Preheat oven to 325 Arrange oven rack to the center of the oven. Thoroughly grease and lightly flour a 6 cup loaf pan with butter. 

To make the cake, combine the butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy crumbs form. Add the eggs and almond extract and beat until smooth. Add the milk and beat on low speed to combine. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat until just combined. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45- 55 minutes, or until golden on top and light brown on the edges. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.  Then place the cooling rack on top of the cake, hold the sides firmly, and invert the pan over the rack. The cake should drop smoothly out of the pan. Tap firmly on the pan with a wooden spoon, if necessary, to free the cake from the pan. Let the cake cool complete before slicing. 

If you’d like to make the glaze, melt the butter in a small glass bowl in the microwave, about 15 seconds. Add the powdered sugar, milk and almond extract. Whisk together until smooth. The glaze should pour off the spoon in a white stream. Add 1 teaspoon more of milk to thin it or 1 or 2 tablespoons more of powdere