Flourless almond pumpkin torta is a tender cake of almond flour, pumpkin and eggs under cream cheese frosting, ready in about 1 hour 45 minutes. It cuts into 10 slices and tastes best chilled, so it suits a make-ahead dessert.
Why This Recipe Works
Beat the eggs and sugar until they turn pale and slightly thick. That trapped air is the only lift this cake gets besides the baking powder, since there is no wheat flour. Skip it and the torta bakes up dense.
Almond flour plus finely ground almonds gives the crumb a moist, nutty body without gluten. Fold the dry mix in gently and stop as soon as it is combined, so the cake stays tender and does not turn tough.
Pull the cake from the oven while the toothpick still shows a few moist crumbs. Almond cakes keep cooking in the hot pan, and a fully dry toothpick means the center will end up dry once it cools.
Flourless Almond Pumpkin Torta Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup finely ground almonds
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
For the cream cheese frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream, as needed
For the topping
- 1/3 cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted
- 1/3 cup chopped dates
- 1 tablespoon honey, optional
How To Make Flourless Almond Pumpkin Torta
Make the batter
- Prep the pan: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-inch round pan and press a circle of parchment paper into the bottom, so the cake lifts out clean.
- Whisk the dry mix: Put the almond flour, ground almonds, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl and whisk them together. This spreads the baking powder and spices evenly through the batter.
- Beat the eggs: Beat the eggs and granulated sugar in a large bowl until they turn pale and a little thick. Stir in the pumpkin puree, the 1/4 cup melted and cooled unsalted butter, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.
- Fold it together: Fold the dry mix into the pumpkin mixture in small additions, stopping as soon as no dry streaks remain. Too much stirring makes the cake tough.
Bake and cool
- Bake: Scrape the batter into the pan and level the top. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool: Leave the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then move it to a wire rack. Let it cool completely before frosting, or the frosting will melt and slide.
Frost and finish
- Make the frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese with the 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and the other 1 teaspoon vanilla extract a little at a time. Stir in the heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting spreads easily.
- Frost the cake: Spread the frosting over the cooled cake with a spatula, pulling it into soft swirls.
- Add the topping: Scatter the toasted almonds and chopped dates over the frosting. Drizzle with honey if you like.
- Chill: Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes so the frosting sets. Slice it cold, or let slices sit a few minutes at room temperature to soften.
Recipe Tips
- Toast the almonds: A few minutes in a dry skillet or the oven brings out their flavor and keeps them crisp against the soft frosting.
- Use plain pumpkin puree: Canned pumpkin pie filling already has sugar and spices, which would throw off the sweetness of this cake.
- Start with cold-proof frosting: Soften the cream cheese and butter fully before beating. Cold cream cheese leaves small lumps you cannot beat out.
- Wait for a full cool-down: A warm almond cake is fragile and the frosting will slip off it. Give it the full cooling time on the rack.
What To Serve With Flourless Almond Pumpkin Torta
Serve slices cold with hot coffee or a cup of tea. A spoonful of whipped cream or a few poached pears on the side fits an Italian dessert table.
How To Store
- Fridge: Cover the frosted cake and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. The cream cheese frosting needs the cold.
- Freezer: Freeze the unfrosted cake, wrapped well, for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge, then frost and top it.
- Make ahead: Bake the cake a day ahead and keep it covered. Frost it the day you serve it so the topping stays crisp.
FAQs
Can I use almond meal instead of almond flour?
Yes, but the cake will be a little coarser and darker. Almond flour made from blanched almonds gives the smoothest crumb.
Is this pumpkin torta gluten free?
Yes, the ingredient list has no wheat, so the cake is gluten free. Check that your baking powder and powdered sugar are labeled gluten free if you have celiac disease.
Can I make it ahead or freeze it?
You can bake the cake a day ahead and frost it before serving. It also freezes well without the frosting for up to 2 months.
Why did my almond pumpkin cake turn out dense or wet in the middle?
Underbeaten eggs, too much pumpkin liquid or pulling the cake out too early are the usual causes. Beat the eggs until pale, measure the puree level, and bake until the center is set.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving (1 of 10), worked out from the ingredients.
- Calories: about 470 kcal
- Total Fat: 36g
- Total Carbohydrate: 31g
- Dietary Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 10g
Flourless Almond Pumpkin Torta
10
servings30
minutes1
hour15
minutes105
minutesA flourless pumpkin cake made with almond flour, topped with cream cheese frosting, toasted almonds and dates. It makes 10 slices and holds well in the fridge for 4 days.
Ingredients
- For the cake
2 cups almond flour
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 large eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup finely ground almonds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- For the cream cheese frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream, as needed
- For the topping
1/3 cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted
1/3 cup chopped dates
1 tablespoon honey, optional
Directions
- Prep the pan: Set the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-inch round pan and press a circle of parchment paper into the bottom, so the cake lifts out clean.
- Whisk the dry mix: Put the almond flour, ground almonds, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl and whisk them together. This spreads the baking powder and spices evenly through the batter.
- Beat the eggs: Beat the eggs and granulated sugar in a large bowl until they turn pale and a little thick. Stir in the pumpkin puree, the 1/4 cup melted and cooled unsalted butter, and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.
- Fold it together: Fold the dry mix into the pumpkin mixture in small additions, stopping as soon as no dry streaks remain. Too much stirring makes the cake tough.
- Bake: Scrape the batter into the pan and level the top. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool: Leave the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then move it to a wire rack. Let it cool completely before frosting, or the frosting will melt and slide.
- Make the frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese with the 1/4 cup softened unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and the other 1 teaspoon vanilla extract a little at a time. Stir in the heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting spreads easily.
- Frost the cake: Spread the frosting over the cooled cake with a spatula, pulling it into soft swirls.
- Add the topping: Scatter the toasted almonds and chopped dates over the frosting. Drizzle with honey if you like.
- Chill: Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes so the frosting sets. Slice it cold, or let slices sit a few minutes at room temperature to soften.
