1 pkg. yellow cake (NO pudding in mix)
2 pkgs. vanilla pudding, cooking type
1 lb. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 lg. pkg. slied almonds (use only 1/2 pkg.)

Prepare cake mix as directed on package. Cook pudding using only 2 1/2 cups of milk. After pudding comes to a boil, place pan in sink of cold water (may add ice to water) and stir until pudding is completely cooled (pudding will thicken). Slowly add 2 1/2 sticks of butter that has been whipped with mixer. Blend pudding into butter.

Cake is baked in tube pan (round). Slice cake in half with thread when completely cooled. Put butter cream in middle and all over the cake. May be made ahead of cake if desired (almond topping).

TO PREPARE ALMOND TOPPING:

Take 1/2 bag of almonds and place in teflon frying pan. Add approximately 4 tablespoons of butter and about 3/4 cup of sugar and cook over medium heat. Cook slowly until almonds are golden and sugar is dissolved. After almonds have cooled, chop up (I use my food processor to do this - don't make almonds too finely chopped). Cover whole cake with chopped almonds.

Garnish cake with whipped cream rosettes and place maraschino cherry in middle of rosette.