Can I make a Norwegian Kransekake "nut free"?

Question

I wanted to make this tower cake for my 5th grade son's immigration fair but I am horrified that a key ingredient is almonds. They have a nut-free classroom. The recipe calls for

2 cups of butter, 1 cup of almond paste, 2 cups of sifted confectionary sugar, 1 teaspoon of almond extract, 4 egg yolks, and 5 cups of sifted flour. The dough is pressed into ring forms that are baked and stacked and decorated to make a tower.

Answer 1

No. The nuts in a Norwegian Kransekake is what gives the Kransekake such a rich, deep ethnic flavor. It would be like making chili with no tomatoes or beans. Good luck!

Answer 2

you would have to leave out the paste and extract too.  not to sure how it would taste.1 cup of paste is an awful lot to leave out.