Marzipan is easy to use and tastes great on its own. But, can also be used in combination with a few other simple ingredients. This marzipan cake is the perfect example. Don’t miss out on this ingenious cake recipe made in a bundt pan.
Table of Content
Making marzipan cake from scratch is always a daunting prospect for novice bakers who don’t have experience using almond paste. Today, with this simple and easy recipe, you will want to add this to your holiday baking every single year.
Why make this marzipan cake?
- If you love marzipan you will enjoy this recipe. It has a wonderful almond marzipan flavor.
- The recipe is a fuss-free, simple, and easy recipe with a standard creaming method.
- Most of the ingredients are simple pantry staples or easy to find such as marzipan.
- Today, I am using homemade marzipan but you can certainly use store-bought marzipan just as well.
- I am baking the cake in a pretty bundt pan but you can also use a round cake pan to make a layer cake or a loaf pan to make a coffee cake.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Marzipan - I am using homemade marzipan made with ground almond but you could also use other ground nuts such as cashews, or pecans.
- Flour - All-purpose flour with little leavening works great for this recipe and adds some needed stability.
- Fat - I like adding both butter and oil to this recipe. Butter adds a wonderful flavor while the oil helps keep the cake moist.
- Flavor - Orange zest adds a wonderful flavor along with the classic vanilla extract. Almond extract enhances the flavor of the almond marzipan in the recipe.
- Eggs - Use large eggs and make sure to incorporate each well into the batter before you add the next one.
- Sugar - I am using white granulated sugar but you can also use brown sugar for that light caramel-like flavor. However, do note that brown sugar will also change the color of the cake to a light cream.
- Optional ingredients
- Almond flour - You can replace ½ cup flour with almond meal or ground almonds to enhance the flavor or almonds.
- Cocoa - Substitute ½ cup flour with ½ cup cocoa powder to make a chocolate marzipan cake.
- Orange Marzipan cake - Substitute the milk in the recipe with orange juice to enhance the flavor of oranges.
How to make the best marzipan cake
- Preheat the oven at 325F / 165C / Gas Mark 3. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan (I am using a lotus bundt pan).
Pro tip - You can line 2 x 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper or grease a 9 x 4 x 4-inch loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl, crumble the marzipan and add 2 tablespoon of water. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute until smooth.
Pro tip - Melting the marzipan now will prevent a lumpy batter. Set aside to cool. - Dry ingredients - In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, and orange zest.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, cream the marzipan, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Next, add the vanilla extract and almond extract followed by the eggs, one at a time, making sure each egg is well incorporated in the batter.
- Finally, add the flour mixture with the milk in three batches alternating each other. Combine until smooth but do not overmix.
Pro tip - We do not want to activate the gluten in our flour so do not over mix once you add the flour. - Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
Pro tip - I sprinkled the bottom of my bundt pan with a few almond flakes before pouring in the batter. This way the bottom of the cake has some almonds on top.
- Bake on the middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, place a plate over the pan and invert the cake onto a platter and dust with powdered sugar.
Variations
- Marzipan layer cake - You can bake this cake batter in 2 x 9-inch cake pans or one 9-inch springform pan. Frost it with buttercream to make a marzipan layer cake. This is perfect to celebrate a special occasion during the holiday season.
- Marzipan jam cake - Bake in a loaf pan then brush the marzipan sponge cake with apricot or your favorite jam (mine is raspberry).
- or Marzipan shortcake - Similar to the strawberry shortcake. You can brush this cake with jam. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and frost the cake with whipped cream instead of buttercream.
- Marzipan decorations - You can color some marzipan and mold it into fruits or flowers to add on top of the cake.
Tips and troubleshooting
- Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature.
- Use fine-grain sugars when preparing cake batters so it dissolves easily.
- Grease and flour bundt pan well. Nothing is worst than to have a delicious cake stuck in the bundt.
- Overbaking - Overbaking a cake can make it dry. You must test the cake a few minutes before the cooking time guide because all ovens work differently.
- Dense cake - Often, this could be the reason for overmixing the cake. When you activate too much gluten in the cake, the cake rises when baking but sinks as soon as it comes out of the oven. The resulting sink causes the cake to be dense.
- Undercooked bundt cake - Cakes bake from the outside in, so often the cake may appear cooked while still not finished cooking on the inside. That is why we need to test for doneness by inserting a skewer in the center of the cake. If the skewer inserted in the center comes out clean without any batter it means the cake is done.
- Bundt cake sunk after baking - Usually, too much leavening agent such a baking powder or baking soda.
