Walnut Cake with Maple Syrup Frosting
The classic combination of walnuts and maple syrup come together in this delicious two-layer cake.
Serves: 12Hands-on: 30 minutesTotal: 1 hour 20 minutesDifficulty: Medium
Serves: 12
Ingredients
- 5 large egg whites, divided
- 3⁄4 cup butter, softened
- 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp. baking powder
- 1⁄2 tsp. salt, divided
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 1⁄2 cup chopped walnuts, divided
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1⁄4 tsp. salt
- 1 cup walnut halves
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 round cake pans (8 inches) and set aside.
- Beat 3 egg whites to stiff peaks in a small bowl. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Combine flour, baking powder, and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl and whisk to blend.
- Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture and blend until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Fold in beaten egg whites and 1 cup chopped walnuts.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pans. Bake for about 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cake cool for about 25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat maple syrup until a candy thermometer inserted in the liquid registers 245°F.
- Place 2 egg whites in a large stainless steel bowl. Slowly add the hot maple syrup to egg whites, whisking or mixing with a beater the whole time. Add remaining 1⁄4 teaspoon salt and continue to beat until thick.
- Place 1 cake layer on a serving platter. Spread a layer of frosting on the cake and top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides with the remaining frosting. Garnish the frosted cake with walnut halves and remaining 1⁄2 cup chopped walnuts.