Blackberry Almond Cake

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Butter the sides and bottoms of 2 8-inch round pans; line the sides and bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the paper.

Sift the flour and salt into a small bowl, and set aside. In a mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter and sugar at high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the almond paste, a little at a time at medium speed, and beat 8 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, then the almond extract and lemon zest. Mix the sour cream and baking soda together, and add to the butter mixture. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture, just until blended.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, and smooth the tops. Arrange the blackberries on the tops of the cakes, then sprinkle each cake with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the tops of the cakes are golden and spring back when you touch them with your finger. If the tops are browning too much before the centers set, tent the pans loosely with foil. Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack.