Slice-of-Life Cake

Step 1 -Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2 -Grease a 10-inch fluted tube pan.

Step 3 -In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, add 3/4 cup of the butter and the granulated sugar and beat until well-combined.

Step 4 -One at a time, add the eggs to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition.

Step 5 -Add the sour cream, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon of the almond extract and beat until well-combined.

Step 6 -In a medium bowl, add the flour, the cocoa, the baking soda, and the salt and whisk to combine.

Step 7 -Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk to the sour cream mixture, alternating between the two and beating well after each addition.

Step 8 -Evenly transfer the cake batter into the prepared fluted tube pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 50-55 minutes.

Step 9 -Transfer the cake from the oven to a wire rack and let it cool, about 10 minutes.

Step 10 -After the cake has cooled slightly, transfer the cake from the fluted tube pan directly to the wire rack and allow it cool completely, about 2-3 hours.

Step 11 -In a large bowl with an electric hand mixer, add the remaining butter, the confectioners' sugar, the remaining vanilla extract, and the remaining almond extract and beat until smooth.

Step 12 -Add 3 tablespoons of the whole milk to the butter mixture, a little at a time, until the frosting has reached a spreadable consistency. Add more of the milk as needed until you reach the desired consistency.

Step 13 -Evenly spread the frosting on the top of the cake and sprinkle it with the toasted almonds.

Step 14 -With a sharp knife, cut the cake into serving-size pieces and serve.