Maple Cake

This marvelous maple cake makes a wonderful ending to a great meal.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 cup walnut halves - divided use
1 1/2 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons light olive oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg whites, room temperature
11/2 cups Splenda® Granulated No Calorie Sweetener
5/8 cup non-fat dry milk
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup Log Cabin® Sugar Free Low Calorie Syrup
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 pinch salt
1/3 cup light whipping cream

Cooking Directions:

1. For Cake: Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Toast nuts until fragrant, approximately 4 to 6 minutes. Let cool.
2. Combine 2/3 cup nuts, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a food processor or blender. Process until nuts are finely ground.
3. In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl beat eggs, egg whites, Splenda® Granulated Sweetener and non-fat, dry milk with an electric mixer on high speed, until mixture is thick and pale, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Fold a portion of the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Then fold a portion of the wet ingredients into the egg mixture. Continue process until both the dry and wet ingredients are combined with the egg mixture. Start and end with the dry ingredients.
6. Bake in two greased and floured 9-inch round pans at 325°F (160°C) for 25 minutes.
7. For Maple Cream Frosting and Drizzle: In a small bowl, combine water and vanilla. Sprinkle with gelatin and let soften for 1 minute.
8. In a double boiler bring about 1 inch of water to a slight simmer. In a heatproof mixing bowl, combine egg whites, syrup, cream of tartar and salt. Set bowl over simmering water and beat with an electric mixer on low speed, moving beaters constantly, until an instant thermometer reads 140°F (60°C). This should take approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
9. Increase mixer speed to high and continue beating for 3 minutes. Remove bowl from heat. Add gelatin mixture and continue to beat until cooled to room temperature, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
10. In a chilled bowl, beat cream with electric mixer until firm peaks form. Fold into meringue with rubber spatula.
11. To Assemble and Decorate Cake: Place 1 cake layer, top-side down, on a cake plate. Spread 1 cup frosting on cake. Top with second cake layer top-side up. Spread remaining frosting over top.

Makes 16 servings.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/16 of recipe): Calories 170 | Calories from Fat 80 | Fat 9g (sat 1.5g) | Cholesterol 30mg | Sodium 320mg | Carbohydrates 17g | Fiber 1g | Sugars 4g | Protein 6g.

Recipe courtesy of Splenda, Inc. Splenda® is a no-calorie sweetener made from sugar that is suitable for diabetics. For more information regarding this product, please call 1-800-777-5363 or visit their website at www.splenda.com.