Nuts are a very personal thing.
I know people who are highly allergic and start itching and wheezing at the mere mention of nuts.
I know some who are allergic to tree nuts, and others to ground nuts. Some are allergic to nuts that are not even nuts! Pine “nuts” are a good example.
Many people, while not allergic to walnuts, have a reaction to those in particular. Their tongue or gums and throat get itchy and scratchy. Who would want to eat them if that was the case?
We have one such friend. When she is a guest, and a recipe calls for walnuts, we often substitute pecans.
As can be done with today’s cake. This is inspired by - and minimally adapted from – a recipe by my very talented friend Paula, who writes Vintage Kitchen Notes. It was originally a maple walnut cake.
Today, it’s a maple pecan cake. So, nuts to you, walnuts!
~ David
Maple Pecan Bundt
Cake
8 ounces unsalted pecans, toasted
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups superfine sugar
5 large eggs
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1-2 tablespoons heavy cream
6 tablespoons confectioners sugar, sifted
For cake:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Butter and flour 12-cup bundt pan.
Finely grind pecans and 1/4 cup of the flour in the food processor using on and off pulses. (The flour will help keep the nuts from getting too gummy.)
Sift remaining flour, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl.
Using an electric mixer, beat 1 1/4 cups softened butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in maple syrup and vanilla extract (batter may temporarily look curdled, but that’s okay). Mix in dry ingredients, then fold in ground pecans.
Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake cake until top is golden and tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer to a cooling rack; cool cake 10 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack and cool completely.
Melt remaining 1/4 cup butter with maple syrup and 1 tablespoon cream in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add powdered sugar and whisk until smooth, adding another tablespoon cream if needed. Cool glaze until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
Drizzle glaze over cake. Let cake stand 15 minutes until glaze sets.
Serves 12.
Labels: bundt, maple pecan, maple pecan bundt, maple syrup, pecans, Vintage Kitchen Notes
