1. Prepare Egg Whites:

• Separate your eggs, placing ¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons of egg whites into the clean, grease-free bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. (Save yolks for another use).
• Let the egg whites sit at room temperature if they were cold.
• Beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form (the peaks stand straight up when the whisk is lifted). This may take a minute or two.  
• Gently transfer the whipped egg whites to another bowl and place them in the refrigerator until needed later.

2. Prepare Oven and Pans:

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175°C).  
• Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. Lining the bottoms with parchment paper is also recommended.

3. Cream Butter and Sugar:

• Place the 1 cup of room temperature salted butter in the now-empty mixer bowl (no need to wash if only egg whites were in it). Fit the paddle attachment.
• Cream the butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes until it is lighter in color and creamy.
• Add the 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar to the butter and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about another 1-2 minutes). Scrape down the bowl.

4. Combine Dry and Wet Cake Ingredients:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the 3 cups cake flour, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 tsp baking powder. Set aside.
• In another small bowl or measuring cup, combine the 1 cup milk and 1 tsp almond extract.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture alternately with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients (Dry-Milk-Dry-Milk-Dry). Mix only until just combined after each addition.

5. Fold in Egg Whites:

• Remove the bowl from the mixer. Add the stiffly beaten egg whites to the cake batter.
• Gently fold the egg whites into the batter using a large rubber spatula, cutting down through the middle and bringing batter up from the bottom, until just combined and no large streaks of egg white remain. Do not overmix, as this will deflate the batter.

6. Bake the Cakes:

• Pour the cake batter equally into the two prepared cake pans. Smooth the tops gently.
• Bake for 25-27 minutes, or until the top bounces back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cakes to cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.
• Loosen the edges with a thin knife and carefully invert the cakes onto the wire racks. Remove parchment paper and allow them to cool completely.

7. Make the Frosting (Cooked Flour Paste):

• While the cakes cool, prepare the frosting base. In a medium saucepan, whisk the 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour into the 2 cups of milk until completely smooth with no lumps.
• Place the saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens considerably, resembling mashed potatoes or thick pudding. Keep stirring and scraping the bottom to prevent scorching. Lower the heat if needed. This step takes time, about 12-15 minutes.
• Remove the thickened paste from the heat. Cool Completely: Transfer the paste to a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Cool completely to room temperature. To speed this up, set the bowl in an ice bath for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, then let finish cooling at room temp. The paste MUST be fully cooled before combining with the butter.
• Once cool, stir in the 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract.

8. Finish the Frosting:

• Optional Sugar Prep: If desired, process the 2 cups granulated sugar in a food processor for a minute to make the granules finer (helps dissolve better).
• In the clean bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the 2 cups of softened salted butter and the processed granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until very light and fluffy (at least 5 minutes). Scrape the bowl well. Ensure the sugar feels dissolved and not grainy.
• Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the completely cooled flour/milk/almond paste to the creamed butter/sugar mixture, a spoonful at a time.
• Once all the paste is added, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until everything combines and looks like light, fluffy whipped cream. This final whipping incorporates air and creates the silky texture, taking about 3-5 minutes. Keep scraping the sides of the bowl.
• Check consistency. If it seems too stiff, beat in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time (unlikely to be needed unless butter was cold).

9. Assemble and Decorate:

• Ensure cake layers are completely cool. If desired, level the tops.
• Place one cake layer on your cake plate. Spread a generous layer of the ermine frosting on top.
• Place the second cake layer on top (inverted for a flat top is good).
• Use the remainder of the frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake smoothly or decoratively.
• Decorate the sides and top with sliced and/or whole almonds as desired.

10. Chill (Optional but Recommended):

• Chill the cake briefly (30 minutes) to help the frosting set before slicing. Serve closer to room temperature