Creamy Maple Nut Cake

Cake

• 1/2 cup (125 ml) butter, softened
• 1-1/4 cups (300 ml) brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla
• 2 cups (500 ml) all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt
• 1 cup (250 ml) milk

Frosting

• 2 (8 oz/250 g) pkgs Canadian Cream Cheese brick style, softened
• 1 cup (250 ml) pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup (50 ml) pecan halves

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the bottoms of two buttered 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans with parchment paper.
2. Beat butter in a large bowl until creamy. Blend in sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating between additions. Stir in vanilla.
3. Blend flour with baking powder and salt in another bowl. In three additions, alternating with milk , add the flour to the butter mixture. Beat well between additions.
4. Divide batter between pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until cakes spring back when lightly touched. Cool on a rack.

Frosting

1. Beat Canadian Cream Cheese until smooth, about 5 minutes. Add half the maple syrup and beat until well combined. Slice each cake layer in half to make two more layers.
2. Place the bottom layer of the cake on a platter and brush top with some of the remaining maple syrup. Frost with a thick layer of frosting that just droops over the side of the cake. Repeat with additional layers. Sprinkle with pecans.