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1
heat oven to 350u00b0F.
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2
Spread chopped pecans on large baking sheet.
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3
Toast in oven, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
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4
Remove nuts from oven; set aside to cool.
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5
Maintain oven at 350u00b0F.
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6
Lightly butter and flour 2 straight-sided 10 inch round cake pans.
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7
Line bottoms with ungreased kitchen parchment or waxed paper.
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8
On medium speed, beat 1 cup butter in large bowl until fluffy.
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9
Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar.
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10
Continue to beat until very fluffy.
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11
Increase speed to high.
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12
Pour in 1 cup of the maple syrup in thin stream, beating all the while.
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13
Beat egg yolks into the butter mixture, one at a time, beating and scraping sides of bowl with rubber spatula after each addition.
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14
Beat in orange zest, maple flavoring and vanilla.
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15
Sift cake flour, baking powder and soda onto waxed paper or bowl.
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16
Sift together one more time; set aside.
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17
Beat egg whites and salt in large grease-free bowl with clean beaters on medium speed until soft peaks form.
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18
Increase speed to high and beat until stiff but not dry.
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19
Beginning and ending with the flour mixture, fold it and egg whites alternately in butter mixture, sifting the flour over the butter mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time and then folding it into mixture.
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20
The flour will take 5 additions.
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21
The egg whites 4 additions.
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22
Fold gently--Do not over mix.
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23
Pour batter in prepared cake pans and smooth surface with gently with rubber spatula.
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24
Bake in center of oven 25 to 30 minutes or until inserted wooden pick comes out clean.
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25
Remove pans from oven. Let layers cool in pans on wire rack 8 minutes.
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26
Unmold layers onto wire racks, let cool completley.
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27
Place layers in plastic wrap on baking sheets in freezer until semi frozen, about 45 minutes.
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28
While cake is in freezer make Maple Buttercream:
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29
Combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup maple sugar in a heavy saucepan.
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30
Add orange slice and bourbon.
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31
Heat, stirring constantly over medium-high heat to boiling.
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32
Boil gently 1 minute.
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33
Remove from heat. Discard orange slice.
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34
You should have about 1/3 cup of syrup.
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35
Trim brown crusts from top and bottom of each semi-frozen cake layer; discard trimmings.
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36
Cut each layer horizontally in half with long serrated knife.
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37
Brush sides of layers with syrup.
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38
Sprinkle remaining syrup over surface of each layer.
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39
Place one layer, syrup side up on plate.
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40
Spread with Buttercream.
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41
Stack second layer on top with syrup side up.
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42
Spread with Buttercream.
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43
Repeat with next 2 layers--do not put Buttercream on top of last layer.
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44
Place a baking sheet on top of cake.
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45
Place a one 1-pound weight (can of fruit or a bag of rice) on top of baking sheet.
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46
Refrigerate 15 minutes to compress layers.
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47
Remove cake from refrigerator. Remove weight. Remove baking sheet.
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48
Spread remaining Buttercream over top and sides of cake.
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49
Press toasted pecans evenly over sides of cake.
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50
Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
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51
Maple Buttercream:
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52
Beat butter in large bowl until fluffy; reserve.
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53
Heat maple syrup in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat to boiling.
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54
Cook without stirring until syrup reaches firm ball stage or candy thermometer reaches 244u00b0F (31 to 32 minutes), watching to see syrup doesn't boil over.
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55
You should have about 1 cup.
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56
When syrup reaches soft ball stage (238 degrees to 240 degrees or 22 minutes), begin beating egg whites with salt in large grease-free bowl with clean beaters on medium speed until stiff but not dry (7 to 8 minutes.
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57
Continue to beat.
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58
Add hot syrup in thin streams, scraping down sides of bowl with rubber spatula once or twice.
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59
Continue to beat mixture until it has reached room temperature and no longer feels warm (10 to 15 minutes).
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60
Increase speed to high.
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61
Beat in one fourth of the reserved butter about 1 tablespoon at a time.
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62
Then beat in remaining butter by tablespoons.
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63
Scrape down sides.
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64
Beat in bourbon and vanilla.
