Recipe Swap: Maple Syrup Cake

Can you believe that it's the Recipe Swap's First Birthday? Now, I didn't part take in the original swap - but I was the first international swapper ... I started swapping at recipe number four and this is what I've been preparing since:

Recipe Swap: All Things Cabbage
Recipe Swap: Poached Pears
Recipe Swap: Jam Cake

Recipe Swap: Fish Pie

Recipe Swap: Banoffee Pie

Recipe Swap: Chocolate, Mocha Pavlova Roll
Recipe Swap: Chicken in a Pot to Chicken in a Pan

I'm so greatful to be part of this wonderful bunch! It's so great reading their interesting and insightful blogs which not only provide me with excellent cooking knowledge but also a window into their wonderful lives. Thank you Chef Dennis who's initial recipe swap prompted me to email Christianna and thank you Christianna for all your hard work and dedication to this amazing food blogging initative.

So happy birthday recipe swap - this cake is full of sweet, sweet, love, life and laughter ... oh and just a little bit of maple syrup!

FOR THE CAKE:
175 g butter, softened
100 g golden caster sugar

3 large eggs

350 ml maple syrup

500 g self-raising flour

175 ml hot water

2 x 21cm sandwich tins, buttered and lined

FOR THE ICING:

1 cup Maple Syrup

1 cup cream cheese

½ tspn vanilla extract

250 g icing sugar, sifted

250 g Crushed Walnuts

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Beat together the butter and sugar until very pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating in well after each addition, then gradually add the maple syrup to make a smooth mixture. Finally, spoon in the flour alternately with the hot water, beating gently until smooth again.

Divide the batter between the two tins, and cook for 40 minutes. A cake-tester, inserted, should come out clean when they're cooked. Let the cakes cool in their tins on a rack for 10 minutes before unmoulding them, then leave them to get cold before you get on with the icing.

To make the icing, reduce the maple syrup by half in a heavy-bottomed pot. Then remove from the heat and add the cream cheese and the vanilla. Mix well, add the icing sugar and beat until smooth.

Using a spatula, apply the icing in a rough manner (the more licks and curls, the more likely the walnuts will stick) and then sprinkle the crushed walnuts over the top.