Refrigerator Christmas Cake

I'm mentioned before on here the "Mushy Cookie Pudding," the concoction my family has loved for years of pudding and vanilla wafers. My Grandma Curtin used to do a version of it. I found this similar recipe in the Christmas Favorites book and while it is definitely a defibrillator recipe, it looks good.

2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1 quart milk
2 eggs separated
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup chopped maraschino cherries
1/3 cup maraschino juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 dozen vanilla wafers

Soften gelatin in 1/2 cup milk.
Scald remaining milk and pour onto beaten egg yolks.
Add sugar, salt and softened gelatin; return to double boiler; cook until mixture coats a spoon. Cool.
Add cherries, juice and vanilla. Chill until mixture begins to thicken.
Fold in beaten egg whites and half the cream, whipped.
Butter a cake pan and arrange vanilla wafers around it.
Pour in filling and cover top with remaining vanilla wafers.
Chill overnight.
Unmold and frost sides and top of cake with remaining cream,. whipped.

In my version I leave it in the pretty glass bread pan I have, instead of frosting it like a sandwich loaf. I'll bet this is tasty, though.

Anyone making a fancy cake or bread for Christmas or another holiday? I have to bring something vintage to the family Christmas celebration because all my family warily asked if I was going to. I'd hate to disappoint them...