Maple Cake with Maple Cream Icing!

     Hey all you Maple Lovers out there, here is one sweet cake for you!  My son who is away at college asked for a Maple Cake for his birthday.  He sent me a couple of recipes he liked and we used the best parts of both of them to come up with this moist delicious cake!  

     I was so pleased with the flavor and texture.  It was as light as a mix but completely homemade.  It was uncomplicated and dripping with maple and butter flavor.  I loved that the recipe we choose for the cake part had cinnamon and nutmeg for added flavor too.

 

Maple Cake

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup butter, softened 
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup Maple syrup  (I used grade A dark amber)
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon imitation maple flavoring
1 cup buttermilk (I used 1/4 cup powdered buttermilk plus 1 cup water) 

     Sift first 6 ingredients into a bowl.  Cream butter and sugar until light yellow and creamy.  Add maple syrup and beat until combined.  Add eggs one at a time and beat well each time.  Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately until blended.  Add imitation maple flavoring. 

      Divide batter into 3 prepared 8 inch round pans evenly.  (I weighed mine).  Use this pan release for best results.  Your cakes will come out easily! I used Wilton Bake Strips here around my pans to help them come out with flat tops so you don't have to cut the tops off.  

      Bake 25 min. in a preheated 325 oven.  Cake is done when lightly touched in the center and it springs back.

     Cool for 10 minutes then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Maple Cream Icing

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons Grade A Maple Syrup
1/2 teaspoon imitation Maple Flavoring

Whip cream cheese and butter until combined.  Add powdered sugar one cup at a time on slow speed.  Add flavorings and beat about one minute one medium speed.  Ice top of first layer and then add the next layer.  Repeat.  Ice the sides of the cake and garnish with chocolate sprinkles or curls.  

 


Here is my son enjoying his cake!  (He is so handsome!)

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