Maple Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Walnut Streusel and Maple Glaze

I spent some time last evening baking for friends we were going to visit today. I made three coffee cakes, all of which will be featured here over the course of the next few days. All the cakes are delicious, but the one I'm focusing on tonight is a bit different than most you've encountered. It is a sour cream cake and, as such, is wonderfully moist, but what makes it unusual is its lovely maple flavor. That flavor is neither easy nor cheap to come by. Under no circumstances can maple-flavored or pancake syrup be used to make this cake. You need the genuine article and to extract the best flavor you are going to want to use Grade B syrup. In the United States maple syrup is divided into two major grades: Grade A and Grade B. Detailed information about the various grades of syrup, here and in other countries, can be found on Wikipedia. For our purposes, all you need to know that Grade B syrup is darker and more flavorful than Grade A. Not surprisingly, it is more expensive. I first saw this cake on the blog the Bookcooker. The recipe for this cake originally appeared in Gourmet magazine and can be found on the Epicurious website. The recipe for the maple glaze is from a recipe developed by Martha Stewart and it can be found on her site. I used my infamous cut and paste technique to make the cake you see above. I do have a few tips to share with you. Be sure to use a paper lined spring form pan and follow directions for releasing and cooling the cake. If you plan to glaze the cake, drizzle the glaze over the cake before it has a chance to cool and set up. You may have to play with the timing as well. My cake took 70 minutes to bake. If you enjoy maple flavor I suspect you'll like this coffee cake. If not, stay tuned , I have others coming. Here's the recipe for today's cake.

Maple Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Walnut Streusel and Maple Glaze...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Gourmet Magazine and Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

Streusel

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup toasted walnuts

2 /3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 /4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon maple extract

Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour

1-1/4 teaspoons double-acting baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1-1/2 teaspoons maple extract

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

3/4 cup sour cream

Glaze

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons Grade B maple syrup

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions:

1) To make the streusel: In a food processor blend flour, walnuts, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, and salt until nuts are ground and mixture is crumbly. Stir maple extract into syrup, then add syrup to mixture in processor bowl and pulse until combined. Set aside.

2) To make cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Butter paper. Dust pan with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl. Place butter and brown sugar in bowl of an electric stand mixer. Cream until mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in maple syrup, maple extract and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with sour cream. Beat batter after each addition just until combined. Spoon 1/2 of batter into prepared pan. Top with half of streusel mixture. Cover with remaining batter and spread with reserved streusel. Bake in middle of oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Remove sides of spring form. Carefully invert cake on a cooling rack and remove bottom of pan and parchment paper. Turn cake right-side up onto another rack and cool completely.

3) To prepare glaze: In a small saucepan, melt butter and syrup together over medium heat. Whisk confectioners' sugar into hot mixture until smooth, and immediately drizzle over cooled cake. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.