Friday 5 October 2012

Walnut, Plum and Maple Cake


Autumn is well and truly here now and what better to feel warm and cosy than with some warm drinks and an Autumny Walnut, Plum and Maple Cake. Crunchy walnuts in a delicately flavoured  maple and cinnamon sponge with a good tart plum jam in the layers, wakes up the taste buds. All topped with maple flavoured buttercream, walnuts and fondant maple leaves. Maybe a little golden glow from the shimmer spray again !


The maple frosting sweetness is held in check by using yoghurt or cream cheese to balance the sweetness. For a change I made this in a ring mould or you could use a bundt tin. However, I forgot the pleasure of trying to slice through walnuts so you may prefer to do it in two or three separate sandwich tins. 



Text Only Printable Recipe


Ingredients

250g   Butter
250g   Golden Caster sugar 
4 Large eggs
270g   Self raising flour
125g  Walnut pieces
2 tbsp Maple Syrup 
2 tbsp Milk
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1 Jar Plum Conserve

500g Icing sugar
250g Butter 
3 tbsp Maple Syrup
1 tbsp Milk  
1 tbsp yogurt or cream cheese

Decorations as desired eg walnuts  & fondant maple leaves

Method:

Preheat oven 160c/140c Fan/325F/Gas Mark 3.

Grease a ring mould or use two sandwich tins and line bottom with baking paper. Quantities are for a deep ring mould 22 cm or  two 18cm cake tins.

Cream the sugar and butter together. Beat in the syrup. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Fold in the flour and cinnamon. Add milk  to improve consistency.

Place in the centre of the oven. Check after 20 minutes. Cook until risen and a skewer comes cleanly out. Allow to cool.

Chill cake before cutting out  to reduce crumbing.

For cake using the ring mould; the cake was cut into three layers. Cover the two layers with the plum jam, reassemble and chill cake again.





Simple butter cream – whisk butter, and icing sugar and maple together. Add  milk and yoghurt  or cream cheese until smooth enough to be spreadable. Spread on a crumb coat , chill and then spread final layer of buttercream. Decorate as desired. Leave for the buttercream to firm slightly before cutting. Cut into large slices !!




15 comments:

  1. This is delicious cake, love the flavors of plum, maple and walnut,

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    1. Thank you, very easy recipe too. Happy Baking !

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  2. Looks gorgeous and those maple leaves look fantastic x

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    1. Thank you ! It went in record time this morning, good job I pinched my slice first, quality control of course!

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  3. What a stunner. It makes such a difference just using a different tin! Love the decorative leaves on the top too.

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    1. Thank you ! Luckily there isn't taped transcript of me cutting through the layers but it was worth it !

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  4. Goodness Pauline, an Autumn cake doesn't get much more lovely than this! You've nailed fall colors perfectly in the leaves and how I'd love a slice right about now. Brava!

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    1. Hi Brooks and thank you! Fall is really here now and stunning as ever. I wish we did live nearby but my figure is probably grateful we don't. Happy Baking!

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  5. Oh no, what am I doing here? I am on a diet form Pete's sake.
    These look so delicious.
    Barbara
    http://barbsiesmusings.blogspot.com
    Lagos, Nigeria

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    1. Thank you Barbara, just looking is not so bad but if you get tempted get sharing, Happy Blogging !

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  6. Now that is a true summing up of Autumn in a cake, Pauline. They all sound delicious flavours in there. Finding it hard to adjust to the cooler temps as of this weekend. Brrrr. The good side is staying in the kitchen and baking! Fabulous.

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  7. Thanks Jill, here Summer has seamlessly drizzled into Autumn !! although we have had a couple of lovely days and the trees looks beautiful here in the Forest. Yes, lovely and warm in the kitchen :-)

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  8. Nice looking cakes. You are a good cook, no, awesome baker!! Is Mrs Mulford your trademark? I imagine living in a Forest (hope didn't misquote you) like eating those delicious cakes. I am going to give it a try you recipe and hope I won't mess it up. Nice post Mrs Mulford.

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    1. Thank you Robert for your kind comments Yes 'Mrs Mulford' is my name and part of my business name. The Forest is beautiful and no really scary creatures here; just deer, sheep and wild boar apart from the tourists! In the colder weather cake consumption does go up and we look to cheer ourselves with hot drinks and cake ;-)

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