Spanish Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Tarta de Santiago
A moist, fragrant almond cake with Galician roots, scented with lemon and topped with the iconic cross of Saint James in powdered sugar.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Instructions
7 steps- 1
Preheat the oven to 180C (350F) and butter a 23cm round cake tin, lining the base with parchment.
- 2
Whisk the eggs and sugar together until pale and slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.
- 3
Fold in the ground almonds, lemon zest, and cinnamon until just combined into a smooth, thick batter.
- 4
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top.
- 5
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, keeping the cake moist and slightly dense.
- 6
Cool completely in the tin on a rack.
- 7
Place a cross-shaped stencil in the center of the cake and dust generously with icing sugar, then carefully lift the stencil away to reveal the cross pattern of Saint James.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
65/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving345
Calories
11 g
Protein
38 g
Carbs
19 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Tarta de Santiago is the almond cake of Galicia, tied to the pilgrimage city of Santiago de Compostela and dusted with powdered sugar around a stencil of the Cross of Saint James. It's naturally flourless — built almost entirely from ground almonds, eggs, and sugar — which makes it both gluten-free and intensely nutty.
Listahan note
This version leans on lemon and orange zest plus a touch of cinnamon to lift the dense almond crumb, and finishes with the traditional powdered-sugar cross stencil.
Technique cues
- Whisk the eggs and sugar until genuinely pale and thick before folding in the almonds — this is the only lift the flourless cake gets, since there's no leavening.
- Fold the ground almonds in gently and stop as soon as the batter is uniform; overmixing knocks out the air and makes the cake tough.
- Cool the cake completely before stenciling, then dust the powdered sugar heavily so the Cross of Saint James shows up crisply when you lift the cut-out away.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Grease and line the tin and cut out the paper cross before you start mixing, so the batter goes straight into the oven once folded.
- Make-ahead
- The cake keeps beautifully and even improves after a day, so it's an ideal make-ahead dessert.
- Leftover move
- Crumble leftover cake over yogurt or ice cream for a quick almond-crumb topping.
- Cleanup rhythm
- One bowl and a tin — wipe the whisk and bowl while the cake bakes.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Ground almonds
structure and flavor
Purpose: Ground almonds replace flour entirely, giving the cake its dense, moist crumb and pronounced nutty flavor.
Handling: Use finely ground almonds (almond meal) and fold them in gently to keep the batter airy.
Adaptation: Ground hazelnuts can substitute for a different but equally nutty cake.
Eggs
binder and lift
Purpose: Whipped eggs are the only leavening, holding air that keeps the flourless cake from being leaden.
Handling: Whisk with the sugar 3-4 minutes until pale and thick before folding in the almonds.
Adaptation: There is no good substitute; the eggs are structural here.
Granulated sugar
sweetener and aeration
Purpose: Sugar sweetens the cake and helps the eggs hold air when whipped together.
Handling: Whip it fully into the eggs rather than folding it in late.
Adaptation: Caster sugar dissolves a touch faster for an even smoother batter.
Lemon and orange zest
aromatics
Purpose: Citrus zest cuts through the richness of the almonds and brightens an otherwise very dense cake.
Handling: Zest only the colored part, avoiding the bitter white pith.
Adaptation: A teaspoon of almond extract reinforces the nutty note if you want it more pronounced.
Almond extract
flavor intensifier
Purpose: A small amount of almond extract deepens the marzipan-like character of the cake.
Handling: Add sparingly — too much tastes artificial.
Adaptation: Vanilla extract gives a milder, less almond-forward result.
Technique notes
- Don't open the oven early; the egg-leavened cake can sink if the temperature drops mid-bake.
- A skewer should come out clean but the center stays moist — this cake is meant to be dense, not dry.
- Dust the powdered sugar only once the cake is fully cool, or it melts into the warm surface instead of holding the crisp cross pattern.
Ingredient swaps
- Citrus-syrup direction
- Brush the warm cake with a little orange syrup for an even moister, more fragrant crumb.
- Lower-sugar direction
- Reduce the sugar slightly and lean on the citrus zest and almond extract to keep it flavorful.
- Hazelnut variation
- Swap half the ground almonds for ground hazelnuts for a deeper, toastier flavor.
Serve alongside
- Fresh figs or berries
- A spoon of whipped cream
- Sweet sherry
- Orujo or a coffee liqueur
- Espresso
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Store airtight at room temperature up to 4 days; the crumb stays moist and even improves on day two.
- Freezes well up to 2 months, wrapped tightly; dust with fresh powdered sugar after thawing.
- Add the powdered-sugar cross only when serving, since it absorbs into the cake over time.
Equipment
- 9-inch round cake tin
- Parchment paper
- Whisk or electric mixer
- Paper stencil of the Cross of Saint James
Make this household-aware
Listahan Pro checks this recipe against your household's allergens, finds pantry-aware swaps, builds the shopping list, and helps you plan the week around it.
Plan it in Listahan
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