Easy Almond Cake (cake mix)
If you love almond desserts, this Easy Almond Cake recipe from cake mix is sure to become a favorite.
This easy almond cake recipe may start with a box of white cake mix, but butter and sour cream give it the richness and texture of a scratch recipe. Keep it mind for birthdays, shower cakes, and other special occasions!
Table of Contents
Ingredients for Easy Almond Cake
Make sure to find the full, printable recipe at the bottom of this post
- Crushed, sliced almonds to sprinkle into prepared pans.
- Box of white cake mix
- eggs
- sour cream adds richness and moisture
- all purpose flour helps to extend the mix
- sugar adds sweetness, moisture, and helps to extend the mix
- melted butter adds flavor and richness
- milk
- salt
- almond and vanilla extract
*Cake is frosted with almond cream cheese frosting (butter, powdered sugar, salt, almond extract)
How to Make Easy Almond Cake
Today's recipe is the cake mix version of our Almond Cake from scratch. We hope that you enjoy it! You can find the full recipe at the bottom of this post. Here is a quick look at our steps:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and grease/flour the pans (we also like to add parchment circles).
- Sprinkle the crushed almonds into the prepared pans.
- Add the batter ingredients to the bowl of your mixer.
- Mix the ingredients on low speed with an electric mixer for about 15 seconds to incorporate, then mix on medium speed for two minutes. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- Pour into prepared pans (over the crushed almonds), and bake at 325 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
- Cool the cake layers for ten minutes before turning out.
Almond Cream Cheese Frosting
We filled and frosted our Easy Almond Cake with a simple and flavorful Almond Cream Cheese frosting.
This recipe is based on our classic cream cheese frosting recipe and is so easy to make. It consists of softened cream cheese and butter, powdered sugar, almond extract, and a pinch of salt.
Cream cheese frostings are a bit softer than buttercream. If the frosting becomes too soft at any time while you are decorating, just pop the bowl and/or piping bag in the refrigerator for five minutes or so to firm things up.
Decorating the Almond Cake from Cake Mix
Once the cake layers have cooled completely and the frosting is ready, it is time to assemble.
Place the first cake layer on the cake plate or pedestal. Spread with almond cream cheese frosting, top with the second layer and repeat. Top with the third cake layer. Fill in any gaps between the layers with frosting. Apply a thin layer of frosting around the top and sides of the cake.
At this point, we like to chill the "crumb coated" cake in the freezer for 15 minutes (or longer in the refrigerator) to firm things up a bit before applying the second layer of frosting. This is an optional step, but helps to prevent the cake layers from shifting around as you work.
Apply the second layer of frosting and decorate however you like! We added texture using an offset spatula, and then decorated with sliced almonds and a "braided" top border piped with a star tip 21.
More Almond Cakes
We love almond cakes and cupcakes and have made many over the years! Some of our favorites are our Almond Cake from Scratch, Almond Cream Cake, Almond Cupcakes, and Almond Raspberry Swirl Cake.
Thanks so much for stopping by today! We hope that you give this Easy Almond Cake a try! It is such a good recipe and nobody would guess that it starts from a box! If you give it a try, we would love to hear from you.
Make sure to check out our full collection of cake recipes and cake decorating tutorials! You'll find tons of birthday cake recipes, birthday cake ideas, shower cakes, holiday cakes, and cakes "just because". Enjoy scrolling through!
Have you made this? We would LOVE for you to leave a ⭐️ rating as well as a comment and photo below! We really appreciate your feedback!
Easy Almond Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup sliced almonds, finely chopped or crushed (To sprinkle in the bottom of the prepared pans)
- 1 box white cake mix, sifted (15.25 oz) (We used Duncan Hines White Cake Mix- Perfectly Moist)
- 1 cup all purpose flour (125g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream (242g) (We used "full fat")
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted (113g) (This is ½ cup butter)
- 1¼ cup milk (300g) (we use 2 percent or whole milk)
- 3 whole large eggs
- 2½ teaspoons almond extract (10g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4g)
Almond Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 16 oz cream cheese 452g (We used two 8 oz packages of full fat cream cheese.)
- 1-1 ½ teaspoons almond extract (adjust amount to your liking) (4g-6g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4g)
- 6 to 6 ½ cups powdered sugar (747g)
- pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Grease and flour three 8x2 round cake pans. We also like to line ours with circles of parchment paper (optional).
- Divide up the half cup of crushed almonds, sprinkling into the bottom of each prepared pan. (To crush/chop, you can use a food processor or bullet blender, or you can place almonds in a ziplock bag and crush with a rolling pin. Crush to the size you like- ours were fairly small but not super fine.)
- Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl of your mixer.
- Mix the ingredients on low speed with an electric mixer for about 15 seconds to incorporate, then mix on medium speed for two minutes. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- Pour into prepared pans (over the crushed almonds), and bake at 325 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. (If you don't have a toothpick, you can insert a thin, sharp knife.)
- Cool the baked layers in their pans on a wire rack for ten minutes before turning out.
For the Almond Cream Cheese Frosting
- Add the softened butter to the bowl of your mixer. Beat on low to medium speed until the butter is smooth. Cut the softened cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter, along with the salt, mixing at low to medium speed until incorporated.
- Add the vanilla and almond extract. Gradually add the powdered sugar mixing on low speed until blended. Cover the bowl with a towel to keep down the cloud of powdered sugar.
- Increase mixing speed and beat until fluffy. Don't over beat or it will become too soft. If it becomes too soft, just refrigerate a short while to firm it up a bit.
Frosting and Decorating
- Once the cake layers have cooled completely, place the first cake layer on the cake pedestal. Spread the top with a layer of cream cheese frosting. Follow with the second layer and repeat. Top with the third cake layer and frost the top and sides with a thin layer of frosting. As an optional step, we like to chill the cake for 15 minutes in the freezer (or longer in the refrigerator) to firm things up a bit.
- Then, frost the second layer of frosting and decorate however you like. We used sliced almonds for a bottom border, and piped a braided top border with a tip 21.
Refrigeration
- Because of the cream cheese frosting, this cake should be refrigerated (in an airtight container, in a bakery box, or under a cake dome). However, for the very best flavor and texture, you should remove it from the refrigerator 2-3 hours before serving. This will allow the cake and frosting time to warm and soften.
Do you have an almond frosting recipe without cream cheese? I don’t like cream cheese (or any kind of cheese).
I want to make this cake, as it sounds delicious and I love anything almond