Autumn Maple Pecan Layer Cake With Penuche Fudge Frosting Recipes

GRANDMA'S PENUCHE FROSTING

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan.
• Add brown sugar and bring to a boil.
• continue cooking for 1 minute until thickens.
• Let set 15 minutes.
• Mix in hot milk.
• Add powdered sugar gradually till spreading consisitancy.
• If it gets too thick add a little milk.

MAPLE PECAN LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease 3 6" cake pans. Set aside.
• Start by creaming the butter, granulated white sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer.
• Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix for one minute until pale in color.
• Next add in the maple syrup and buttermilk and combine.
• In a small bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine.
• Lastly mix in the finely chopped pecans.
• Divide the batter evenly between the three cake pans.
• Bake the cakes for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick/cake tester comes out clean from the centers.
• Let the cakes cool in the pans after baking for 10 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack to completely cool.
• Add the unsalted butter to a sauce pan and heat over medium low heat until the butter simmers. Stir the butter occasionally. The butter will bubble as it is heated and it will start to turn a light golden brown color.
• Once you see that it has turned brown and is giving off a slightly nutty scent, remove it from the heat.
• Transfer the brown butter to a large mixing bowl and place that bowl over a larger bowl of ice to cool the butter quickly. Stir the butter with a spatula while it is cooling to ensure it cools evenly. (Putting it over ice helps it to cool the quickest.) Cool it until it is about the same consistency as regular softened butter. You should be able to easily stir and spread the brown butter.
• Once it is cooled add in the salt and whip the butter with an electric mixer for 5-10 minutes until it is pale in color and fluffy.
• Sift in the powdered sugar a little at a time until it is all added.
• Lastly add in the vanilla and mix the frosting until it is light and fluffy, about one more minute.
• Once the cakes are completely cooled you can assemble the cake. You can simply fill each layer with and frost the outside with brown butter buttercream. (However, if you are looking to make a really beautiful cake, follow the extra steps in the above blog post).
• Serve the cake right away, or keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Store left overs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days for the freshest, best flavor.

AUTUMN MAPLE PECAN LAYER CAKE WITH PENUCHE FUDGE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Butter 2 8-inch round cake pans, and line them with parchment paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add the maple syrup, stirring until smooth. Alternately add the flour and the hot water, a little at a time, stirring gently until combined and smooth. Stir in the chopped walnuts.
• Divide the batter between the two prepared pans, and bake in a 350F degree preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Let the cakes cool in their pans on a rack for 8 to 10 minutes, then carefully unmold them and allow them to cool completely on the rack.
• At this point, you can individually wrap the completely cooled cakes in cling wrap, place in an airtight container, and refrigerate or freeze them until needed. Allow the cakes to defrost completely before filling and frosting them.
• Make the frosting shortly before you want to frost the cake, as it will get harder with time.
• For the frosting/filling, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring all the while; continue to boil and stir for about 1 minute, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thickened (watch carefully). Off the heat, and whisk in the coffee powder, the 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 tablespoons milk, and the maple and vanilla extracts, stirring well to combine. Allow to cool slightly, then gradually add the powdered sugar, beating after each addition, until smooth and glossy and of the desired spreadable consistency; beat in a little milk, a tablespoon at a time, if it gets too thick.
• Place one of the cakes onto a cake plate or pedestal, and spoon some of the frosting/filling over the top, spreading evenly with a flat spatula; sprinkle with chopped pecans. Place the other cake on top and evenly spread the remaining frosting over the top of the cake. Decorate the top of the cake with the pecan halves. Just before serving, you may adorn the plate with autumn leaves as desired.
• This cake is best eaten the day it's frosted.
• Makes about 8-10 slices.

MAPLE PECAN POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Cake: preheat the oven to 325°; grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and dust it with flour; tap out the excess flour.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
• Combine the eggs, maple extract and vanilla in a glass measuring cup and lightly beat.
• *Throughout the mixing of the batter, stop mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed*.
• Combine the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl; cream with an electric mixer on med-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes; stir in the maple syrup until smooth.
• Decrease mixer speed to med-low; pour the egg mixture into the bowl in a slow stream; mix until incorporated.
• Decrease mixer speed to low; add the flour mixture, 1/2 at a time; after the last addition, mix for 30 seconds.
• Stir in pecans.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.
• Bake the cake until it is golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack, and then turn it right side up on a rack to cool completely.
• Glaze: combine the glaze ingredients in a bowl; whisk until smooth.
• Move the whisk back and forth across the cake, drizzling it over the top and letting it drip down the sides.
• Let stand until the glaze sets, about 1 hour.
• Slice and serve; store uneaten cake in a cake keeper.

