Why You’ll Love This Maple Cake
- Ease of preparation: This maple cake recipe is simple and quick to make, requiring minimal ingredients and short cooking time, perfect for busy schedules.
- Health benefits: Made with wholesome ingredients, this maple cake offers nutritional advantages such as natural sweeteners and essential nutrients, making it a healthier dessert option.
- Versatility: The recipe adapts well to different dietary needs, including vegan, gluten-free, and low-calorie modifications, ensuring everyone can enjoy it.
- Distinctive flavor: The unique blend of maple syrup and complementary spices gives the cake a rich, distinctive flavor that sets it apart from other desserts.
Essential Ingredients for maple cake
- 3 cups (390g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt (fine sea salt preferred)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice (optional)
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil or neutral flavored oil
- 1 cup (200g) dark or light brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ to 1 cup (180–240ml) pure maple syrup, room temperature (100% pure recommended)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120g) full-fat sour cream, room temperature (or ½ cup 2% Greek yogurt plus ½ tbsp white vinegar)
- ½ cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature
Maple Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 5 cups (600g) powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ to ½ cup (80–120ml) pure maple syrup
- Optional: 1 to 2 teaspoons maple extract for enhanced flavor
- Chopped pecans for garnish (optional)
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients (Alternative)
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (227g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons maple extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar
- 1 cup pecans for garnish
Special Dietary Options:
- Vegan: Substitute eggs with flaxseed meal (1 tbsp flaxmeal + 3 tbsp water per egg), replace butter and sour cream with plant-based alternatives, and use plant milk instead of whole milk.
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, adjusting baking time as needed.
- Low-calorie: Reduce butter, swap some maple syrup with unsweetened applesauce, and consider light dairy substitutes.
Measuring flour correctly is key to perfect texture spoon into your cup and level without shaking to avoid dense cake batter. Using all ingredients at room temperature helps create a smooth, well-mixed batter.
For a richer maple flavor in frosting, consider adding a small amount of maple extract, but use sparingly to avoid overpowering the natural maple syrup taste.
Want to try variations? Swap or add warm spices like nutmeg or cloves for complexity, or garnish with toasted pecans for texture contrast.
To learn more about proper flour measurement, see How to Measure Flour Accurately.
Print
maple cake
🍁 Enjoy the deep, warm sweetness of this Maple Cake, a truly indulgent dessert with layers of soft texture and rich flavor.
🍰 Perfect for fall and winter gatherings, this maple cake with its creamy frosting offers a comforting treat sure to impress guests!
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours
- Yield: 12 slices
Ingredients
– 3 cups (390g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
– 2 teaspoons baking powder
– 1 teaspoon baking soda
– ½ to ¾ teaspoon salt (fine sea salt preferred)
– 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
– ½ teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
– ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
– ½ teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
– ½ teaspoon ground allspice (optional)
– ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
– ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil or neutral flavored oil
– 1 cup (200g) dark or light brown sugar, packed
– 3 large eggs, room temperature
– ¾ to 1 cup (180–240ml) pure maple syrup, room temperature (100% pure recommended)
– 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
– ½ cup (120g) full-fat sour cream, room temperature (or ½ cup 2% Greek yogurt plus ½ tbsp white vinegar)
– ½ cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature
– 1 ½ cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
– 5 cups (600g) powdered sugar, sifted
– ½ teaspoon salt
– 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
– ⅓ to ½ cup (80–120ml) pure maple syrup
– Optional: 1 to 2 teaspoons maple extract for enhanced flavor
– Chopped pecans for garnish (optional)
– 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, room temperature
– 1 cup (227g) cream cheese, room temperature
– 2 teaspoons maple extract
– 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
– ½ teaspoon salt
– 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar
– 1 cup pecans for garnish
Instructions
1-Preparation: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2-Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3-Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition.
4-Combine Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
5-Cooking: Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6-Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
🔪 Measure flour carefully by spooning into the measuring cup and leveling without shaking to avoid adding excess flour.
🌡️ Use all room temperature ingredients for best texture and even mixing.
🧊 Chill cake layers before assembly to make frosting and layering easier.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cooling and chilling time: 1–2 hours
- Cook Time: 20–35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 600–640 kcal
- Sugar: 55–63 g
- Fat: 31–33 g
- Saturated Fat: 18–20 g
- Carbohydrates: 75–87 g
- Protein: 5–7 g
This maple cake looks delicious! 🍁 I can’t wait to try it this weekend. Do you think adding a little cinnamon would enhance the flavor, or would it overpower the maple syrup?