Almond Bundt Cake with Fresh Strawberries

They say this cake is better the next day. Vicky thinks it's better a day before it is supposed to be served. Haha! Just kidding. It was your birthday!! You could have eaten the whole thing and I would have had to say: Happy Birthday, Vicky!!

Cake Dry Ingredients
2 T sliced almonds
1 3/4 cups All-purpose flour (5.75 ounces)
1 cup Whole almonds (5oz)
1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp Salt

Butter Mixture
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or nonhydrogenated margarine, softned
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup Sugar
3 large eggs, at Room temperature
2 tsp Vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Pure almond extract

1 cup Low-fat buttermilk

4 cups Strawberries, halved
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Whipped cream for garnish, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 10-inch (12-cup) bundt (I used an angel food cake pan. A big no-no...How are you supposed to flip the thing out of the pan without it crashing down on the plate???) pan with cooking spray formulated with flour for baking. Sprinkle sliced almonds over bottom of pan. Pulse flour, whole almonds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in food processor or blender until almonds are finely ground. If not, there'll be quite a rough texture in the cake later.

Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer 3 to 4 minutes, or until creamy. Beat in oil. Gradually add sugar, and beat 4 to 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and almond extracts, and beat until blended.
Alternately fold flour mixture and buttermilk into butter mixture with spatula, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 additions of liquid. Spread batter in prepared pan, and bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until top springs back when touched and toothpick insterted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Unmold onto rack, and cool completely.
Toss strawberries with sugar in medium bowl. Chill 1 hour to let strawberries release their juices. Serve cake dusted with confectioners' sugar and topped with strawberries and whipped cream, if desired.

Adapted from Vegetarian Times