Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C), and grease and flour a 10x15 inch sheet pan.
Stir together the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.
Place 1 cup butter with the water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat, and set aside to cool.
Beat eggs in a separate mixing bowl, and stir in the sugar, buttermilk, boiled butter mixture, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined.
Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture, and stir until the batter is well mixed. Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let the cake cool before icing.
To make icing, place 1/2 cup of butter and the milk into a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat, and beat in the confectioners' sugar, chopped pecans, and vanilla extract. Ice the cooled cake with the warm frosting.
