Apricot-Almond Coffee Cake

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp. almond extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup sliced almonds
1 (10 oz.) jar apricot preserves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugar until very fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, well.  Fold in sour cream and almond extract.  Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and fold in also.  Place about 1/3 of mixture in a greased and floured bundt pan.  Sprinkle ½ the almonds and ½ the apricot preserves over batter.  Spoon on rest of batter.  Add the remaining preserves and top with remaining almonds.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until done.  Cool on rack.  Serves 14.

Note: May be varied by substituting vanilla for the almond extract and a mixture of ½ cup chopped pecans, 3 T. brown sugar and 2 tsp. ground cinnamon for the almonds and apricot preserves.