Cardamom Cake

This is an amazing recipe.  The cake has cardamom seeds running through it, which is heavenly if you love cardamom as much as I do.  Serve plain, or drizzled with Royal Rose Rose Syrup.  Excellent with tea or coffee.

Cardamom Cake (recipe from My Bombay Kitchen by Niloufer Ichaporia King)
2-3 tablespoons sugar, for the pan
sliced unblanched almonds, for topping (optional)
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 sticks unsalted butter
1 tablespoon cardamom seeds (shelled from their green pods and bruised in a mortar & pestle)
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 9-inch diameter springform pan and sprinkle in sugar to coat.  Tap out excess sugar.  Add a thin layer of almonds, if desired.

Beat the eggs and sugar until pale yellow and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes with a handheld mixer. Melt the butter in a small saucepan.  Quickly fold the flour and salt into the egg and sugar mixture, followed by the butter and the cardamom.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is dry and brown. A knife inserted should come out completely dry.  Let cool 5 minutes, then invert onto a rack to cool.