Easy 3-Ingredient Italian Walnut Cake | Gluten-Free & Flourless

This traditional Calabrian Italian walnut cake (Torta di Noci) is a flourless, gluten-free dessert made with just 3 ingredients: walnuts, sugar, and eggs. You can also add a touch of lemon or orange zest for extra flavour.

Light yet rich, this easy walnut cake is best made a day in advance, allowing the flavours to deepen. It’s perfect for special occasions, especially for gluten-free guests, and pairs beautifully with berries and ice cream. Or enjoy it Italian-style with a cup of coffee for breakfast!

Takes = 15 minutes
Bakes = 50 minutes
Make = 8-10 serves (20cm round springform cake tin)

Ingredients

• Toasted walnuts, ground – 300g (about 3 & 1/2 cups)
• White sugar, or caster – 200g (2/3 cup)
• Eggs, large – 3 (separated)
• Lemon or orange zest – 1 tablespoon
• Powdered/icing sugar to serve
• Berries to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170˚C fan and lightly toast the walnuts for 10 minutes on a baking tray. Cool the walnuts for about 20 minutes.
2. Grind the walnuts into a course meal in a food processor or similar.
3. Prepare a 20cm cake tin grease and paper lined on the base.
4. Separate the eggs. Beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and creamy.
5. Add in the zest and walnut meal and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon to combine.
6. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until they form a stiff peak.
7. Fold the egg whites into the cake mixture until well combined.
8. Pour into your prepared cake tin. Place the tin on a tray and bake in the lower third of your oven for about 40-50 minutes.
9. Let the cake completely cool in the cake tin before removing it. After ten minutes I loosed the sides of the cake with a plastic knife or spatula so I can ensure it will come out. Once cool. Wrap and cover. Then serve the next day.
10. Dust with a sprinkling of icing/powdered sugar and serve with berries, and cream or ice cream. As the Italians do this cake is perfect for breakfast the next day!