For the cheesecake, mix the eggs in a large bowl with 375 g sugar, vanilla sugar and 1 pinch of salt with the whisks of the mixer for about 12 minutes until thick and creamy. One after the other stir in curd, sour cream and pudding powder.
Put the curd mixture into a well greased fat pan (approx. 32 x 39 cm), sprinkled with breadcrumbs, smooth it down. Bake in a preheated oven (electric cooker: 180 °C/circulating air: 160 °C/gas: see manufacturer) for approx. 40 minutes. Leave to cool in the switched-off oven for approx. 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, place on a rack and allow to cool for at least 3 hours.
For the compote, drain the cherries and collect the juice. Boil up the juice in a pot. Stir the starch with a little water until smooth, bind the juice with it. Stir in the cherries and let it cool down.
For the crumbs, coarsely crumble the pumpernickel. Roast in a hot pan without fat for about 5 minutes. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sugar over it and continue roasting while stirring until the sugar is caramelised. Take out and let it cool down. Serve cake with compote and crumbs. Whipped cream is delicious with it.