Easy Sheet Pan French Almond Cakes (Financiers) are rich, buttery cakes with a soft, slightly dense texture. Traditionally made in small rectangular molds, my version uses a sheet pan for a simpler, more convenient bake without changing the classic flavor or texture.
French Almond Cakes (Financiers) have been a beloved French pastry since the 19th century, known for their rich almond flavor and buttery texture.
Originally baked in small molds, they quickly became a favorite in French bakeries and remain popular even today.
This sheet pan version lets you enjoy these timeless cakes at home without needing molds, while still preserving that classic flavor and texture.
Visual Instructions
These visual instructions help you see the process. You can also find the full printable recipe with instructions and ingredients at the end of the post.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Continue cooking until golden brown and nutty-smelling, about 5-8 minutes. Let cool for 15-20 minutes
- French Almond Cakes (Financiers) traditionally use browned butter for a rich, nutty flavor, but you can opt for just melted butter instead.
- Dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, powdered sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy (no need to whip to peaks).
- Add the frothy egg whites to the pot with the cooled butter and stir to combine.
- Then add this mixture to the dry ingredients
- Fold gently until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly using an offset spatula or by gently tilting the pan to level it out
- Optional: Dollop small spoonfuls of jam (about 1 teaspoon each) across the surface.
- Use a toothpick or knife to swirl the jam into the batter.
- If using, sprinkle flaked almonds over the batter.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- If you prefer a deeper golden color, you can bake for an additional 3–5 minutes, checking every 1–2 minutes after the initial baking time to ensure they don't over-bake.
Cool and Slice: Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before lifting the parchment and transferring to a wire rack. Slice into squares or rectangles for serving.
👩🍳 Tips
This recipe is all about simplicity, but a few key tips can ensure they turn out perfectly every time.
Brown Butter
French Almond Cakes (Financiers) traditionally use browned butter for a rich, nutty flavor, but you can substitute melted butter instead. Browning takes 5–8 minutes, while melting takes 2–3 minutes. Don’t strain the butter—keep and include the dark bits, as they’re packed with flavor.
Baking pan size and alternatives
I used an 11.5 x 8-inch (29 x 20 cm) pan, which gives the cakes a thickness of about ½ inch (12 mm). It took 15-18 minutes to bake.
If you don’t have this exact pan, here are some alternatives and their estimated baking times:
- 9x9-inch (23 x 23 cm) square pan: The cakes will be slightly thicker, around ⅝ inch (15 mm). Bake for 18-20 minutes.
- 8x10-inch (20 x 25 cm) rectangular pan: This gives a similar thickness to mine, about ½ inch (12 mm). Bake for 15-18 minutes.
- 9x13-inch (23 x 33 cm) pan: The cakes will be thinner, around ⅜ inch (10 mm). Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Egg whites and leftover yolks
This recipe uses 4 egg whites for lightness, but save the yolks for my other easy recipes:
- French Butter Cookies
- French Salted Savory Cookies
- French Honey Butter Cookies
- Chocolate Caramel Butter Cookies
- If you're not baking right away, store leftover yolks by covering them with 1-2 tablespoons of water in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Use within 1-2 days, and drain the water before using.
- You can also freeze yolks by lightly beating them, adding a pinch of salt or sugar, and storing them in an airtight container or ice cube tray. Use within 3-4 months, and thaw in the fridge overnight.
Recipe
Sheet Pan French Almond Cakes (Financiers)
- ½ cup (115 g) butter, melted and cooled (see note 1)
- 1 cup (100 g) almond flour
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, sifted (icing sugar)
- ⅓ cup (40 g) all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- ½ teaspoon salt (use ¼ teaspoon if using salted butter)
- 4 large egg whites (see note 2)
Optional
- Flaked almonds to top before baking
- Jam to swirl into batter before baking
Melt the butter
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Continue cooking until golden brown and nutty-smelling, about 5-8 minutes. Let cool for 15-20 minutes
- Don’t strain the butter, keep and include the dark bits, as they’re packed with flavor.
- Preheat the oven: Once the butter has cooled, Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C (160°C fan-forced)
- Grease and line an 11.5 x 8-inch (29 x 20 cm) baking pan with parchment paper (baking paper) extending over the edges. (See note 3 for alternative pan sizes.)
- Dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, powdered sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt.
- Egg whites: In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy (no need to whip to peaks).
- Combine: Add the frothy egg whites to the cooled butter and stir to combine. Then add this mixture to the dry ingredients and fold gently until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly using an offset spatula or by gently tilting the pan to level it out
- Optional: Dollop small spoonfuls of jam (about 1 teaspoon each) across the surface. Use a toothpick or knife to swirl the jam into the batter.
- Bake for 15–18 minutes or until golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- If you prefer a deeper golden color, you can bake for an additional 3–5 minutes, checking every 1–2 minutes after the initial baking time to ensure they don't over-bake
- Cool and Slice: Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before lifting with the parchment paper and transferring to a wire rack. Slice into squares or rectangles for serving.
Storage tips
- These French almond cakes are best enjoyed fresh for their soft and tender texture, but you can store leftovers as follows:
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The cakes will remain tender but may lose a bit of their freshness over time
- Refrigeration: Keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature or warm slightly before serving to improve the texture
- Freezing: Wrap each cake tightly in plastic wrap or store in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for the best results.
2. This recipe uses 4 egg whites for lightness, but save the yolks for my other easy recipes:
- French Butter Cookies
- French Salted Savory Cookies
- French Honey Butter Cookies
- Chocolate Caramel Butter Cookies
- If you're not baking right away, store leftover yolks by covering them with 1-2 tablespoons of water in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Use within 1-2 days, and drain the water before using.
- You can also freeze yolks by lightly beating them, adding a pinch of salt or sugar, and storing them in an airtight container or ice cube tray. Use within 3-4 months, and thaw in the fridge overnight.
3. Baking pan: I used an 11.5 x 8-inch (29 x 20 cm) pan, which gives the cakes a thickness of about ½ inch (12 mm). It took 15-18 minutes to bake. If you don’t have this exact pan, here are some alternatives and their estimated baking times:
- 9x9-inch (23 x 23 cm) square pan: The cakes will be slightly thicker, around ⅝ inch (15 mm). Bake for 18-20 minutes.
- 8x10-inch (20 x 25 cm) rectangular pan: This gives a similar thickness to mine, about ½ inch (12 mm). Bake for 15-18 minutes.
- 9x13-inch (23 x 33 cm) pan: The cakes will be thinner, around ⅜ inch (10 mm). Bake for 12-15 minutes.
These Sheet Pan French Almond Cakes (Financiers) don’t rise much due to the lack of leavening agents.
- They achieve a small lift from the whipped egg whites, but they remain flat with a soft, slightly dense texture that's characteristic of this treat.
- Baked in a sheet pan, they stay uniform, making them easy to slice into neat squares or rectangles.
Scroll Up for the STEP by STEP Photos Don’t miss the process shots in the post above. Simply scroll up the post to find them. Those were created especially for you so that you can make the recipe perfectly every single time you try it.
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