• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare the baking pan

• Use two tablespoons of butter to coat the inside of a bundt or tube pan (about -quart capacity) evenly and heavily. Make sure to cover the entire surface. Sprinkle the slivered almonds around the bottom and sides, moving the pan around to encourage the almonds to slide around into bare spots to coat the pan evenly. Set aside.

Make the batter

• Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl of an electric mixer, beat 1 ½ cups of butter until fluffy. With the mixer on low, gradually add the sugar, and continue to beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
• Add one egg at a time, making sure to beat well between each addition (about 30 seconds on medium speed).
• Pour the buttermilk into a one-cup liquid measure. Add the vanilla and almond extract to the milk and stir with a spoon to mix.
• With the mixer on a low speed, add the flour mixture to the batter alternatively with the milk mixture, starting with the flour. Do three additions of flour and two of the milk mixture. Mix to incorporate between each addition by slightly increasing the speed but reducing again before another addition.
• Mix for a final 20 seconds after all the ingredients are added.
• Transfer the batter carefully and evenly into the prepared pan, giving the pan a gentle tap to remove any air bubbles and smooth out the surface with an offset spatula.
• Bake for approximately 1 to 1 ¼ hours. Test the cake and remove it from the oven when the tester comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes before turning it onto a wire cooling rack.