Maple Walnut Icebox Cake Food

MAPLE-WALNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Make the frosting: Whisk the egg whites and maple sugar in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water) until the mixture is warm and the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan and beat with a mixer on high speed until stiff, shiny peaks form, about 5 minutes. Beat in the butter a few pieces at a time, then continue beating until smooth. (Don't worry if the mixture looks separated at first; keep beating and it will come together.) Beat in the maple extract.
• Assemble the cake: Poke holes all over the tops of the 2 cake layers using a toothpick. Spoon the reserved walnut syrup over the cakes, letting it soak into the holes.
• Coarsely chop the walnuts. Transfer 1 cup frosting to a medium bowl; fold in the chopped nuts. Put 1 cake layer on a platter and spread the walnut frosting on top. Top with the second cake layer. Cover the whole cake with the remaining maple frosting. Decorate with more walnuts.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch-round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper; butter the parchment and dust the pans with flour, tapping out the excess.
• Whisk 3 cups flour, the baking powder and salt in a bowl until combined. Beat 2 sticks butter and the sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to medium; beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. (The mixture may look separated at this point.)
• Mix 1/2 cup water with the cream in a liquid measuring cup or bowl. Beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the cream mixture, beginning and ending with flour, until just smooth.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake until the cakes are lightly golden on top and the centers spring back when pressed, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to racks and let cool 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pans and turn the cakes out onto the racks to cool completely. Remove the parchment. Trim the tops of the cakes with a long serrated knife to make them level, if desired.

MAPLE WALNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 3 greased 9-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease parchment., Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in maple flavoring. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating after each addition., Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 11-13 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., For candied walnuts, in a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat; saute walnuts until toasted, about 5 minutes. Stir in maple syrup and salt; cook and stir 1 minute. Spread onto foil; cool completely., For frosting, beat butter until creamy. Beat in maple flavoring and salt. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and enough cream to reach desired consistency., Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1 cup frosting. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup candied walnuts and drizzle with 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Repeat layers., Top with remaining layer. Frost top and sides of cake. Top with remaining walnuts and syrup.

MAPLE WALNUT LAYER CAKE WITH FLUFFY MAPLE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and lightly flour two 9x2-inch round cake pans, then line the bottoms with waxed paper.
• To make the cake: In a large bowl, sift together the flour and the ginger and set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream the butter and the sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until well combined. Beat in the maple syrup gradually. Add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the water, beating after each addition until smooth. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into center of cake comes out clean.
• Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool completely on wire rack.
• To make the frosting: In the top of a double boiler, combine first five ingredients. Cook over boiling water, beating constantly on the medium-high speed of an electric mixer, until mixture stands in peaks (about 5-7 minutes). Remove the pot from heat. Add the vanilla and the maple extracts and continue beating 1 minute more until thick enough to spread.
• When cake has cooled, ice between the layers. Sprinkle about 1/3 cup chopped walnuts over the frosting. Then ice top and sides of cake, sprinkling the top with the remaining chopped walnuts.

MAPLE WALNUT CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325.
• In a small bowl, add dates and boiling water - set aside and cool to room temperature.
• In a food processor, add he flours, 2/3 cup walnuts, baking soda and salt - process until the walnuts are completely ground. Scoop the mixture out into a medium bowl.
• Add the cooled date and water mixture into the food processor - process until smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice. Add egg, 3/4 cup maple syrup, oil, butter, 2 teaspoons vinegar and vanilla - continue to process until smooth. Pour the date mixture into the dry ingredients; stir just until combined. Scoop the batter into a 10" round springform pan lightly coated with nonstick spray.
• Bake until a toothpick placed in the center comes out mostly clean, with a few moist crumbs attached (about 28 to 35 minutes). Use a thin sharp knife to run around the edges before removing the side of the springform pan. Remove cake from pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make the topping, whisk together 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vinegar and confectioners' sugar until smooth; if the mixture is too thick to spread nicely, add a teaspoon or two of water. Pour the topping onto the cake; use an off-set spatula to spread the mixture over the top of the cake. Scatter the top with the remaining toasted walnuts.

MAPLE-WALNUT CAKE WITH BROWN-SUGAR FROSTING

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat two 9-inch round cake pans (2 inches deep) with cooking spray. Line bottoms with parchment paper; lightly coat parchment with cooking spray. Flour parchment and sides (tapping out excess); set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on high until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on medium-high, add maple syrup in a slow, steady stream. Add flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with milk, beating well after each addition and scraping down bowl as needed. Fold in walnuts.
• Divide batter between pans; firmly tap pans on a flat surface several times to remove air bubbles. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks, 15 minutes, then invert onto racks; peel off parchment. Invert cakes again and let cool completely on racks. With a serrated knife, trim domed top from each cake to make a flat surface.
• Make frosting: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, butter, and brown sugar on high until light and fluffy, 5 minutes. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Assemble cake: Place one layer, top side up, on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread top evenly with 1 1/2 cups frosting. Top with second layer, top side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and around sides of cake.