Recipe: Maple-Walnut Pound Cake

MAPLE-WALNUT POUND CAKE

FOR THE WALNUT STREUSEL:
1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter or margarine, cut in small cubes
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
FOR THE MAPLE POUNDCAKE:
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups maple flavored pancake syrup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
7 large eggs, room temperature
4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease an 18-cup tube pan (angel food pan).

TO MAKE THE WALNUT STREUSEL:
In a medium bowl, stir 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, 3/4 cup flour, 1/2 cup butter, and cinnamon with a fork, or rub mixture with fingertips until crumbly. Stir in walnuts; set aside.

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
With an electric mixer on high speed, beat 1 1/2 cups softened butter, pancake syrup, 1/2 cup brown sugar, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until blended (mixture will look curdled). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each (mixture still looks curdled).

With mixer on low speed gradually add 4 1/4 cups flour, beating just until blended and smooth. Spoon half the batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half the streusel. Pour in remaining batter and spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining streusel.

Bake 1 hour, 15 minutes to 1 hour, 25 minutes or until a pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it.

Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. If necessary, run a thin sharp knife around edge of pan to loosen cake. Place cookie sheet over pan and carefully invert both. Remove pan. Place rack over cake and turn cake streusel side up. Cool completely.

Store wrapped airtight up to 3 days at room temperature or freeze up to 3 months.

Source: Woman's Day magazine; September 17, 1996