Maple Butter Cake
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Vanilla cake with maple buttercream. Adjusted flour and sugar. Replaced corn syrup with honey and added ground cinnamon. Prep around 45 minutes. Bake about 25 minutes. Cooling a bit longer. Four layers stacked with buttercream. Vanilla scent balanced by warm spice twist. Sweet maple folded into rich creamy frosting. Easy sheet cake base, so no pans needed. Frosted all over, a cake with autumn vibe.
Prep:
45 min
Cook:
25 min
Total:
Servings:
10 servings
#cake
#dessert
#autumn
#buttercream
#maple syrup
Vanilla sponge. Not flat, not airy. Somewhere in the middle. Sugar trimmed down a bit from usual. Cinnamon introduces warmth. Changes the vibe. Maple syrup thickens and sweetens the buttercream. Honey instead of corn syrup makes the texture slightly different. The syrup has to reach just above the soft ball stage, 114°C instead of 117°C, softer finish. Egg yolks whipped well with hot syrup give some body. Butter started cold, keeps cream sturdy. Patience beating, scraping edges, don’t rush. Cake baked in a shallow pan, no layers baked separately. Shape trimmed flat, no cracks or bumps. Cut precisely for neat layers. Each slather of frosting melting down edges. Not too thick but enough for coverage. Optional touch: toasted nuts or maple sugar, for crunch or texture. A dessert missing nuts but rich enough. For gatherings or quiet moments.
Ingredients
Vanilla Cake
- 420 ml (1 3/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 8 ml (1 1/2 tsp) baking powder
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
- 100 ml (7 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 250 ml (1 cup) sugar
- 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
- 3 egg whites
- 270 ml (1 1/8 cups) milk
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) ground cinnamon
Maple Buttercream
- 320 ml (1 1/3 cups) maple syrup
- 130 ml (1/2 cup) 35% cream
- 30 ml (2 tbsp) honey
- 3 egg yolks
- 280 ml (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter, softened but cool
About the ingredients
Flour adjusted to 420 ml from 500 ml, reducing density slightly. Baking powder cut down from 10 ml to 8 ml to avoid too much rise, maintaining dampness. Cinnamon added as new flavor, grounding the sweetness. Butter measured in ml to keep consistent with original approach. Sugar dropped from 310 ml to 250 ml to reduce sweetness level and balance maple syrup richness. Maple syrup quantity reduced slightly to 320 ml to compensate for increased sweetness from honey. Honey replaces corn syrup, bringing complexity and subtle floral notes instead of neutral sweetness. Milk trimmed down. Egg whites unchanged, but yolks’ handling critical for texture. Butter kept at cooler temperature for better cream formation, balancing heat from cooked syrup. Cream unchanged at 130 ml, keeps richness stable.
Method
Cake Assembly
- 1 Place rack mid-oven. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Line 43 x 30 cm (17 x 12 in) baking tray with parchment paper letting it hang on two sides. Butter paper well and bare edges of tray.
- 2 Mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Put aside.
- 3 Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light. Add vanilla and whites. Mix just to combine.
- 4 On low speed, alternate adding dry mix and milk. Stop when just blended.
- 5 Spread batter evenly on tray. Bake about 25 minutes. Toothpick inserted in center must come out clean.
- 6 Cool briefly. Using parchment overhang, transfer cake onto rack. Cover loosely with cloth. Let cool completely.
Buttercream
- 7 Meanwhile, in a saucepan, boil maple syrup, cream, and honey. Simmer till candy thermometer hits 114°C (237°F). About 6 to 12 minutes depending on heat.
- 8 Whisking on medium speed, stream hot syrup over egg yolks slowly, avoiding beaters. Whisk till cool and fluffy. Roughly 20 minutes.
- 9 Add butter cubes gradually, beating until very creamy. Scrape bowl bottom several times during process.
Final Assembly
- 10 Level cake sides and top if domed. Cut cake into four equal rectangles.
- 11 Spread 120 ml (1/2 cup) buttercream between layers, stacking them carefully.
- 12 Coat entire cake with remaining buttercream. Smooth or rustic finish.
- 13 Optional: Sprinkle maple sugar or crushed candied pecans at last moment.
Cooking tips
Line pan carefully, letting paper edges extend for easier lifting. Covering cooling cake with cloth prevents drying. Cake batter mixed gently to keep texture light but stable. Baking time adjusted upwards by 5 minutes; temperature held steady to ensure uniform doneness. Candy thermometer crucial for syrup temp, lowered slightly for softer frosting. Pour syrup slowly while continuously whisking yolks to avoid cooking them into lumps. Whisk longer than usual until mixture cools to room temperature, nearly 20 minutes. Butter added in small chunks delayed slightly to smooth mixture without breaking. Cake trimming removes uneven edges and domes, important for layer stacking. Cutting precise rectangles ensures balanced portioning. Buttercream spread with spatula, leaving visible strokes is fine, rustic look. Decoration left optional; maple sugar adds final sweet crunch, pecans would add texture variation absent in original.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Use an electric mixer for butter and sugar. Go light and fluffy. Mix eggs in gently. Don't overmix batter. This keeps texture. Layer carefully. No cracks on edges.
- 💡 Cool cake briefly. Use parchment for easy lift. Cover with cloth to keep moisture. Let it cool completely before frosting. Patience is key here. Hot syrup needs whisking.
- 💡 Measuring again matters. Keep everything consistent. Check temperatures. Maple syrup at 114°C for texture. Handle egg yolks with care in buttercream process. Avoid lumps in mixes.
- 💡 Trim edges of cake once cool. Cutting precise rectangles helps stack. Use spatula for frosting. Rustic look is fine. Don’t rush buttercream mixing. Even layers create balanced bites.
- 💡 Optional toppings add texture. Maple sugar for crunch. Pecans can introduce richness. Finish with care; don’t overload on frosting, just enough coverage. Be mindful of proportions.
Common questions
How to ensure cake is fluffy?
Don't overmix batter. Light folds are essential. Egg whites contribute. Keep baking powder levels correct. Check oven temp for consistency.
What's the best way to store leftover cake?
Wrap tightly in plastic. Fridge is suitable but will change texture. For longer storage, freeze portions. Thaw gently when needed.
How to fix potential syrup problems?
If it’s too thick, add a little cream. If too thin, reheat carefully. Adjust as needed for buttercream balance. Consistency matters.
Can I swap ingredients?
Honey can replace syrup, results vary. Milk alternatives possible too. But butter should stay the same for best texture. Experiment carefully.
