1-Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F and position the rack in the middle. Line the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and grease the pan.

2-Crumble almond paste: Crumble the almond paste into a food processor bowl and add ½ cup granulated sugar, then pulse until finely ground.

3-Add butter: Add the softened unsalted butter and process until smooth.

4-Incorporate eggs and extract: Incorporate 3 large eggs and ½ teaspoon almond extract, processing until combined while scraping down the bowl as needed.

5-Add dry ingredients: Sprinkle in ½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt, then process until the batter is blended.

6-Pour batter: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and tap to remove air bubbles.

7-Top with almonds and sugar: Evenly top the batter with ½ cup sliced almonds and 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar, layering half the almonds and sugar first, followed by the rest.

8-Bake the cake: Bake for 23-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

9-Cool and finish: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then remove it and cool completely on a wire rack. Press any fallen almonds back onto the top. If desired, dust with powdered sugar or serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.