is moistened. Raise the speed to medium and beat for 90 seconds.
- Stop the mixer and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add the egg white mixture in 3 parts, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl once more. Divide the batter evenly between the pans.
- Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly when pressed. Let the cakes cool for 15 minutes, then gently invert them out of the pans, invert them again until they’re right-side up, and let them cool completely on a wire rack.
To Make the Simple Syrup:
- Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir them together until the sugar dissolves, and heat the sugar syrup until it just starts to boil. Remove it from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Stir in the amaretto or almond extract.
To Make the Almond Pastry Cream:
- Combine the gelatin and cold water in a small bowl and set aside for 5 minutes to let the gelatin absorb the water. Once absorbed, microwave the bowl for 10-15 seconds, until the gelatin is liquid. Set aside for now.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the yolks, egg, cornstarch, and 1/4 cup of sugar. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and salt. Heat the milk over a medium burner until it just starts to boil. Start whisking the egg mixture, and while you’re whisking, drizzle a little hot milk into the eggs. Continue to whisk and drizzle until you’ve added about half of the milk. Switch to whisking the milk, then pour the eggs into the milk mixture while whisking.
- Return the pan to the burner and heat the cream, whisking constantly. Use a rubber spatula to periodically scrape the bottom of the pan so it doesn’t scorch. Cook until the pastry cream thickens and starts a very gently bubbling, then cook for about 2 minutes longer. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the liquid gelatin, vanilla extract, almond extract, and butter.
- Pour the cream through a wire mesh strainer into a bowl. It will be somewhat thick, so use a spatula to help work it through, straining out any clumps of egg that have developed. Press a layer of cling wrap directly on top of the pastry cream, and refrigerate until cold and firm, at least 2 hours. (To speed the cooling process, the cream can be spread onto a baking sheet and put in the freezer for 15-20 minutes, but don’t forget it in the freezer!)
- Right before you’re ready to use the pastry cream in the cake, whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar together until it forms firm peaks. Gently fold together the pastry cream and whipped cream together.
To Make the Almond Buttercream:
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour and milk. Pour it through a fine wire mesh strainer into a medium saucepan, straining out any flour clumps. Heat the flour mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens. It will go from being a thin liquid to being a very thick paste. It should have the consistency of a very thick pudding when you’re done. Remove the pan from the heat, and let the flour mixture cool completely. To speed this process, I like the fill my sink with an inch or two of cold water, and submerge the bottom of the pan in the water, making sure to not get any in the pan. Stir occasionally while the mixture cools.
- Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a large stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until very light and fluffy and no longer gritty, about 5-7 minutes.
- Once the flour mixture is no longer warm at all, and the butter/sugar is light and fluffy, add the flour to the mixing bowl, along with the vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt. Whip together for 2-3 minutes until well-combined, light, and fluffy. If it seems to separate continue to beat it until it comes back together.
To Make the Caramelized Almonds:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray it with nonstick spray. Place the nuts on the baking sheet and toast them in the oven while you prepare the caramel.
- Combine the water, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until the water dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Insert a candy thermometer and boil the sugar until it starts to turn a golden brown and reads between 310-325 on the thermometer.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and add the hot nuts from the oven. Stir until the nuts are coated with caramel. Add the butter and stir, then pour the nuts out onto the foil-lined baking sheet. Use a spatula to spread them into a thin layer without many nuts overlapping.
- Let the nuts cool completely, then break them apart. If they’re in large chunks, chop them coarsely.
To Assemble:
- Using a large serrated knife, cut each cake layer in half. Place one layer on a cake cardboard (or your serving plate) and use a pastry brush to brush it generously with the simple syrup.
- Scoop some buttercream into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe a ring of buttercream all along the edge of the cake round to act as a barrier and hold in the filling. Scoop 1/3 of the pastry cream onto the cake, and spread it in an even layer until it covers the cake and reaches the buttercream ring. Top the cake round with a second round, and repeat the process of brushing it with simple syrup, piping a ring of buttercream, and spreading the pastry cream in the center.
- Repeat with the remaining layers, until you have a 4-layer cake with 3 layers of buttercream. Spread buttercream along the sides and top of the cake. It doesn’t have to be super-smooth since most of the surface will be covered with almonds.
- Press caramelized almonds into the sides of the cake. This is easiest if you use a cardboard cake round—hold the cake in one hand, over the baking sheet full of almonds, and use the other to press almonds into the sides, letting the excess fall back onto the sheet.
- Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip and pipe rosettes along the top of the cake. Decorate them with more caramelized almonds, if desired. The almonds will start to get sticky after about a day, so for optimal texture enjoy it on the day it’s made, but the flavor is still wonderful several days after.
Recipe Notes
Measuring Tips
Our recipes are developed using weight measurements, and we highly recommend using a kitchen scale for baking whenever possible. However, if you prefer to use cups, volume measurements are provided as well. PLEASE NOTE: the adage “8 oz = 1 cup” is NOT true when speaking about weight, so don’t be concerned if the measurements don’t fit this formula.
Want to learn more about baking measurements and conversion?
OMG I have been looking for a Burnt-Almond Cake
recipes for years. I can’t wait to try this. I also grew up in San Jose and loved Dick’s Burnt-Almond cake and I have never found anything like them since. I’m now 58 years old and have been living in Emmett Idaho for 16 plus years and every bakery I’ve been to they have never heard of Burnt-Almond cake. I’m sure this cake will also bring back some childhood memories.
Hi Sharon, Isn’t it strange that it’s so hard to find burnt almond cake anywhere else? I didn’t appreciate it enough when I lived in SJ! I hope you give this cake a try and let me know what you think!
