Recipe: Walnut Spice Cake with Maple Frosting

WALNUT SPICE CAKE



3/4 cup butter
1 3/4 cups brown sugar
3 egg yolks
3/4 teaspoon Spice Islands Ground Saigon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands Ground Cloves
1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands Ground Ginger
1/4 teaspoon Spice Islands Ground Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Argo Baking Powder
2 1/2 cups cake flour (no substitutions)
3/4 cup milk
1 cup walnuts, finely chopped, divided use
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon Spice Islands Cream of Tartar
Walnut Frosting (recipe follows)
1/4 cup walnuts, finely chopped (for garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round cake pans.

Cream butter and brown sugar using an electric mixer. Add egg yolks, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and salt; beat well. Set aside.

Combine baking soda, baking powder and flour in separate bowl; add to mixture alternately with milk. Mix in 3/4 cup walnuts. Set aside.

In a clean bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar. Beat at high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into cake batter. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove cake from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Frost between each layer, then frost the sides and top of cake. Garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup chopped walnuts.

WALNUT FROSTING

1 1/4 cups butter
1 teaspoon Spice Islands Ground Allspice
5 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring

Cream butter and allspice with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar, milk and maple flavor, beating until spreading consistency is achieved.

VARIATION:
Can also be made in a 12-cup tube pan: increase baking time to 45 to 50 minutes.

Makes 1 (9-inch, 3 layer) cake
Source: Mazola Oil, ACH Food Companies, Inc.