Vermont Maple Layer Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting (Cozy Fall Dessert)

Why you’ll love it

• Real maple flavor: a full cup of pure maple syrup in the cake and more in the frosting.
• Moist and tender: buttermilk and brown sugar keep the layers soft for days.
• A show-stopper: a pretty layer cake that stands out next to the pies on the holiday table.

Quick facts

Ingredients

For the maple cake

• Softened butter and flour, or baking spray, for the pans
• 2 1/2 cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks / 170 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup (240 ml) pure maple syrup, preferably dark or robust, at room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature

For the maple cream cheese frosting

• 8 oz (225 g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3 1/2 cups (420 g) powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp maple extract (optional, for a stronger maple flavor)
• 1/8 tsp fine salt

For the topping

• 3/4 cup (85 g) pecan halves or chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 to 2 tbsp (15 to 30 ml) pure maple syrup, for drizzling (optional)

Step-by-step method

1. Preheat and prepare the pans. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment circles and grease the parchment, then dust the pans with flour.

2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

3. Cream the butter and sugars. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in a stand mixer with the paddle, beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar on medium-high speed 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

4. Add the eggs and maple. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl after each. With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the maple syrup and vanilla and mix until combined. The batter may look slightly curdled; that is normal.

5. Alternate the flour and buttermilk. On low speed, add one third of the flour mixture, then half the buttermilk, then another third of the flour, the rest of the buttermilk and the last of the flour, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain. Finish folding with a spatula.

6. Bake. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and smooth the tops. Bake 28 to 33 minutes, until the cakes are golden brown, spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

7. Cool. Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, turn them out, peel off the parchment and cool completely, about 1 hour.

8. Make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed 2 minutes, until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar on low speed, then the maple syrup, maple extract (if using) and salt. Beat on medium-high 1 to 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. If it is too soft to spread, refrigerate it 15 minutes.

9. Assemble. Place one cake layer, top side down, on a serving plate. Spread about 1 cup of frosting over it. Top with the second layer, top side down, and cover the top and sides with the remaining frosting. Arrange the toasted pecans around the top edge and drizzle with a little maple syrup, if you like. Chill 20 minutes to set before slicing.

How to know it is done

The maple cake layers are done when the tops are an even golden brown, the edges are just starting to pull away from the sides of the pans, the centers spring back right away when you press them lightly, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The internal temperature should be about 205 to 210°F (96 to 99°C). Because of the maple syrup, the cake browns a little faster than a vanilla cake, so check it at 28 minutes.

Tips for the best result

• Use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup; the flavor of the whole cake depends on it. Dark or robust grade gives the strongest maple taste.
• Bring the butter, eggs, buttermilk and maple syrup to room temperature so the batter stays smooth.
• Mix gently after adding the flour; overmixing makes the cake dense.
• Use brick-style cream cheese, not spread from a tub, so the frosting is thick enough to hold its shape.
• Let the layers cool completely before frosting, or the frosting will melt and slide.

Variations and substitutions

• Maple sheet cake: bake the batter in a greased 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) pan for 30 to 35 minutes and frost the top only.
• Maple cupcakes: fill 24 lined muffin cups two-thirds full and bake 18 to 20 minutes.
• Maple walnut: fold 3/4 cup (85 g) chopped toasted walnuts into the batter and use walnuts on top.
• Brown butter: brown the butter for the cake, chill it until solid but soft and use it as directed for a nutty flavor.
• No buttermilk: stir 2 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar into 3/4 cup (180 ml) milk and let it stand 5 minutes.
• Nut-free: skip the pecans and decorate with a drizzle of maple syrup and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Make ahead

Bake the cake layers up to 1 day ahead. Cool them completely, wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap and keep them at room temperature, or freeze them wrapped for up to 2 months and thaw in the wrapping. The frosting can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated; let it soften at room temperature 30 minutes and beat briefly before using. The frosted cake can be assembled the day before and refrigerated.

Storage and reheating

Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let slices stand at room temperature 20 to 30 minutes before serving so the cake is soft and the flavor is at its best; it does not need reheating. To freeze, place slices on a tray until the frosting is firm, wrap them individually and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator.