Finally, a bake I can blog about! I haven't had much luck with baking recently. So far this year I have baked a chocolate banana cake which didn't quite hit the spot, a bundt which failed to come out the tin (again!) and a batch of sad looking cherry bakewells (burnt frangipane with barely cooked pastry). Annoyingly, they were all things I have baked before successfully.
Even this maple and walnut cake is a bit on the overcooked/dry/crumbly side, but it's the best bake I've produced so far therefore worth showing. Time for a tea party!
The best thing about this bake has to be the icing; it's so rich, sweet and creamy. However I almost thought I had a disaster with that too! Whilst mixing it looked as if it was curdling, so I swapped my beater attachment for a whisk and crossed my fingers. Thankfully it came together smooth and glossy.
I almost swapped the walnuts for pecans but I'm glad I stuck with the walnuts as their slight bitterness contrasted the sweet maple flavour nicely. It's a classic combination for a reason.
Three nights till I'm in Glasgow for the 2014 Strictly Come Dancing Tour, WOOHOO!!! Not that I'm excited.... much.
Sparkly clothes at the ready!
Maple and walnut cake
Recipe from "Vintage Cakes" by Jane Brocket. Published 2012 by Jacqui Small
150g butter, softened
150g soft light brown sugar
3 large eggs (I used duck eggs)
4 tablespoons maple syrup
2-3 tablespoons milk
75g walnuts, chopped
220g self-raising flour
extra walnut halves (or quarters in my case!) to decorate
icing:
200g full fat cream cheese
50g butter, softened
80g soft light brown sugar
3-4 tablespoons maple syrup (I used 3)
Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4 and grease and line a deep 20cm square cake tin. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. In a jug, lightly whisk the eggs, maple syrup and milk. Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl, along with the chopped walnuts and flour. Carefully mix/fold everything together until just combined. The mixture should be of a soft dropping consistency. (Add more milk if the mixture doesn't drop off the spoon easily when tapped against the edge of the bowl.) Spoon the mixture into the tin and level the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes until well risen, golden and firm to touch or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool completely before turning out of the tin.
For the icing, mix together the cream cheese, butter, sugar and maple syrup in a large bowl until smooth and glossy. Spread the icing over the cake (don't worry about making a smooth surface. The more rustic it looks the better!) and divide the cake into a 4 x 4 grid pattern, cutting 16 square pieces of cake. Top each piece with a walnut half and serve.
Recipe from "Vintage Cakes" by Jane Brocket. Published 2012 by Jacqui Small
150g butter, softened
150g soft light brown sugar
3 large eggs (I used duck eggs)
4 tablespoons maple syrup
2-3 tablespoons milk
75g walnuts, chopped
220g self-raising flour
extra walnut halves (or quarters in my case!) to decorate
icing:
200g full fat cream cheese
50g butter, softened
80g soft light brown sugar
3-4 tablespoons maple syrup (I used 3)
Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4 and grease and line a deep 20cm square cake tin. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. In a jug, lightly whisk the eggs, maple syrup and milk. Pour the liquid mixture into the bowl, along with the chopped walnuts and flour. Carefully mix/fold everything together until just combined. The mixture should be of a soft dropping consistency. (Add more milk if the mixture doesn't drop off the spoon easily when tapped against the edge of the bowl.) Spoon the mixture into the tin and level the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes until well risen, golden and firm to touch or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool completely before turning out of the tin.
For the icing, mix together the cream cheese, butter, sugar and maple syrup in a large bowl until smooth and glossy. Spread the icing over the cake (don't worry about making a smooth surface. The more rustic it looks the better!) and divide the cake into a 4 x 4 grid pattern, cutting 16 square pieces of cake. Top each piece with a walnut half and serve.