NANNY'S PUMPKIN COOKIES WITH MAPLE PENUCHE FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In large bowl or mixer beat together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 cup butter until light and fluffy.
• Add pumpkin, vanilla, and egg and blend well.
• Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt mix well.
• Stir in pecans.
• Drop by rounded spoonfuls (an 80 scoop works great!) a couple of inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 350°F for 10-12 min or just until the edges only are light golden brown.
• Immediately remove from cookie sheets and cool on rack.
• Maple Penuche Frosting.
• In a medium sauce pan combine 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, 3 tbls butter and bring to a boil.
• Add maple syrup and cook over medium heat for 1 minute or until slightly thickened, stirring constantly!
• Let cool 10 minutes.
• Add cream; and beat until smooth.
• Beat in powdered sugar gradually until desired consistency for frosting.
• Frost cooled cookies and keep in single layer in an air tight container to keep moist and fresh--that is if they last that long!

PECAN FUDGE RIPPLE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Beat shortening at medium until fluffy; gradually add 1 1/2 cup sugar, beating well.
• Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time beating until blended after each addition.
• Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to shortening mixture, alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix at low after each addition until blended.
• Beat 3 more minutes at high speed, stopping once to scrape down sides. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Pour batter into prepared pans. Set aside.
• In another bowl beat cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter and cornstarch at medium until creamy.
• Gradually add sweetened condensed milk, beating well. Add 1 egg; beat well.
• Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over batter.
• Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.
• To make the frosting beat 2/3 cups butter at medium until creamy.
• Combine powdered sugar and 1 1/2 cups cocoa; add to butter alternately with 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk, beginning and ending with powdered sugar mixture. Beat until spreading consistency.
• Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts.

MAPLE PECAN FUDGE

Steps:

• Line 8" x 8" baking pan with parchment paper and butter thoroughly.
• In a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan combine butter, maple syrup, cream, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Stirring constantly, cook over low heat until sugar has dissolved (about 10 minutes). Clip candy thermometer to the pan. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat and cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 240 degrees on candy thermometer (about 20-25 minutes). *Do NOT stir, as sugar will crystallize!
• Remove pan from heat and let mixture cool until candy thermometer drops to 160 degrees.
• Pour mixture into mixing bowl.
• Add vanilla extract to mixture and beat until mixture loses glossy appearance (about 5-10 minutes).
• Fold in pecans and mix thoroughly.
• Transfer mixture to parchment lined pan. Press fudge evenly into pan. Place pan on a cooling rack and score fudge into desired sized bites. Cool thoroughly (about 2 hours).
• Flip over onto a cutting board, remove and discard parchment. Flip again so score marks are visible.
• Using a sharp, heavy knife, cut fudge.
• Place fudge in waxed paper lined air-tight container. Place waxed paper in between each layer of fudge.

MAPLE PECAN FUDGE

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil that overhangs. Coat the foil with 1 tbsp of the butter.
• In a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, cook the maple syrup, half-and-half, sugar, corn syrup, and salt until the sugar is dissolved (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly with a wooded spoon or heatproof spatula.
• Bring he mixture to a boil over medium heat, then brush down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to prevent the sugar from crystallizing.
• Place a candy thermometer in the pan and cook the mixture without stirring until it registers 238°F on the thermometer (about 15 minutes).
• Remove the pan from the heat, remove the thermometer and place in warm water to cool it.
• Sprinkle a marble board, or the back of a baking sheet with cold water, and immediately pour the hot mixture on the marble DO NOT SCRAPE THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN! (THIS CREATES HARD PARTS AND WILL THROW OFF THE CONSISTENCY OF THE WHOLE BATCH).
• Dot the surface with remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Let the mixture cool on the marble until it registers 110 F on the thermometer (about 5 minutes, or 15 minutes with a baking sheet).
• Scrape the mixture into a stand mixer, add the vanilla, and with the paddle attachment, beat for 5-10 minutes until it looses its shine and thickens OR put in a bowl and use a wooden spoon.
• Add chopped pecans, turn into prepared pan and use fingertips to even the top and press the fudge into the corners. Place the pan on a cooling rack and let set for 2 hours.