Food Recipes Desserts Cake Almond Layer Cake with Lemon Frosting Rich almond paste plus a finishing sprinkle of lightly toasted almonds add lots of nutty flavor to this lemon-accented cake. By David Lebovitz David Lebovitz Pastry chef David Lebovitz has published nine books on dessert and his life in Paris, including "Room for Dessert" and "Ripe for Dessert." He's contributed to a slew of food and travel websites and develops approachable savory and sweet recipes with high-quality ingredients. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on July 8, 2026 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Jake Sternquist / Food Styling by Shannon Goforth / Prop Styling by Joseph Wanek Bake Time: 40 mins Total Time: 3 hrs Yield: 1 9-inch cake Jump to recipe Almond paste and extra egg yolks give the cake rich flavor, a tender crumb, and a lovely golden color.A layer of raspberry jam provides bright fruity tang and helps keep the cake moist between the layers.Toasted sliced almonds add nutty flavor and crunchy contrast to the soft cake and smooth lemon frosting. This cake borrows some of the flavors of Linzertorte, an Austrian dessert made with a nutty pastry dough and tart jam, brightened with a hint of lemon zest. For David Lebovitz’s cake, you’ll bake two 9-inch layers of tender, moist cake flavored with almond paste — which lends a dense sweetness — then sandwich them together with sweet-tart raspberry jam, frost with a quick lemon buttercream, and sprinkle with toasted sliced almonds. Why use extra egg yolks in a cake? Adding two extra egg yolks to the four whole eggs already in the batter makes this cake’s texture incredibly soft and tender. The additional fat from the yolks coats the flour proteins, which relaxes the crumb and helps the cake stay moist for much longer than a standard recipe. Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Almond paste can be found in the baking aisle at most well-stocked grocery stores, typically tucked near the canned pie fillings or cake decorating supplies. Look for an 8-ounce box or a foil-wrapped tube rather than a jar. Be sure to grab pure almond paste and not marzipan, which is much sweeter and cannot be used interchangeably in this recipe.Allow the cakes to cool completely before spreading on the jam and frosting. This ensures that the softer elements do not melt from the residual baking heat and prevents the delicate layers from sinking in on themselves. Keep Screen Awake Ingredients 1/2x 1x 2x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Cake 2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar 7 ounces almond paste 4 large eggs, at room temperature 2 large egg yolks 1/2 cup whole milk Frosting and Filling 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar, divided Finely grated zest of 2 lemons 3 tablespoons whole milk 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam 1/2 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted Directions Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the paper. In a bowl, combine the flour with the baking powder and salt. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the granulated sugar with the almond paste until the paste turns into fine crumbs. Add the butter and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in half of the dry ingredients and then stir in the milk. Stir in the remaining dry ingredients until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and cool them completely in their pans. Make the frosting: In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with 1 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar and the lemon zest until smooth. Beat in the milk. Stir in the remaining 2 cups of powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Invert the cakes onto a work surface; peel off and discard the parchment paper. Set 1 cake on a plate and spread the jam on top. Cover with the other cake and spread the frosting all over the top and side of the cake. Sprinkle the almonds on top of the cake and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the frosting. Make ahead The cake can be refrigerated for up to two days. Bring to room temperature before serving. Originally appeared: November 2000 Cook this recipe and more in the MyRecipes app. Get the App Save Rate Print Loading shell for RecipesUgcThreaded1 Vue component in Globe.