More marzipan recipes
- Simple Marzipan Recipe | Almond Paste
- Homemade Chocolate Marzipan
- Marzipan Easter Eggs
- Homemade Marzipan Truffles or Chocolate Marzipan Truffles
- Pecan Marzipan Truffles
- Chocolate Marzipan Squares
- Marzipan 101 - What is Marzipan?
Frequently asked questions
How long will this marzipan cake keep?
This cake will keep at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. You can keep it well wrapped in the fridge for up to a week. And, you can also freeze it in a freezer bag for up to a month.
What else can I use in this cake?
It is very easy to customize a bundt cake.
- Try simple additions like chocolate chips.
- Add nuts such as walnuts, pecans, or cashews.
- Substitute some of the flour with a nut meal like an almond meal.
- Try adding lemon zest in addition to the orange zest,
- Of course, spices are always a good addition like cinnamon, pumpkin spice, gingerbread spice, or chai spice.
What else can I use to decorate instead of powdered sugar?
This marzipan cake is so versatile and perfect with almost anything. Try -pastry cream or Whipped cream on its own or layer the whipped cream with fresh fruits.
Fruit fillings are great options too - Strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, Cherry
Curds - Lemon Curd, Orange Curd
Sauces - Caramel Sauce, Butterscotch Sauce
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Printable Recipe
Marzipan Cake
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save Grow Coooking Temperature: 325F / 165C / Gas Mark 3
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 386kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 9 servings
Description
Marzipan is easy to use and tastes great on its own. But, can also be used in combination with a few other simple ingredients. This marzipan cake is the perfect example. Don’t miss out on this ingenious cake recipe made in a bundt pan.
Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 1½ cup (190 g) All-Purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg (fresh grated)
- 1 teaspoon Orange zest
Wet ingredients
- 8 oz (226 g) Marzipan
- ½ cup (113 g) Unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ¾ cup (150 g) Sugar
- 3 large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Almond extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) Milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 325F / 165C / Gas Mark 3. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan. Pro tip - You can line 2 x 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper or grease a 9 x 4 x 4-inch loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl, crumble the marzipan and add 2 tablespoon of water. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute until smooth. Pro tip - Melting the marzipan now will prevent a lumpy batter. Set aside to cool.
- Dry ingredients - In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, and orange zest.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, cream the marzipan, butter, and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Next, add the vanilla and almond extract followed by the eggs, one at a time, making sure each egg is well incorporated in the batter.
- Finally, add the flour mixture with the milk in three batches alternating each other. Combine until smooth but do not overmix. Pro tip - We do not want to activate the gluten in our flour, so do not over mix once you add the flour.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Pro tip - I sprinkled the bottom of my bundt pan with a few almond flakes before pouring in the batter. This way, the bottom of the cake has some almonds on top.
- Bake on the middle rack for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, place a plate over the pan and invert the cake onto a platter and dust with powdered sugar.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Make sure all the ingredients are at room temperature.
- Use fine-grain sugars when preparing cake batters so it dissolves easily.
- Grease and flour bundt pan well. Nothing is worst than to have a delicious cake stuck in the bundt
- Overbaking - Overbaking a cake can make it dry. You must test the cake a few minutes before the cooking time guide because all ovens work differently.
- Dense cake - Often this could be the reason for overmixing the cake. When you activate too much gluten in the cake, the cake rises when baking but sinks as soon as it comes out of the oven. The resulting sink causes the cake to be dense.
- Undercooked bundt cake -Cakes bake from the outside in so often the cake may appear cooked while still not finished cooking on the inside. That is why we need to test for doneness by inserting a skewer in the center of the cake. If the skewer inserted in the center comes out clean without any batter it means the cake is done.
- Bundt cake sunk after baking - Usually, too much leavening agent such a baking powder or baking soda
- Other pans suggestions- If you don’t want to make a layer cake like this. you can
- You can also bake it in 2 x 9-inch round cake pans or one 9-inch springform pan.
- Double this recipe to make a 9 x 13 sheet pan – sheet Cake.
- And these can also be baked into 15 to 18 beautiful cupcakes
Nutrition Information
Calories: 386- kcalCarbohydrates: 47- gProtein: 8- gFat: 19- gSaturated Fat: 8- gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2- gMonounsaturated Fat: 8- gTrans Fat: 1- gCholesterol: 90- mgSodium: 105- mgPotassium: 204- mgFiber: 1- gSugar: 28- gVitamin A: 432- IUVitamin C: 1- mgCalcium: 76- mgIron: 2- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
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Tammy Zapata
new at marzipan….do i use paste or dough for cake recipe
Veena Azmanov
Tammy, Ideally, you can use both. As long as you incorporate them well in the batter.
I get a marzipan block that looks like dough. I microwave it for 30 seconds with 1 tbsp of water and make it a paste.
The paste is just easier to work with as it incorporates easily. Thanks