Maple Crunch Layer Cake Food

MAPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan; line with parchment, and butter parchment. Dust with flour, tapping out excess. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, maple syrup, and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition; mix in vanilla.
• Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with 2 batches of sour cream; beat until just combined. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top with an offset spatula. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Turn out cake onto rack to cool completely.
• Make the icing: Combine maple syrup and butter in a bowl. Sift in confectionersâ?? sugar, and whisk until combined. Adjust consistency with more syrup or sugar, if necessary. Spread maple icing over top of cake. Let set, at least 15 minutes, before serving.

MAPLE MOUNTAIN CRUNCH CAKE

Steps:

• Place the bowl and whisk attachment of an electric mixer in freezer until chilled, about 30 minutes.
• Place heavy cream and maple syrup in chilled bowl and attach to electric mixer along with the chilled whisk attachment; beat cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold in crushed puff candy until just combined; do not overmix.
• Place bottom half of cake on a cake plate, cut-side up. Spread enough of the whipped cream mixture over cut side to make a 1-inch-thick filling; top with remaining half of cake, cut-side down.
• Generously frost entire cake with remaining whipped cream mixture. Sprinkle top with crushed maple cookies, allowing some to drop down the sides. Transfer cake to refrigerator; chill until whipped cream is set. Cake is best served the day it is made.

AUTUMN MAPLE PECAN LAYER CAKE WITH PENUCHE FUDGE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Butter 2 8-inch round cake pans, and line them with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add the maple syrup, stirring until smooth. Alternately add the flour and the hot water, a little at a time, stirring gently until combined and smooth. Stir in the chopped walnuts.
• Divide the batter between the two prepared pans, and bake in a 350F degree preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Let the cakes cool in their pans on a rack for 8 to 10 minutes, then carefully unmold them and allow them to cool completely on the rack.
• At this point, you can individually wrap the completely cooled cakes in cling wrap, place in an airtight container, and refrigerate or freeze them until needed. Allow the cakes to defrost completely before filling and frosting them.
• Make the frosting shortly before you want to frost the cake, as it will get harder with time.
• For the frosting/filling, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring all the while; continue to boil and stir for about 1 minute, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thickened (watch carefully). Off the heat, and whisk in the coffee powder, the 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 tablespoons milk, and the maple and vanilla extracts, stirring well to combine. Allow to cool slightly, then gradually add the powdered sugar, beating after each addition, until smooth and glossy and of the desired spreadable consistency; beat in a little milk, a tablespoon at a time, if it gets too thick.
• Place one of the cakes onto a cake plate or pedestal, and spoon some of the frosting/filling over the top, spreading evenly with a flat spatula; sprinkle with chopped pecans. Place the other cake on top and evenly spread the remaining frosting over the top of the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with the pecan halves. Just before serving, you may adorn the plate with autumn leaves as desired.
• This cake is best eaten the day it's frosted.
• Makes about 8-10 slices.