Preheat oven to 350 degrees & grease an 8-inch round pan.

• Cream the butter and sugar; add the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture looks light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the room-temperature yogurt and vanilla extract and mix just until smooth and evenly combined.
• Add the dry ingredients, milk, and sliced almonds. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom powder, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients in 3 batches, mixing on low speed after each addition just until the flour disappears. Don’t overmix, or the cake will turn out tough. Pour in the room-temperature milk and mix briefly until the batter is smooth. Finally, add 1/2 cup of sliced almonds and gently fold them in with a spatula until evenly distributed.
• Transfer the batter and bake. Pour the batter into a greased pan and spread it evenly with the back of a spoon or a spatula. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of sliced almonds over the top. Bake for 35 to 37 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.