Maple Walnut Pound Cake with Maple Glaze

MAPLE WALNUT POUND CAKE WITH MAPLE GLAZE

Makes 12 Servings

For the cake: 1 3/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts (about 6 ounces), toasted 2 1/4 cups cake flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 1/4 cups sugar 5 large eggs 1/2 cup pure maple syrup (B grade if possible) 3/4 teaspoon maple flavoring 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the glaze: 1/4 cup(1/2 stick) unsalted butter 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (B grade if possible) 2 tablespoons whipping cream 6 tablespoons powdered sugar, sifted 12 walnut halves

Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour 12-cup bundt pan. Finely grind walnuts in processor. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in maple syrup, maple flavoring and vanilla extract (batter may look curdled). Mix in dry ingredients. Fold in ground walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake cake until top is golden and tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer pan to rack; cool cake 10 minutes. Using small knife, cut around sides and center of pan to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto rack and cool completely. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead. Wrap tightly in foil and store at room temperature.)

Make the glaze: Melt butter with maple syrup and cream in heavy small saucepan. Add powered sugar and whisk until smooth. Cool glaze until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Drizzle glaze over pound cake. Arrange walnut halves decoratively on top of cake. Let cake stand until glaze sets, about 15 minutes.

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