Maple Walnut Cake

"The warming smells and flavors of maple and toasted nuts come together to create a cake that will leave folks begging for another slice. Trust me! We actually had to slice this cake up and freeze it to keep ourselves from going crazy and eating it all in a single weekend. We’ve taken this cake to friends’ and neighbors’ houses, and it always gets high reviews. It’s delicious! I used a classic American buttercream with the addition of a bit of maple syrup for this cake, but Laura pointed out that a cream cheese frosting would work here, too. She’s right. Although the ingredients aren’t the same, this cake does remind me a bit of carrot cake thanks to the chopped nuts. And carrot cake goes well with cream cheese frosting. Both versions would be delicious!"