MAPLE & SPICE CAKE
A GREAT FALL OR WINTER CAKE WITH MAPLE AND SPICES COVERED IN A COMPLIMENTARY FROSTING.
SKILL LEVEL: BEGINNER | QUANTITY: 6” TRIPLE LAYER CAKE
LISTS
GROCERY LIST:
5 & ¾ sticks | Unsalted Butter (plus more for buttering cake pans - about 2 ½ tablespoons)
4 large | Eggs
1 cup | Whole Milk
½ cup | Sour Cream
1 ½ cups | Dark Brown Sugar
4 & ½ - 5 cups | Confectioners’ Sugar
¾ cup | Maple Syrup
2 ½ cups | All-purpose Flour (plus more for dusting cake pans - about 3 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon | Kosher Salt
2 ½ teaspoons | Baking Powder
1 tablespoon & ½ teaspoon | Ground Cinnamon
1 & ⅛ teaspoons | Ground Cloves
½ & ⅛ teaspoons | Ground Nutmeg
½ & ⅛ teaspoons | Ground Ginger
2 teaspoons | Vanilla Extract
KITCHENWARE:
3 6-inch Round Cake Pans
Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer w/ Large Mixing Bowl
Small Mixing Bowl & Medium Mixing Bowl
Measuring Spoons & Cups, Sieve (fine mesh strainer), Rubber Spatula, Serrated Knife or Cake Leveler & Offset Spatula
PREP
Helpful tips!
Let butter and eggs come to room temperature by leaving out for about 1 hour*.
Let milk and sour cream come to room temperature by leaving out for about 30 minutes*.
When measuring flour, don’t pack or you will end up adding more into the mixture and risk having a drier cake. Instead, use a large spoon to scoop into measuring cups and level off with the handle of the spoon.
Don’t sift kosher salt. It’s usually not fine enough to get through the sieve.
This batter can be made into an 8-inch double layer cake. Just use two 8-inch round cake pans and adjust baking time.
*Dependent on the temperature of your home
BAKE
CAKE:
2 ½ cups | All-purpose Flour
2 ½ teaspoons | Baking Powder
1 tablespoon | Ground Cinnamon
1 teaspoon | Ground Cloves
½ teaspoon | Ground Nutmeg
½ teaspoon | Ground Ginger
1 teaspoon | Kosher Salt
1 cup | Whole Milk (room temperature)
½ cup | Sour Cream (room temperature)
1 stick | Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
1 ½ cups | Dark Brown Sugar (packed)
½ cup | Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon | Vanilla Extract
4 large | Eggs (room temperature)
FROSTING:
4 & ¾ sticks | Unsalted Butter (room temperature)
½ teaspoon | Ground Cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon | Ground Cloves
⅛ teaspoon | Ground Nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon | Ground Ginger
1 teaspoon | Vanilla Extract
4 & ½ - 5 cups | Confectioners’ Sugar
¼ cup | Maple Syrup
Preheat oven to 350° F and place rack in the center of the oven.
Roll out parchment paper and trace the bottom of three 6x2-inch round cake pans. Cut out the three parchment circles and set aside. Butter three 6x2-inch round cake pans with ½ tablespoon of room temperature butter per pan. Use your hands to smear butter all over the bottom, corners and sides of the inside of the pan. Place parchment circles inside of pans. Use remaining ¼ tablespoon of room temperature butter per pan and smear over parchment circle. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of flour over buttered pan and rotate and tap the pan to move flour around to completely coat the bottom, corners and sides. Tap out excess flour. This will allow for an easy and clean removal. Set aside.
Sift flour, baking powder and spices in a medium mixing bowl. Add salt, mix and set aside.
Mix together milk and sour cream in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar together in large bowl until combined and fluffy, about 2-4 minutes on medium speed. Add maple syrup and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating until well blended after each addition. Add ⅓ of dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Add ½ of milk and sour cream mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Add ⅓ of dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Add remaining ½ of milk and sour cream mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Add remaining ⅓ of dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Use a rubber spatula to ensure all ingredients at the bottom and around the edges are incorporated.
Pour batter into prepared pans and bake cakes for 20 minutes. Quickly rotate pans to ensure an even bake and bake for an additional 20-22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Don’t leave your oven open too long or you run of the risk of your cakes sinking. Cool the cakes in the pans for at least 30 minutes before removing.
Make the frosting by beating the room temperature butter in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the spices and vanilla and continue beating for about 1 minute. Slowly add in the confectioners’ sugar until mostly mixed. Add maple syrup and increase speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl until smooth and creamy, but don’t overwhip. Set aside.
Use a serrated knife or cake leveler to remove domed tops of each cake.
Use an offset spatula to frost between each layer and a thin crumb coating on the top and sides of the cake. Don’t worry about having visible crumbs in this coat, just make sure not to get crumbs into your bowl of frosting. After the crumb coating is done, place in fridge for 20-30 minutes. This will firmly set the crumb coating. Once cooled, use remaining frosting to completely cover cake and decorate as desired.
Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge.
