Portuguese Almond Cake

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F.

Step 2: Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Step 3: Set aside.

Step 4: Beat egg, buttermilk and almond extract together until smooth.

Step 5: Stir in melted butter.

Step 6: Add flour mixture and mix with spoon until nearly smooth.

Step 7: Turn into a buttered Pam sprayed 9" springform pan.

Step 8: If your pan is 10 inches will take less time to bake

Step 9: Wrap the springform pan in aluminum foil to prevent the syrup from leaking

Step 10: Bake until center of cake springs back when lightly touched, about 35 minutes.

Step 11: Remove from oven.

Step 12: While is hot

Step 13: Cover top with sliced almonds.

Step 14: Slowly pour Hot Almond Syrup even over, letting syrup soak into cake.

Step 15: Broil about 6" from heat until almonds are lightly toasted.. this takes less than 2 minutes

Step 16: This burns very fast so stay with it turning pan so evenly toasted

Step 17: Cool on rack 15 minutes.

Step 18: Using knife or spatula, loosen sides between pan and cake, then cool completely before releasing springform pan.

Step 19: Meanwhile

Step 20: While cake is baking last 10 minutes

Step 21: Make

Step 22: Hot Almond Syrup:

Step 23: In 1-qt saucepan combine sugar and water.

Step 24: Boil until mixture reaches 220F on candy thermometer.

Step 25: Remove from heat and add almond extract

Step 26: Stir well.