This moist, sweet maple cake is coated with a creamy, sweet cream cheese frosting and topped with my favorite maple maple glazed nuts. Between the cake and the glazed nuts, you’ll use a full cup of pure maple syrup in this Maple Cake with Cream Cheese and Maple Glazed Nuts recipe!
I had hoped to post this recipe in the spring since that’s maple syrup season. I didn’t get around to posting this recipe in the spring, but luckily maple flavors are just as popular in the fall!
I wrote a little about my great-grandmother’s cookbook when I shared her banana bread recipe. Her book’s divided by season and each section begins with a few pages describing life on their farm in Northern New York State.
Not many people know this, but New York is actually the second highest producer of maple syrup in the US! Since sugaring season is in the spring, this recipe is listed in the spring section of the book.
As my great aunt writes “freezing nights and thawing days make perfect weather for the sap to flow generously.” I love trying to picture what life was like for them, especially during sugaring season.
The maple glazed nuts are literally a treat all by themselves and are the perfect topping to this cake! I chopped almonds and walnuts, but you can also use pecans or pumpkin seeds! Use two or three types of nuts/seeds, but keep the nut to syrup ratio about the same.
Keep the nuts whole or chop or slice them. If you enjoy these nuts, make sure to try them as part of the streusel in my favorite pumpkin bread recipe!
Toss the chopped nuts with a pinch of salt and cinnamon and add them to a skillet over medium heat. Add the syrup and stir with a wooden spoon until the nuts are toasted and coated in the syrup. The syrup will evaporate and the nuts will caramelize after a few minutes. Carefully spread the nuts out on some parchment paper. They’re ready to use once cooled.
For the cake, you’ll start by creaming the sugar and butter til light and fluffy. Next, add the eggs. After that, grab your maple syrup again and mix in 3/4 cup. You’ll finish by alternatively add the sifted dry ingredients and milk.
Pour the cake evenly into a 9″ x 13″ cake pan that’s either lined with butter or parchment paper. I like to keep have excess parchment paper hanging over the long sides. This makes it easier for me to simply lift the cake out once cooled.
For the cream cheese frosting, make sure your butter and cream cheese are softened. You’ll cream them along with vanilla first and then add the sugar about a cup at a time. Mix it until the sugar is fully incorporated.
I wanted this frosting a bit on the thin side, so I stopped at 2 cups of powdered sugar. If you want a bit of thicker frosting, add another cup of powdered sugar.
The cream cheese frosting recipe will make enough to completely frost the top and sides, but I like the rustic look so I only did most of the top! Frost it as you like! The funnest part, to me, is adding the sweet maple glazed nuts to top off your edible masterpiece!
Maple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Maple Glazed Nuts
Ingredients
- FOR THE CAKE
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 egg whites
- FOR THE NUTS
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons almonds chopped
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons walnuts chopped
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- FOR THE FROSTING
- 1 8- ounce package cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and then line a rectangular pan with parchment paper.
- 2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
- 3. In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the sugar and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Pour in the maple syrup and mix until combined. Mix in the egg whites. Add the sour cream alternatively with the dry ingredients.
- 4. Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes. Allow cake to cool in the pan the first ten minutes then transfer it to cool on a wire rack.
- FOR THE NUTS
- 1. In a small bowl, toss the almonds and walnuts with the cinnamon and salt. Add them to a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the maple syrup and stir to coat the nuts. Stir constantly for 3-4 minutes until the nuts are toasted and caramelized and the syrup has evaporated. Turn nuts out onto a sheet of parchment paper. Use two forks to separate them and spread them out. Allow to cool.
- FOR THE FROSTING
- Beat the butter and cream cheese with the vanilla until fluffy. Add the sugars a cup at a time.
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