Cake Day

MAPLE LAYER CAKE

Listening to: Holly Golightly- "Laugh It Up" album

Ok, YES, I’ve realized that almost everybody around me is currently “on a diet”, cake being  the last thing they need to be tempted by, left feeling pounds heavier with guilt. I was one of these people…

HOWEVER, I’ve decided that if I keep up my healthy eating habits all week long, I damn well deserve a piece of cake at the end! The trick is not eating too much of it. But if you share the love, you’ll be ok! 

This cake I found on bluebird blog and had no choice but to make it myself when the author mentioned how good her house smelt when she made it. I sat there dreaming of a sweet maple scent wafting through my house with the wood burning stove warming me all the way through, looking out the window at the snow and grey sky. Well, she was right. The smell this baking cake creates is something you can’t even begin to appreciate until you try it yourself. 

The recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart. I however used almond milk instead of regular, and found a cream cheese frosting recipe to use instead of the one it called for. I thought there was just TOOO much butter and maple happening in the recipe Martha called for. Honestly, my frosting choice wasn’t a perfect fit either. The cake was UNBELIEVABLE! The frosting…Hm…I would search for something else.

Ingredients

• I stick unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups pure maple syrup, preferably grade A dark amber
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups chopped (6 ounces) walnuts

Directions

  

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9-by-2-inch round cake pans, and dust with flour. Tap out any excess flour, and set pans aside. 

2. Beat the butter in a bowl until creamy. Add the maple syrup. Add the eggs, and beat until combined. 

3. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and ginger. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and beat to combine. Beat in the milk and vanilla extract until combined. Stir in 3/4 cup chopped walnuts.

 4. Divide batter between the two prepared pans. Bake until golden, about 40 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool

5. Turn out cakes, and place one, top-side up, on a cake stand or platter. Spread 1 1/2 cups maple buttercream frosting evenly over the top. Place the second cake layer on top, and spread the remaining 2 1/2 cups frosting around the sides and over the top. Using your hands, gently press the remaining 3/4 cup walnuts onto the sides of the cake.

Serve and enjoy!!

(I think my new apron was also partly responsible for my unshakable urge to bake a cake.)