Maple Walnut Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

This maple walnut cake is a delicious way to celebrate the change of seasons. It’s perfect for fall birthdays and holiday dessert tables, too. I think it beats pumpkin spice any day. The sweetness of the maple pairs perfectly with the slight bitterness of the walnuts. To finish the cake I patted crushed walnuts around the sides and topped it with candied walnuts.

Maple Walnut Cake:
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup pure maple syrup
1 tsp pure maple extract or vanilla extract
1 Tbsp baking powder
½ tsp. sea salt
3 cups cake flour
¾ cup half-and-half cream or buttermilk
1 cup walnuts, crushed or finely chopped

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:
16 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. pure maple extract or pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp. sea salt, omit if using salted butter
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
4-5 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

Garnish:
18 walnut halves
1 cup finely crushed walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Lightly grease 3 (8") cake pans and add a round of parchment at the bottom of each. Note: if you only have 2 pans, bake the third layer after the first 2 have cooked.

Cream the brown sugar and butter together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Don’t skip this step, it helps make a light cake. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Then beat in the maple syrup and extract.

Turn the mixer to low speed and blend in the baking powder and salt. Then add the flour and half and half, alternately, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix just to combine, don’t over-mix. Fold in the crushed walnuts.

Fill your cake pans evenly with batter and smooth out the tops, if necessary. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the center is risen and springs back when lightly touched, and the cakes have just started to pull away ever so slightly from the sides of the pan. Let the cakes cool for 10-15 minutes before turning out and cooling completely on a rack.

Make the Frosting:
Cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth, making sure there are no lumps. Beat in the maple syrup, extract and salt. Add sugar, in batches, until you get your desired consistency.

Generously frost the cooled cake and pat crushed walnuts along the outer edge. Arrange walnut halves on the top.

Makes 16 servings.

Cook's Notes: If you only have 9" cake pans, I think it would be best to make this a 2 layer cake. The baking time will be slightly longer, so keep that in mind.