Gató de Almendra: The Mallorcan Almond Cake to Bake at Home

A Piece of Mallorca on Your Plate

Sometimes all it takes is a small cake to instantly bring the island to mind: the scent of lemon, roasted almonds, the soft clatter of espresso cups in a café corner of Santa Catalina. The Gató de Almendra is one of those classics. No fuss, just an honest almond cake that brings a lot of atmosphere to the table with only a few ingredients.

Why it's loved on the island

The secret is simple: no flour, instead finely ground almonds. That makes the cake moist, nutty and — practically naturally — gluten-free. A splash of amaretto or a little lemon zest gives it a personal touch. In summer, a piece of this alongside a strong espresso or a glass of sweet Moscatel is especially delightful.

Ingredients for a 24 cm springform pan

250 g ground almonds (with skin), 250 g sugar, 6 eggs (separated), 1 tsp cinnamon, zest of one organic lemon or orange, a pinch of salt, butter for the pan. Optional: a dash of amaretto or almond liqueur.

How to bake it

Preheat the oven to 170 °C (340 °F) conventional / 160 °C (320 °F) fan. Grease the springform pan and lightly sprinkle the base with ground almonds — it sticks better than flour.

Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until very frothy and the mixture lightens in color. Fold in the almonds, cinnamon, lemon zest and optionally the liqueur. Whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until glossy stiff peaks form.

Gently fold the meringue into the almond mixture in portions — don't stir, but use lifting motions so the air is retained. Pour into the prepared pan and bake on the middle rack for about 35–45 minutes. The toothpick test will tell you when it's done: if no batter sticks to the skewer, it's ready.

Serving and little island tricks

Let cool briefly, release from the pan and dust with powdered sugar. It tastes best warm, especially with a scoop of Helado de almendra fácil or a strong espresso from Palma. For extra aroma, toast 30 g of almonds briefly and sprinkle them coarsely chopped over the cake.

A few practical tips from the island kitchen: take the eggs out of the fridge half an hour beforehand — this gives the egg whites more volume. Place the springform on the middle rack and avoid opening the door too often — the heat doesn't like surprises.

Storage

Well covered, the Gató stays moist for 2–3 days. At room temperature it remains soft and aromatic; in the fridge it becomes a bit firmer. So: bake in the morning, invite guests in the afternoon and take the scent of lemon and almonds with you on a stroll through the Sábado en Palma: un paseo entre el calor del horno y el brillo del azúcar — you often catch that smell just when someone is pulling this cake out of the oven.

Give it a try. A small cake, a slice of Mallorca — that's all it takes to pause for a moment and hear the island's sounds: the hum of cicadas, the clink of cups, maybe a gentle sea breeze.