A Recipe from 100 Prize Winning Recipes from Pillsbury’s 5th Grand National Recipe & Baking Contest (1954)

About the Recipe

This cake is like a fluffy, maple cloud of crumbly goodness. I was a little bit skeptical about it, as on paper it sounds like it will be very sweet. I used real maple syrup and the balance was *just right*. The frosting is like a maple marshmallow, and the walnuts are just the right crunch to balance it out. This is the perfect cake for someone who likes something a little bit different.

Oh and pro tip – when it started getting a little bit stale, I crumbled over vanilla ice cream for a treat – YUM!

For more recipes in the Pillsbury Challenge, click here!

About the book

Another one of the originals of my Pillsbury collection, I absolutely love this book. It’s published in 1954 and it feels like folks were starting to experiment a little bit more. Your standard biscuits and pies just don’t cut it for this contest, and the group of cooks gets a bit creative. Definitely one to grab if you find it.

About the glassware

I feel like a fraud again! I only have one cake stand, and this is it. I did select it for the lovely dome which keeps things fresh and delicious.

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups sifted flour
2 t double-acting baking powder
3/4 t soda
1/4 t ginger
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup maple-flavored syrup
1/2 cup hot water
2 T walnuts, chopped

Fluffy Maple Frosting:
2 egg whites
1/2 cup maple-flavored syrup
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 t Cream of Tartar
1/4 t salt
1 t vanilla

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, ginger, and salt. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Blend in maple syrup gradually.

Add hot water alternately with the dry ingredients to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Blend thoroughly after each addition. With electric mixer use low speed.

Turn into two well-greased and lightly floured 8-inch round layer pans, at least 1 1/4 inches deep. Bake in moderate oven (350*F) for 30-35 minutes. Cool and frost. Garnish with walnuts.

Fluffy Maple Frosting:
Combine egg whites, syrup, sugar, cream of tartar, and salt in top of double boiler. Cook over boiling water, beating constantly with rotary beater or electric mixer until mixture stands in peaks. Remove from heat. Add vanilla; continue beating until thick enough to spread.