Marzipan Cake Recipe
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.
Back when I had my cake business, I loved experimenting with flavors, but one cake that always stood out—especially to those who love rich almond flavor—was my Marzipan Bundt Cake. There’s something about the combination of buttery cake and sweet marzipan that makes every bite soft, nutty, and incredibly luxurious.
I remember making this for a customer who had a deep love for anything almond-flavored. After the first bite, they told me, “This is the best almond cake I’ve ever had—why is this not more popular?!” And honestly, I wondered the same thing! The moist, dense crumb, the subtle sweetness of marzipan, and the golden Bundt shape make it a cake that feels both simple and elegant at the same time.
Whether dusted with powdered sugar, drizzled with almond glaze, or enjoyed just as it is, this cake is proof that sometimes, the most underrated flavors are the most unforgettable. And for anyone who loves marzipan, this one is a must-try!
What Is Marzipan?
Marzipan is a smooth mixture made from finely ground almonds, sugar, and a little liquid (like egg white or glucose) to bind it together. It’s soft, sweet, and easy to shape — which is why it’s used for candies, decorations, and holiday cakes. When baked into a cake, marzipan melts into the batter and creates a rich, moist, almond-flavored crumb that you simply can’t get from extract alone.
What Is a Marzipan Cake?
A marzipan cake is any cake where real marzipan is mixed directly into the batter, adding both flavor and moisture. Unlike cakes that are simply flavored with almond extract or topped with a marzipan layer (like many Scandinavian or British cakes), a marzipan cake has the almond sweetness baked right into the crumb. This marzipan bundt cake is exactly that — tender, buttery, fragrant, and naturally moist thanks to the marzipan melting through the batter as it bakes.
Why you’ll love 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 also use store-bought marzipan.
- This cake is very versatile. 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 almonds, 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 1/2 cup of flour with almond meal or ground almonds to enhance the flavor of almonds.
- Cocoa – Substitute 1/2 cup flour with 1/2 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.
Step-by-step: How to make the best marzipan cake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F / 165°C / Gas Mark 3. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan (I am using a lotus bundt pan).
Pro tip – You can also 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 tbsp 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, oil, 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 into the batter.
- Finally, add the flour mixture to the milk in three batches, alternating between each batch. Combine until smooth, but do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. I sprinkled a few almond flakes on the bottom of my bundt pan before pouring in the batter.
- 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.
Tips for Success (Marzipan Bundt Cake)
- Use real marzipan, not almond paste. Marzipan melts into the batter and gives the cake its signature moist, rich texture. Almond paste won’t blend the same way.
- Grate or break the marzipan into small pieces. This helps it blend evenly without clumps and prevents dense pockets in the cake.
- Cream the butter, sugar, and marzipan well. This step aerates the heavy batter and keeps the bundt light instead of stodgy.
- Room-temperature ingredients are essential. Cold eggs or cold marzipan make the batter seize and turn lumpy.
- Grease the bundt pan generously. This cake is naturally sticky because of the marzipan, so use melted butter + flour or a baking spray with flour.
- Bake low and slow. Marzipan cakes brown quickly. If the top is browning too fast, tent it with foil for the last 15–20 minutes.
- Test doneness carefully. The outside sets before the centre because marzipan is dense. Use a long skewer and check multiple spots.
What else can I do with marzipan?
Marzipan is incredibly versatile — you can add it to cakes, melt it into fillings, shape it into candies, truffles, or bake it into cookies. I also use it in my fruitcakes with marzipan, which is always a holiday favorite.
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Why It Happens | Easy Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cake is dense/heavy | Marzipan wasn’t blended well or batter was overmixed. | Mix only until combined; grate marzipan next time for even blending. |
| Cake looks done but center is undercooked | Marzipan makes the batter heavier, causing slow internal baking. | Bake longer at a slightly lower temp; check with a long skewer. |
| Cake browned too quickly | Sugar + marzipan caramelize fast. | Tent loosely with foil halfway through baking. |
| Cake stuck in the bundt pan | Marzipan creates a sticky batter; bundt pan wasn’t coated enough. | Cool 10 minutes, then loosen edges gently. Next time use butter + flour or baking spray with flour. |
| Cake sank after baking | Too much leavening or underbaked center. | Level leavening; extend bake time; test in several spots. |
- Simple Marzipan Recipe | Almond Paste
- Homemade Chocolate Marzipan
- Marzipan Easter Eggs
- Homemade Marzipan Truffles or Chocolate Marzipan Truffles
Frequently asked questions
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.
