Walnut Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

While this recipe makes three eight inch round cakes, it can easily be made into two nine inch round cakes and a couple cupcakes.   Sometimes I use the top deep cake pan from the three layered wedding cake set for the extra batter.

• 2 sticks butter, room temperature
• ¾ c sugar
• ¾ c brown sugar, packed
• 3 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1 t vanilla
• 3 c cake flour
• 1 ½ t baking powder
• 1 t salt
• ¾ t baking soda
• 1 c maple syrup
• ½ c milk
• ½ c sour cream
• 1 ½ c walnuts, roasted and chopped

You will need four separate bowls for this recipe.  Read it before beginning to make the cake.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Grease and flour three eight inch cake pans and set aside.  You can use two nine inch pans (filled two thirds of the way and some cup cakes).

Place the butter and sugars in a large bowl and beat until combined.   

Place the eggs, yolks and vanilla in a medium bowl and beat together.  Beat in the butter mixture.

Place the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in another bowl, whisk together.

Place maple syrup, milk, and sour cream in another bowl mix together.

Mix a third of the dry ingredients to the butter and egg mixture and stir to combine.  Stir in a third of the maple and sour cream mixture.   Repeat the steps until all ingredients are combined.   Gently fold in walnuts. Divide batter among the three prepared cake pans and bake for half an hour.   Remove from oven and cool on wire racks.

• ½ c maple syrup
• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 8 ozs cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 c confectionary sugar
• 1 T heavy cream
• 1 t vanilla

Place the syrup in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and simmer, uncovered, for fifteen minutes minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

Place butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl and beat together.  Beat in the sugar, then  the cooled syrup, cream, and vanilla.

Remove the cooled cakes from pans, frost and layer.