Well. Thanks SO much for this recipe. I have a coworker originally from San Jose. He has raved about Peter’s bakery and it’s Burnt Almond Cake. Today is his last day here at work and I tried this recipe. We have MANY cake connoisseurs here and they are just over the top about this cake. They say it’s the best they’ve ever tasted! Many steps but totally worth it!!
Hi Mary, Thanks for the comment! I’m thrilled that it worked out for you and that your coworkers enjoyed it! Definitely a lot of work, but I’m so glad you thought it was worth it. 🙂
I’m originally from the Bay Area, and I’ve had the Burnt Almond Cake from both Dick’s and Peter’s which is why I was so excited to try this recipe. I’m about 85% done with the recipe at the moment. For the most part everything turned out except the candied almonds and the buttercream. The buttercream came out out with more of the consistency of a cream cheese frosting. So I’m going to grab my stand-by buttercream to substitute. I’m on my second batch of candied almonds and they still have a hint of burnt flavoring. The technique seems similar to that of English toffee, but for some reason it is not turning out for me. So running to the store to purchase some premade candied nuts to finish this recipe.
Hi Sandy, I’m sorry to hear that you’ve had trouble with the almonds and buttercream. I’d love to hear what you think when it’s finished, and how it all comes together in the end!
Just came across this entry and hope to try this soon. I live close to Dick’s Bakery so that’s the one I know. I have never even heard of Peter’s Bakery but I think I may just have to check it out! Thanks for the post.
Great! I’d love to hear how it goes if you give it a try!
I am also from san jose currently living in NM I’ve never had dicks or peters but my cousin also from sj moved here near me and today is her bday all she wanted was peters cake. So i looked it up and found you. I have made all components and have a question should this be stored in refrigerator after being put together and the leftover cake?
Hi Ericka, I’m sorry for the belated reply. I’m sure you’ve figured something out by now, but to answer your question, I store this cake in the fridge due to the pastry cream filling. I hope your cousin enjoyed the cake!
Thank you for posting this! I grew up on the east side and went to MP so you know I’m a Peter’s person! These cakes remind of me of birthday parties, and of my grandparents who lived just up the street from Peter’s. They would always stop in for fresh bread or a doughnut. Thank you for posting this recipe. I am very excited to get a taste of home here in Austin!
Heeeey, both of my brothers went to MP! Such a small world. From one Peter’s Bakery girl to another, I hope you enjoy it! Feel free to shoot me an email if you have any questions.
We recently moved to Oklahoma from the San Jose area where we lived for 26 years. We went to both Dick and Peters Bakery for burnt almond cake. I got hungry for it and found this recipe and article on line. Thank you so much and I’m looking forward to making this cake. Michael and Shirley Flowers
Just wondering how many almonds I need. 1 cup=8 ounces, but your recipe says 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces). So is it 1 1/2 cups (12 oz) or 3/4 cup (6 oz)?
Never mind! I guess my measuring cup is just based on liquid measures. I looked it up. 1 1/2 cups=6 oz.
Yep. 1 cup is 8 fluid oz, but the standard measure for nuts is 4 ounces per cup. Glad you got it sorted!
Hi:
I grew up with Dick’s Bakery Burnt Almond cakes at all significant “lifetime milestones”….. We lived near Dick’s Bakery, so it was a “no brainer”…..
I graduated from Mitty & my brothers graduated from Bellarmine.
Sadly, as of 5/28/16, Dick’s Bakery has burnt down. The owners plan to rebuild but no timeframe as yet.
Just discovered via Google that Peters Bakery makes this cake too (since my name is also Peters, I wonder if they will give me a discount?).
This recipe looks wonderful & I can’t wait to try it for my Mom’s 80th birthday celebration!!!
My BIG ?: How do I make a chocolate version of this cake (& cupcakes)?
Please advise.
Thank you VERY much
Wow, that is very sad news! I hope that Dick’s is able to rebuild soon–San Jose just isn’t the same without it! You should definitely try Peter’s, and see what you think!
Rather than try to modify this recipe, I would suggest starting with a chocolate cake recipe and adding almond extract to that. I think that’s all you’d need to do, but you COULD make a chocolate pastry cream as well–but I rather think that might make it too chocolatey? Your call. Feel free to send me an email (elizabeth@sugarhero.com) for specific recipe suggestions–it’s a bit long to type out in a blog comment! Cheers.
Hi Elizabeth.
Do you have any recommendations on how to use this recipe for cupcakes?
Hi Rebecca! I haven’t tried these as cupcakes. I’m sure they’d be delicious–you could stuff the cupcakes with the almond cream by poking a hole in the top and squeezing the cream inside, then topping with the buttercream and a few slivered almonds on top. Let me know how they go if you give it a try!
We recently went back to my husband’s home town and had Peter’s burnt almond cake for a memorial service. It was so delicious! I totally get the hype about Peter’s and Dick’s (which I have not been fortunate enough to try yet)!
I made this cake for a 2 layer 11 inch birthday cake for my son. We live in Denver, so I did the standard altitude correction only for the cake part. I increased the cake and buttercream recipe by 50% and left the rest. I read through all the comments and loved reading the ones where something did not turn out quiet right because I could learn from it. I made this cake over 2 days. 1st day, almonds, sugar syrup and almond pastry cream. the 2nd day I did the cake and buttercream.
Yes, this cake is not exactly like Peter’s. But oh it was so delicious! I impressed all the guests and everybody loved it! Everything did turn out just right too! I did have a bunch of buttercream left. Will definitively make this again.
From scratch birthday cakes are kind of a big deal to me. I have only made from scratch cakes for my kids. My son really liked this … so I do apologize to any future daughter in law who may have to make this cake one day for him! lol
Dick’s is gone now, sorry to say.