This is an incredibly aromatic tonka cake made with only four ingredients and ready in less than one hour- the perfect cake to serve with a cup of tea or coffee.
Ingredients: 4 | Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Servings: 10 slices | Difficulty: Easy
A delightful Arabic-style, flourless tonka cake made with ground almonds and bursting with flavor. Dense, moist, and sweet crumb, the taste of almonds, and the intense aroma of the tonka bean... This easy cake will make you perfectly happy.
If you like baking without flour, check out the Low-Calorie Brownies or the Chocolate Almond Bundt Cake.
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What is tonka bean?
Tonka beans, seeds of the South American Kumaro tree, are small, black, and wrinkled but incredibly aromatic. Their scent lingers for hours, even after washing hands, and fills the kitchen for days. They have a sweet, spicy flavor, reminiscent of vanilla, honey, and warm spices.
Recipe ingredients
Half of a very small tonka bean. You can replace them with vanilla and a bit of cardamom; the flavor will be slightly different, but the cake will still taste amazing.
Ground almonds: I used ground almonds that were ground with their skin on; no need for the more expensive blanched ground almonds. Try the Cherry and Almond Cake, too.
Four large eggs. Buy medium ones if you live in Germany (where I live).
Sugar: Granulated sugar for the cake batter and a sprinkle of icing sugar (powdered sugar/confectionerโs sugar) for decoration purposes.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make tonka cake?
Step #1: Separate them. Whisk the egg whites until stiff.
Step #2: Beat the egg yolks, sugar, and ground almonds in a separate bowl. Add the grated tonka bean and mix well.
Step #3: Add about โ of the egg whites and fold them in with a spatula.
Step #4: Add the rest of the egg whites and fold them in gently and in as few movements as possible.
Step #5: Pour the mixture into the prepared springform.
Step #6: Bake the tonka bean cake for 25-30 minutes.
Step #7: Cool in the pan for about half an hour, and turn it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step #8: Transfer it to a serving platter and sprinkle it with icing sugar before serving.
Tips
Please use a digital kitchen scale in baking; it guarantees for best results. This tonka bean cake was made using metric measuring (Amazon affiliate link).
Replace the tonka bean with the seeds of one vanilla bean and ยผ teaspoon of ground cardamom.
Egg whites: Make sure that the bowl you use for beating them and the beaters of the mixer are squeaky clean with no traces of fat. Otherwise, the egg whites will not get stiff.
Recipe FAQs
No, but its flavor reminds me a bit of vanilla while being spicier and more intense.
Itโs used by chefs on menus in posh, star restaurants, often for making desserts, but not only. They are also used in the tobacco industry.
Add to homemade ice cream, flans, custard cakes, or other kinds of cakes, puddings, or other desserts. They are also great for making gin or tonka cocktails. Always be careful with the dosage; the beans are incredibly flavorful, and you will only need a tiny amount to flavor anything.
How to store?
Store the tonka cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. It keeps for a couple of days longer in the fridge.
Freeze it for up to 3 months.
Tonka Bean Cake
Equipment
- springform 9 inch/23-24 cm
Ingredients
- 1ยพ cup ground almonds Note 2
- ยพ cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- ยฝ of a very small tonka bean Note 3
- 1 teaspoon confectioner's sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF/ 180ยฐC and line the bottom of the springform with parchment paper.
- Separate the eggs and whisk the egg whites in a super clean bowl until stiff.4 large eggs
- Make the batter: Beat the egg yolks, sugar, and ground almonds in a separate bowl. Grate half of a tiny tonka bean on top and mix well. Add about โ of the egg whites and fold them in with a spatula. Add the rest of the egg whites and fold them in gently and in as few movements as possible.egg yolks + ยพ cup granulated sugar + 1ยพ cup ground almonds + ยฝ of a very small tonka bean
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared springform and bake for 25-30 minutes.
- Cool in the pan for about half an hour, and turn it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Transfer the cake to a serving platter and sprinkle it with 1 teaspoon confectioner's sugar before serving.
Notes
- Measurements: Please use a digital kitchen scale in baking; it guarantees for best results. This tonka bean cake was made using metric measuring (Amazon affiliate link).
- Almonds that were ground with their skin on, not blanched ground almonds or almond flour. You can buy a bag of whole almonds with their brown skin on and grind them in the food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs.
- Substitute: If you cannot get a tonka bean, replace it with the seeds of 1 vanilla bean and ยผ teaspoon of ground cardamom.
Schatten says
I think you skipped a step with the egg yolks. Shouldnโt we whip them with the sugar until doubled or something? I have nothing but a flat dough and itโs impossible to get this clumpy egg yolk mix to fold nicely with the egg whites. Please be more specific
Adina says
Hi. I didn't skip a step, you should mix the egg yolks as instructed. Then add 1/3 of the egg whites, this step will make the dough wetter/softer/ more manageable. After that you fold in the rest of the whites, they will help the cake rise a little during baking. However, the cake it's flat, it will not rise like a regular cake made with flour and baking powder or soda.
Suzaan says
I think it would really help if you added the part of where the sugar goes in the recipe because I just made it and realised that no where in the recipe it tells you what to do with the sugar and so I just wasted all my ingredients for a bitter cake.
Adina says
They are wonderful, the tonka beans. Can't understand why they are forbidden in the US. I would send you some, if I wasn't so afraid to do something illegal. ๐ ๐
Chris Scheuer says
Tonka beans? Wow, you have me intrigued. Your cake is so pretty and sounds wonderful!
Thao @ In Good Flavor says
Such a unique cake, Adina. I love it!
Adina says
Thank you, Thao.
Anu-My Ginger Garlic Kitchen says
OH. MY. GOD. What a gorgeous looking almond cake. And these sugar flowers on top are just AH-MAZING. Loved it, Adina.
Adina says
Thank you, Anu, this is very nice to hear. ๐