FESTIVE CHERRY ALMOND CAKE

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 mL) red glace or maraschino cherries, quartered
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) ground almonds
2 tsp. (10 mL) baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. (5 mL) almond extract
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
1/3 cup sour cream

Sauce:

1 cup (250 mL) milk
1 cup 10% cream
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
 

• Grease 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan.
• Line bottom with waxed paper and grease again.
• Dry cherries a bit with paper towel.
• On long sheet of waxed paper, combine flour, almonds, baking powder and salt.
• Add cherries and toss until pieces are well coated. Set aside.
• Preheat oven to 325 F (160 C).
• Using an electric mixer or food processor, beat butter, almond extract and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Stir in dry ingredients and cherry mixture in three additions, alternately with sour cream.
• Spread batter into prepared pan.
• Bake about 1-1/2 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Place on wire rack and cool for 10 minutes.
• Turn cake onto rack and cool completely.
• Garnish with icing sugar and cherries on the top.

• In a medium bowl, beat 6 egg yolks with sugar until well blended.
• Use a medium saucepan and heat 1 cup milk and 1 cup cream, without boiling.
• Stir milk mixture gradually into the yolks.
• Return mixture to saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat, without boiling until thickened, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat and stir in 1 Tbsp. butter and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract.
• Cool and serve over cake.