Maple-Walnut Cake with Brown-Sugar Frosting
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- Prep Time 45 minutes
- Total Time 1 1/4 hours, plus cooling
- Yield Serves 10
Ingredients
For the Cake
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 cup chopped walnut halves, toasted
For the Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions
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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.
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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 two additions, alternating with milk, beating well after each addition and scraping down bowl as needed. Fold in walnuts.
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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.
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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.
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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.
Cook's Note
1. Try This: Use walnut halves to create a decorative trim on the top of the cake.
2. Refrigerate frosted cake in an airtight container, up to 1 day. Let cake sit at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.
3. Grade A maple syrup is lighter in flavor than darker, more robust Grade B; both will work in this recipe.
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I made this cake for Thanksgiving. Everyone loved the icing, but the cake was very dry and very dense. I threw the cake out. I felt very bad because the maple syrup cost $9.00! I love maple flavor and was looking forward to adding this recipe to my recipe box, not the trash.
I made this recipe 2x's and had the same problem each time. The first time the center of the cake would not get done. I ended up throwing that cake out. I thought my oven temp was off, so bought a thermometer. Next time, adjusted oven temp slightly and had same problem, I turned on convection feature after 35 minutes. Same problem again. Outside of cake dry, middle okay. Great flavor, but something in recipe is off.
cant wait to make this!!