Cherry Marzipan Cake

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

Sauce
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (250 mL) milk
1 cup 10% cream
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Grease an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan. Line bottom with wax paper and grease again. Dry cherries a bit with paper towel.

On long sheet of wax paper, combine flour, almonds, baking powder and salt. Add cherries and toss until pieces are well coated; set aside.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees 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 a wooden pick 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.

Sauce: In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks with sugar until well blended.

In a medium saucepan, heat milk and 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 butter and vanilla extract. Cool and serve over cake.