Maple Pecan Frosting Food

VERMONT MAPLE-PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugars, baking soda and salt. Combine the buttermilk, butter, syrup and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Fold in chopped pecans. , Pour into two 6-in. round baking pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , In a small saucepan, bring corn syrup to a boil. Cook and stir for 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in pecan halves until coated. Place in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. , For frosting, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and syrup until smooth. Beat in confectioners' sugar. Place one cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Top with second layer; frost top and sides of cake. Garnish with glazed pecans. Store in the refrigerator.

MAPLE PECAN FROSTING

Steps:

• Chop up the pecans. You can chop them with a knife or in a food processor. See photos to see what level of choppiness we're talking.
• Set a frying pan over medium heat. Add the pecans and stir occasionally until they start to smell delicious, or until they barely start to brown. Set aside to cool.
• In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter to within an inch of its life. Just kidding, beat it for a couple minutes until it's high and fluffy.
• Add 2 cups of powdered sugar and maple syrup. Beat well.
• Add 1 cup powdered sugar, maple extract, and salt. Beat well.
• Add the chopped pecans when they are completely cooled and beat it. Try not to eat it all with a spoon.

MAPLE-PECAN SCONES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt.
• Cut the cold butter into small pieces. Cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles crumbs.
• Now finely chop the pecans and stir them into the flour mixture. Mix the egg and cream together. Add the mixture to the bowl and stir until just combined.
• Turn the mixture onto a cutting board. The dough will be very crumbly, but do not let your heart be troubled. With your hands, push the mixture together into a large ball. Do not knead or press too much; you want to leave that gluten alone!
• With a rolling pin, very gently roll out the dough into a 10-inch round, about 3/4 inch thick. With a sharp knife, cut the round into 8 equal-size wedges.
• Transfer the wedges to a baking sheet lined with a Silpat baking mat. (Or just spray the pan with cooking spray; either one will work!) Bake the scones for 22 to 26 minutes, until they're just barely starting to brown. Do not allow the edges to become dark or the Red Coats will come and get you. Allow the scones to cool completely before icing.
• In a medium mixing bowl, stir the icing ingredients until smooth. Pour generously over the scones and sprinkle with pecans. Allow the icing to set before serving.

MAPLE-PECAN CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Generously grease and lightly flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan, or spray with baking spray with flour. In large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.
• Bake 47 to 53 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
• In large bowl, beat powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, the cream cheese and 3 tablespoons of the syrup with electric mixer on low speed. Beat in enough of the remaining syrup to make a smooth, soft frosting that will flow down side of cake. Spread frosting over cake. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

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.

MAPLE-PECAN MINI POUND CAKES WITH MAPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a mini Bundt® pan.
• Whisk together 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour, salt, baking soda, and nutmeg in a small bowl.
• Mix together butter, maple syrup, and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Mixture will look curdled; this is normal. Add in eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and maple extracts. Add in half of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Pour in buttermilk and mix until combined. Add in remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined. Batter will be thin. Stir in pecans. Divide batter evenly amongst the cavities of the prepared pan.
• Place pan into the preheated oven and bake until the bottom of the cakes spring back lightly when touched, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool cakes in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make the frosting: mix cream cheese and butter together with an electric mixer until smooth. Add in powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, maple extract, and salt; beat until mixture is completely smooth. Pour in heavy cream and mix until well incorporated. Frost mini cakes as desired, and sprinkle additional chopped pecans on top.