Maple Walnut Cake That’ll Make Your Kitchen Smell Like a Canadian Dream

Maple Walnut Cake That’ll Make Your Kitchen Smell Like a Canadian Dream

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 12-16 slices
Difficulty level: Easy to Intermediate
Dietary tags: Vegetarian (contains eggs, dairy, tree nuts)

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

• Bundt pan (10-12 cup) or two 8-inch round cake pans
• Electric mixer (stand or handheld)
• Two large mixing bowls
• Wire whisk
• Rubber spatula
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Toothpick for testing
• Wire cooling rack

Simple alternatives: Use a handheld mixer if you don’t own a stand mixer, and parchment paper works just as well as greasing and flouring your pans.

INGREDIENTS

For the Cake:

• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour (270g)
• 1¼ cups unsalted butter (280g), room temperature
• 1¼ cups white sugar (250g)
• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ cup pure maple syrup (120ml) – go for the dark stuff
• ¾ cup buttermilk (180ml), room temperature
• ½ cup vegetable oil (120ml)
• 1½ cups walnuts (180g), finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon maple extract
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Maple Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• ½ teaspoon maple extract

(Substitutions: Swap walnuts for pecans if you prefer, use sour cream instead of buttermilk, or try black walnuts for an earthier punch)

METHOD

Getting Started

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Grease your Bundt pan like your life depends on it – use shortening or butter, then dust with flour and tap out the excess.
3. Pull your butter, eggs, and buttermilk from the fridge an hour before baking. Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable if you want a cake that isn’t dense as a brick.
4. Toast your walnuts in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes until fragrant, then chop them finely. This step transforms them from “meh” to “magnificent.”

Making the Batter

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
2. In your largest bowl, beat butter and sugar with your electric mixer for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy. This isn’t a suggestion – proper creaming gives you that tender crumb.
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Don’t rush this.
4. Pour in maple syrup, maple extract, and vanilla. The batter might look curdled. Don’t panic – it’ll come together.
5. Mix the buttermilk and oil together in a measuring cup.
6. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk mixture in two additions. Start and end with dry ingredients. Mix on the lowest speed only until just combined.
7. Fold in the chopped walnuts gently with a spatula. You’re folding, not beating them into submission.
8. Pour batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top. Give it one firm tap on the counter to release air bubbles.

Baking

1. Bake for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
2. The top might crack slightly. That’s normal and actually looks rather charming.
3. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes – no more, no less. Too soon and it’ll fall apart; too long and it’ll stick.
4. Turn out onto a wire cooling rack and let it cool completely before glazing. I mean completely. Go fold laundry or something.

Making the Glaze

1. Whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup, melted butter, and maple extract until smooth.
2. The consistency should be thick but pourable. Add more maple syrup to thin it out, or more powdered sugar to thicken.
3. Drizzle over the completely cooled cake in a random, artistic pattern. There’s no wrong way to do this.
4. Top with walnut halves if you’re feeling fancy.

CRUCIAL TIPS

• Room temperature ingredients matter. Cold eggs and butter create a dense, tough cake that nobody wants.
• Don’t skimp on the maple syrup quality. Fake maple syrup is an insult to this cake and to Canada.
• The batter will look curdled when you add the maple syrup. This is normal chemistry. Keep going.
• Use finely chopped walnuts. Large chunks sink to the bottom like the Titanic.
• Test for doneness at 45 minutes. Ovens vary wildly, and nobody likes a dry cake.
• Let it cool completely before glazing. Warm cake + glaze = a melted mess that slides right off.

STORAGE & VARIATIONS

Storage:

Keep covered at room temperature for 2 days. After that, refrigerate for up to a week. Freeze unfrosted cake wrapped tightly in plastic and foil for up to 3 months.

Scaling:

Double everything for a crowd. This recipe scales beautifully, though baking time might increase by 5-10 minutes.

Common Mistakes:

• Overmixing after adding flour (creates tough, chewy texture)
• Not greasing the pan thoroughly (cake sticks and your heart breaks)
• Cutting into it while still warm (it’ll crumble into sad pieces)
• Using imitation maple flavoring exclusively (tastes like sadness and chemicals)

Variations I Actually Recommend:

• Layer Cake Version: Divide batter between two 8-inch pans, bake for 25-30 minutes, frost with maple cream cheese frosting
• Spiced Maple Walnut: Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• Maple Pecan: Swap walnuts for pecans for a milder, buttery flavor
• Whole Wheat Boost: Replace 1 cup all-purpose flour with whole wheat for added nutrition