Marzipan is smoother, sweeter, and blends easily into cake batters — perfect for this recipe. Almond paste has a coarser texture and less sugar, so it doesn’t melt the same way and will change the cake’s structure. Always use real marzipan for the best result.
Not quite. Norwegian marzipan cake is usually a layered sponge with jam and a marzipan covering. This recipe is a marzipan bundt cake, where the marzipan is blended into the batter for a rich, moist, almond-forward crumb. Same flavor profile, totally different style of 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.
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
Marzipan Cake Recipe (Marzipan Bundt Cake)
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
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (190 g) All-Purpose flour you can use gluten-free
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Ground cinnamon or cardamom
- ¼ tsp Nutmeg fresh grated
- 1 tsp Orange zest
- 4 oz (113 g) Marzipan
- ½ cup (113 g) Unsalted butter room temperature
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Cooking oil
- ¾ cup (150 g) Granulated sugar
- 3 large (150 g) Eggs
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp Almond extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) Whole milk
Method
- 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 tbsp of water. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute until smooth.4 oz Marzipan
- Dry ingredients – In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, and orange zest.1½ cups All-Purpose flour, 1 tsp Baking powder, ¼ tsp Salt, ½ tsp Ground cinnamon , ¼ tsp Nutmeg, 1 tsp Orange zest
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, on medium speed, cream the marzipan, butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy.½ cup Unsalted butter, ¼ cup Cooking oil , ¾ cup Granulated sugar
- 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.3 large Eggs, 1 tsp Vanilla extract, ¼ tsp Almond extract
- Finally, add the flour mixture with the milk in three batches alternating between each other. Combine until smooth, but do not overmix.½ cup Whole milk
- 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.
Notes
- Use real marzipan, not almond paste. Marzipan melts into the batter and gives the cake its signature moist, rich texture. Almond paste won’t blend the same way.
- Grate or break the marzipan into small pieces. This helps it blend evenly without clumps and prevents dense pockets in the cake.
- Cream the butter, sugar, and marzipan well. This step aerates the heavy batter and keeps the bundt light instead of stodgy.
- Room-temperature ingredients are essential. Cold eggs or cold marzipan make the batter seize and turn lumpy.
- Grease the bundt pan generously. This cake is naturally sticky because of the marzipan, so use melted butter + flour or a baking spray with flour.
- Bake low and slow. Marzipan cakes brown quickly. If the top is browning too fast, tent it with foil for the last 15–20 minutes.
- Test doneness carefully. The outside sets before the centre because marzipan is dense. Use a long skewer and check multiple spots.
- 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
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
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You don’t explain the oil or when to add it. Does it substitute for half the butter? Half of the milk? It’s just listed in the ingredients without explanation. Likewise, the milk is listed as “if necessary” but you don’t say what makes it necessary. What should the final texture of the batter be?
Hi Charles, thank you for catching that. You’re absolutely right that the wording was confusing. The oil is added with the butter and sugar during the creaming step, and the milk is not optional—it should be added with the flour mixture as directed in Step 6. I’ve updated the recipe to make those instructions clearer. The finished batter should be thick and smooth, similar to a pound cake batter. Thanks again for pointing this out!
Delicious cake! I loved it as is, but my husband wants to try it without the orange zest next time.
I also wanted to comment on how much I LOVE the format of your recipes. It is so much easier to follow along the steps with the ingredient amounts in-line. So much less scrolling back and forth from the ingredient list to the steps to confirm you’re adding the right amounts. I haven’t seen this on any other recipe site, but I wish they all did it!
Thank you so much, Allyson, for the lovely feedback. Your husband sounds like mine! He, too, does not care much for orange flavor in cakes.
How far in advance can you make the cake?
Hey Roya, you can make this cake 3 to 4 days in advance. Just make sure to store it well. You can also freeze it for a longer time.
Hi Veena how much oil do i use.? its not mentioned in the ingredients list
thanks
Hey Carol, I/3 cup or 80 ml cooking oil. Thanks
new at marzipan….do i use paste or dough for cake recipe
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