Pilgrim’s almond cake

A moist, aromatic almond cake from Santiago de Compostela, made with just a few humble ingredients and dusted with powdered sugar.

---

Fell in love with this cake when living in Santiago de Compostela (Spain). Not just for its taste, but for what it represents: simplicity done right.

No flour. No added fat. Just ground almonds, eggs, and sugar. The richness comes from the almonds themselves, full of natural oils, flavor, and balance. For anyone avoiding refined carbs, this is a dessert that feels classic and clever at once.

There’s no need to dress it up. A little lemon zest, a dusting of powdered sugar, that’s all it needs. It’s a cake with roots, rhythm, and real intention.

📝 Ingredients (serves 8–10)

• 250 g ground almonds (raw, peeled)

• 5 eggs at room temperature

• 200 g sugar

• Zest of 1 lemon

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Butter at room temperature or olive oil (to grease the pan)

• Powdered sugar (for dusting)

• Sea Shell stencil (optional)

---

---

🍳 Instructions

1. Preheat and prepare the pan

• Preheat your oven to 160°C (340°F).

• Line with Parchment paper or grease and flour a round baking pan.

2. Beat the eggs and sugar

• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until light and slightly frothy — just enough to incorporate air, but don’t overbeat.

• Add the lemon zest and cinnamon, mixing gently.

3. Add the almonds

• Fold in the ground almonds with a spatula until you have a smooth, thick batter.

4. Bake

• Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the surface.

• Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

• Let cool completely in the pan.

5. Decorate

• Once cool, place a Cross of Santiago stencil on the cake.

• Dust generously with powdered sugar, then carefully lift the stencil to reveal the design.

🌿 Kuisit Tip

If you’d like a deeper almond flavor, toast the ground almonds lightly in the oven for 5–8 minutes before using. Just be sure to let them cool before mixing into the batter.