This easy and delicious maple cake recipe is made from scratch and perfect for any occasion. It’s full of warm flavor and topped with crunchy pecans and a sweet maple cream cheese frosting.
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Maple syrup cake is totally homemade but surprisingly simple to make. Every bite is full of sweet, comforting flavor from maple and brown sugar.
Maple syrup is popular where I’m from in Northern New York and where I live now in Canada. I love its sweet, rich flavor. We’re using it in both the cake and the frosting.
For more easy cake recipes, you’ll love this spiced banana cake, browned butter cake recipe, and apple and olive oil cake recipe.
Why This Recipe Works
- Each bite is soft and moist just like this banana cake with olive oil.
- It’s easy to make, decorate, transport and serve!
- It’s the best crowd-pleasing cake for the holidays.
- Maple and brown sugar give this cake a cozy flavor!
Ingredients
- Maple syrup is used to sweeten and flavor the cake and the frosting. Use pure, high quality maple syrup, not imitation. I like to use Grade A dark maple syrup for more flavor. The maple syrup adds an overall warm flavor. For stronger maple syrup, you can add maple extract. I typically make the cake without maple extract and it’s delicious!
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar: We’re using both sugars to sweeten the cake along with the maple syrup. You can use either light or dark brown sugar. I prefer dark since it adds a deeper flavor.
- Butter and oil: We’re using a combination of room temperature unsalted butter and a neutral oil like vegetable or canola oil. Butter adds flavor and oil helps make this cake stay moist for days.
- 3 Eggs: Use 3 large room temperature eggs.
- Cinnamon: A little ground cinnamon adds an extra touch of spice to the cake.
- Nutmeg (optional): I love to add a pinch of ground nutmeg for extra flavor. I recommend freshly grating nutmeg for best flavor. Use a microplane grater to grate it.
- Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar is used to sweeten and help thicken the frosting. I recommend sifting it to keep the frosting lump-free.
- Pecans (optional): Toasted pecans add crunch and nutty flavor to the cake. Pecans are classic to maple cakes. You can leave them out if you prefer to keep the recipe nut-free.
- Flaky sea salt (optional): I like to serve this cake with a little sprinkle of flaky sea salt just before serving. It enhance the flavors and balances the sweetness a little.
- Maple extract (optional): For extra maple flavor, you can add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of maple extract to the cake batter along with the vanilla extract or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon to the frosting. Start small because maple extract is quite strong.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap in avocado oil in place of vegetable or canola oil.
- Salted butter works. Reduce salt by 1/4 teaspoon.
- Instead of pecans, top the cake with walnuts or slivered almonds.
- You can use 2% Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.
How to Make Maple Syrup Cake
Quick Video Recap
Instructions
Step 1: (See photo 1 above). Beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl til light and fluffy. Mix in the oil.
Step 2: (See photo 2 above). Add the eggs one at a time. Next, mix in the vanilla and maple syrup. Beat in half the dry ingredients til just combined. Mix in the milk and sour cream then mix in the rest of the dry ingredients til just combined.
Step 3: (See photo 3 above). Bake cake in a 9 by 13 inch cake pan for 30-35 minutes.
Step 4: (See photo 4 above). Set the pan on a wire rack. Allow cake to cool completely before frosting. Toast pecans (optional) while cake cools.
Step 5: (See photo 5 above). Beat the butter and cream cheese til fluffy. Add the vanilla and maple syrup. Turn mixer to low and mix in the powdered sugar.
Step 6: (See photo 6 above). Frost the cake. Top with pecans.
Recipe FAQs
Maple syrup is sweet and rich, with hints of caramel, toffee, and vanilla. Lighter grades are mild, and darker grades have a stronger, more robust flavor.
Pure maple syrup is best. Grade A Amber and Grade A Dark are both great for baking. Grade A Amber adds classic maple flavor and Grade A Dark adds a stronger, richer maple taste.
Store leftover frosted cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze unfrosted cake for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting.
Expert Tips
- Room temperature matters. Bring all ingredients (butter, eggs, sour cream, syrup) to room temp before mixing.
- Leave excess parchment paper on the long sides. This makes it easier for me to lift the cake out once cooled.
- Don’t overmix. Once the dry ingredients go in, stir just until combined.
- Use brick style cream cheese. Don’t use the kind that comes in a tub. It would give you runny cream cheese frosting.
- Cool before frosting. Let the cake cool completely or the frosting will melt.
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Maple Cake
Ingredients
Maple Cake
- 2 ¼ cups (281.25 g) all purpose flour
- 2¼ teaspoons (2¼ teaspoons) baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) salt
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) cinnamon ground
- ⅛ teaspoon (⅛ teaspoon) nutmeg optional, freshly ground
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110 g) brown sugar light or dark, packed
- ¾ cup (170.25 g) unsalted butter 1½ sticks, room temperature
- ¼ cup (59.15 ml) canola oil or vegetable oil
- 1½ teaspoons (1½ teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (236.59 ml) maple syrup use pure maple syrup, Grade A Amber or Dark
- 3 (150 ml) large eggs room temperature
- ½ cup (115 g) sour cream room temperature
- ¼ cup (59.15 ml) milk whole or 2%, room temperature
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) cream cheese brick style, room temperature
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter 1 stick, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoons) vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar sifted, add up to 2 cups if needed
- 1 pinch (1 pinch) salt
- 1 tablespoon (14.79 ml) maple syrup
- ¾ cup (74.25 g) pecans optional, for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and then line a 9 by 13 inch pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg (if using).
- In a small bowl, stir to combine the sour cream and milk. Set aside.
- In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the sugars and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Add the oil and mix until incorporated. Mix in the eggs one at a time.
- Add the vanilla then mix in the maple syrup til completely incorporated.
- Add half the dry ingredients. Mix in the milk and sour cream mixture until just combined. Mix in the rest of the dry ingredients until no traces of flour remain. Avoid overmixing.
- Bake 30–35 minutes, or until the top is golden and springs back lightly when touched in the center. A toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs (no wet batter).
- Set pan on a wire rack and let cool completely before frosting.
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together on medium speed til light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, salt and maple syrup. Turn mixer to low speed and gradually beat in the powdered sugar. Start with 1 cup and add up to 2 cups for thicker frosting. If your frosting seems soft, refrigerate it for 10–15 minutes, then rewhip before spreading.
- Spread on the cooled cake with an offset spatula. Top with toasted pecans, if desired.
- To toast pecans, add pecans in a dry stainless-steel skillet over medium heat. Stir often til they turn golden brown and smell fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer the pecans to a plate or cutting board. Let them cool completely.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Please note that nutritional values are created by an online calculator and should only be used as an estimate.
Amy
Made this tonight and definitely keeping this recipe..
Moist and so flavorful..
I did add a touch of maple extract.. used Trader Joe’s maple syrup.. also toasted the pecans..
Natalie
Yay this makes me so happy, Amy 🙂 Thanks so much for making this cake and for sharing your helpful recipe notes!!