This would make a really special dessert for a really special person for Valentine's Day! It's fabulous! In addition to toasted almonds on top, you could add some sliced candied cherries. This is not my recipe and I'm sorry I do not know where it came from.

1 cup sugar
1 can (8oz) almond paste, finely crumbled
1/4 cup butter, softened
4 whole eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder

Topping: 1/2 pint heavy cream, chilled
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
Toasted almond slivers - about 1/3 cup
Optional for Valentine's Day - sliced candied cherries

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease and flour a 9" spring form pan

1. In your electric mixer bowl, cream together the sugar, almond paste (which you've crumbled into fine pieces) and softened butter. When it's blended, then beat in the eggs - one at a time - along with the vanilla.
2. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Then sprinkle the flour mixture over the top of the dough in the mixer bowl. Then beat the dough on low speed just until everything is well mixed.
3. Spoon the batter into the prepared 9" spring form pan and place in center of pre-heated oven. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until the cake tests done when a toothpick, inserted off-center in the cake, comes out clean. Remove from oven and put on wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Then run knife aroun edge of cake. Allow to cool thoroughly and then remove from pan.
4. About 1/2 hour before serving, whip the cream with the sugar and extract, using cold mixing bowl and beaters. Toast the almond slivers in a 350 degree oven until lightly browned. Frost the cake with whipped cream, sprinkling the cooled toasted almonds over the top. (Also the candied cherries, if you are using them).