Maple Gingerbread Layer Cake With Salted Maple Caramel Sauce Food

MAPLE-GINGERBREAD LAYER CAKE WITH SALTED MAPLE-CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• For maple-coated pecans:
• Place large piece of foil on work surface. Combine nuts and maple syrup in heavy medium skillet (do not use nonstick) over medium-high heat and bring to boil, tossing to coat. Cook until syrup is dark amber and almost cooked away and thickly coats nuts, tossing often, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. Scrape nuts onto foil. Working quickly with 2 forks, separate nuts. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Cool until coating is crisp and hard, about 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Pecans can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
• For cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Combine first 4 ingredients in processor; add ginger. Blend until ginger is finely ground, about 1 minute. Using mixer, beat maple sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time (batter may look curdled). Stir 3/4 cup hot water and molasses in small bowl. Beat dry ingredients into butter mixture in 4 additions alternately with molasses mixture in 3 additions.
• Divide batter between prepared pans (about 21/2 cups each). Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 32 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks.
• For frosting:
• Combine crème fraîche, cream, and both sugars in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until very thick and stiff.
• Cut around pan sides to loosen cake layers; turn out onto racks. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 1 1/3 cups frosting. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons caramel sauce. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining frosting smoothly over top and sides of cake. Drizzle top of cake with 3 tablespoons sauce. Cover with cake dome; chill at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead; keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.
• Cut pecans into pieces or leave whole. Press pecans into frosting on sides of cake. Cut cake into wedges. Spoon sauce over.

MAPLE GINGER CAKE WITH GANACHE DRIP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and lightly flour three 8-inch round cake pans.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground ginger and salt in medium bowl.
• Mix together the buttermilk, maple syrup and vanilla in a small bowl.
• Beat the butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the grated ginger and then the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Gradually add the dry and wet ingredients, alternating, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to over mix.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes.
• Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 to 15 minutes, and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.
• For the maple buttercream: Beat the butter and confectioners' sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until combined. Add the maple syrup and beat until smooth.
• To assemble: Place one cake onto a serving plate or cake stand and fill the center with 1/2 cup of the cherry jam. Add the buttercream to a pastry bag or re-sealable bag with the corner snipped off and pipe it around outside of the jam to seal the jam in the center of the cake. Top with another cake and the remaining 1/2 cup cherry jam and pipe to seal. Top with the last cake. Crumb coat and frost the cake with the remaining frosting. Refrigerate until the frosting is set, about 20 minutes.
• Put the ganache into a squeeze bottle and drip it down the edge of the cake. Squeeze a small amount on top of the cake and spread to cover (or leave the top uncovered). Stick chocolate shards into the top of the cake and scatter chocolate malt balls about the top. Sprinkle with edible glitter.
• Place the chips into a heat resistant bowl (glass or metal).
• Warm the heavy whipping cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it just starts to boil. I always look for small bubbles forming around the edge and a soft boil starting in the middle. When you see that it's just starting to boil, pour it into your bowl of chips and let sit for 1 minute. Then whisk it together until it's uniform in consistency and there are no bits of chips left on your whisk. Cool the ganache at room temperature for about 30 minutes (or until the ganache itself is room temperature).

MAPLE-GINGERBREAD LAYER CAKE WITH SALTED MAPLE CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Maple-Coated Pecans: Place large piece of foil on work surface. Combine nuts and maple syrup in heavy medium skillet (do not use nonstick) over medium-high heat and bring to boil, tossing to coat. Cook until syrup is dark amber and almost cooked away and thickly coats nuts, tossing often, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes. Scrape nuts onto foil. Working quickly with 2 forks, separate nuts. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Cool until coating is crisp and hard, about 1 hour. (DO AHEAD Pecans can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.).
• Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Combine first 4 ingredients in processor; add ginger. Blend until ginger is finely ground, about 1 minute. Using mixer, beat maple sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time (batter may look curdled). Stir 3/4 cup hot water and molasses in small bowl. Beat dry ingredients into butter mixture in 4 additions alternately with molasses mixture in 3 additions.
• Divide batter between prepared pans (about 2 1/2 cups each). Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 30 to 32 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks.
• Frosting: Combine crème fraîche, cream, and both sugars in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until very thick and stiff.
• Cut around pan sides to loosen cake layers; turn out onto racks. Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 1 1/3 cups frosting. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons caramel sauce. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining frosting smoothly over top and sides of cake. Drizzle top of cake with 3 tablespoons sauce. Cover with cake dome; chill at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead; keep chilled. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before continuing.
• Cut pecans into pieces or leave whole. Press pecans into frosting on sides of cake. Cut cake into wedges. Spoon sauce over.
• To make Maple Caramel Sauce: Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar. Whisk until sugar melts and mixture is thick and boiling, 2 to 3 minutes. Gradually whisk in cream. Bring sauce to boil, whisking often. Boil until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon and is reduced to 1 cup, whisking often, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in coarse salt and extract. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 week ahead. Cool, cover, and chill.