Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and 1 teaspoon cardamom. Butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
   
2. Blend the almond paste, sugar, butter, almond extract, and vanilla in a food processor until light and fluffy. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl between each and allowing the eggs to incorporate before adding the next. Add the flour and pulse several times until just combined.
   
4. Fill the pan with batter, smooth the top. Prep and add the pears, so they are poking up above the batter, securing with a skewer, so they don’t slump under the batter. Bake for about 50-55 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
   
5. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, run a knife around the outside edge and remove from pan, set on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Then remove cake from the base of the tube pan.
   
6. Meanwhile, stir together the powdered sugar, peach schnapps, and 1 teaspoon cardamom, adding the cream a bit at a time until the mixture is thin enough to pour over the cake, but thick enough to cling. Pour over the cake and around the pears. Serve cake with a dollop of whipped cream.