Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (115 g) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus melted butter for greasing the pan

• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups (480 ml) pure maple syrup

• 3 large egg yolks

• 1 large egg

• 1-1/4 cups (300 ml) whole milk

• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped, plus walnut halves for garnish (optional)

• maple icing (see recipe below)

Directions
1 Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C /gas 3). Brush the inside of a 10-cup (2.4-L) Bundt pan thoroughly with the melted butter and dust it lightly with flour. (Use a pastry brush to help distribute the flour and tap out any excess.) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour with the baking powder and salt until thoroughly combined.

2 In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat 1/2 cup (115 grams) of the butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the maple syrup and beat for about 3 minutes, or until smooth. Add the egg yolks one at a time and then the egg, beating well after each addition.

3 With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture (in three increments) alternately with the milk (in two increments), beginning and ending with the flour, and beating until just incorporated. Fold in the walnuts.

4 Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack and let it cool completely. Drizzle the cooled cake with the icing, garnish with the walnut halves (if using), and let the icing set for about 10 minutes before serving.

Maple icing
Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

• 1/2 cup (47 g) confectioners’ sugar

• Pinch of salt

Directions
1 In a small nonreactive saucepan over low heat, heat the butter with the maple syrup and the cream, until the butter has completely melted. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the confectioners’ sugar and salt until smooth.

2 Let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before drizzling.

Cake serves 10–12.

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Excerpted from Cake Simple, Copyright © 2011 by Christie Matheson. Photography by Alex Farnum. Excerpted by permission of Chronicle Books. All rights reserved.