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?
I followed this recipe a T and it came out perfect!!! I made it for my sons 28 birthday and it was a hit. My only question is does it need to stay refrigerated? Thanks so much.
Hey Robin, I would leave it at room temperature if you are going to be serving it withing a day. If you are going to wait any longer than that to serve it, then yes I would refrigerate it! Thanks so much, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed!
I too am from San Jose. I just wanted to let you know that Dick’s Bakery closed down due to a fire. It has been years since it was open! I miss it very very much! I have been to both Pete’s and Dick’s Bakeries. You know they are related right?
Hi Tiffany, That is sad news! Thanks for letting me know! I moved away from San Jose and haven’t been back to visit in awhile, but I’m sad to hear that.
How many days in advance can I make the cake layers? Is it ok to freeze them?
i just found your website and am very interested in several of your cakes. I have a question about the Burnt Almond cake. How much baking powder should be used in the cake. The recipe shows 1 tbsp then on the same line, it indicates 1 tbsp + 1 tsp. Which is correct?
Hey Margaret, sorry for the confusion! There is some weirdness with the way the recipe card originally showed it. The recipe calls for 1tbsp + 1tsp which is equivalent to 4 tsp which is now what the recipe card calls for. Thanks so much!
I have made this cake four times now, each time the cake is delicious, BUT, the cake layers are not rising in the pan?!!? I proceed with splitting each layer so I have 4 but they are SOOOO thin! what am I doing wrong? My Baking powder is not old, but maybe I should get a new can anyway? My cake is not looking like yours because they 4 layers are almost paper thin
Found this on a whim. What a treat to see it’s from a SJ girl! I’m team Peter’s. We still get my grandma’s birthday cake there and she’s in her late 80’s. Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Hey Natalie, Your comment made me so happy!! I am so glad you found it as well, I cannot wait for you to try it out. Please let me know how you like it!
1. I followed the recipe to the T but the pastry cream was a little runny after I added the whipped heavy milk, so I’d suggest cutting that by half or add it in increments.
2. The frosting was perfect when I first whipped it up (followed the recipe exactly as written) but then the next day when I took it out of the refrigerator and let it sit out for some time, the butter that had started to melt didn’t blend in. I tried whipping it again but it was runny and looked like cottage cheese. So not sure what happened there.
Hi Marina! As far as the pastry cream, you can definitely reduce the whipped cream if you’d like. (And you did use heavy cream and not milk, right? Just checking since you wrote whipped milk 🙂 ) Because the pastry cream has a bit of gelatin in it, it does still set up nicely in the cake layers, even if it seems a bit runny, but there is certainly no harm in adjusting it to your texture preference!
And for the ermine frosting, I’m not sure what you mean by “the butter that had started to melt didn’t blend in.” Was the frosting in a warm place, and did it start to melt? If it is exposed to significant heat then yes, it will probably separate and be difficult to work with. The description of cottage cheese definitely sounds like the fat separating out of the frosting. Can you clarify what you mean about the butter?
FYI, Peters and Dicks bakeries are owned by the same family. Identical recipes! Too cool!
So I was recently tasked with making a Burnt Almond Cake for my mother in law’s birthday coming up in two weeks. She is from San Jose and loves Peter’s cake- every year. But she has moved out of state and though I still live in California it would be too challenging for me to drive the two hours to San Jose, pick up a Peter’s cake and then drive another 4-5 hours to her new home. Being that I was the Sous Chef at the Campbell House Restaurant for many years and with over 26 years in the culinary realm I am up to the task for making one myself. I cannot express the joy, luck and gratitude I have after finding this recipe! Thank you. I will upload photos upon creation later in the next week(s) and share this recipe with her.
I was reading the ingredients and the only step that requires room temperature butter is the cake correct?
OMG – I grew up in San Jose also and actually babysat for the Peter’s grandchildren. I really miss this cake and look forward to trying yours. It’s on the menu for Easter dessert! Thanks
That is so cool!! This cake is a project but one I am always happy to make–I hope you enjoy it too. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions, and I’d love to hear how it turns out!