Glazed Maple Buttermilk Loaf Cake

Springtime always makes me think of maple.  Real deal maple syrup.  This Glazed Maple Buttermilk Loaf Cake uses real maple syrup for a delicious maple flavored cake.

This time of year, I think of those huge sugar maples being tapped and letting off their wonderful sap when mother nature allows the temperatures to be just right and only for a short window of time in early spring.  Maple syrup harvesting is truly a labor of love.  Did you know it takes 40 - 50 gallons of sap to produce just one gallon of maple syrup?  Wow. You can appreciate the price of maple syrup after learning that bit of information! And real maple syrup is pricey...no doubt about that. 

Maple syrup is categorized in different grades.  Each grade corresponds to the lightness or darkness of the syrup.  Generally, the darker the maple syrup, the more robust the maple flavor.  But grade alone does not determine flavor.  You may have two samples of the same grade side by side with two entirely different flavors.  Such is the charm of pure maple syrup. 

Since I only had Grade A pure maple syrup available to me, I boosted the flavor of this bread with a bit of Watkins Imitation Maple Flavoring.  I also used it to make the glaze maple flavored.

The cake itself is quite light and moist, thanks to the buttermilk.  The original recipe called it a pound cake, but I found it to not be anywhere near as dense as a pound cake usually is.  I chose to call my version a loaf cake and I think that name fits perfect! 

Glazed Buttermilk Loaf Cake

By Renee's Kitchen Adventures

Ingredients

• for cake:
• 1/2 cup grade A maple syrup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. imitation maple extract
• 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• for glaze:
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. imitation maple extract
• milk, if needed, to thin

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9"x5"x3" loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. In large bowl, combine syrup, sugar, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, maple extract, and lemon zest. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry to the wet and mix to just combine. Add oil and mix to incorporate.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool cake for 10 minutes in pan, then turn onto wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, make the glaze by combining all the glaze ingredients and pour over the cake. Allow the glaze to set a bit before serving.

Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.

Cook time: 01 hrs. 00 mins.
Total time: 1 hrs. 10 mins.

Servings - 16   Serving Size - 1/16th of cake   Points Plus per Serving - 4 Points+

Calories - 158.9,   Total Fat - 7.9g,   Carb. - 19.5g,   Protein - 2.8g,   Fiber - 0.3g

I really love maple.  With the addition of the maple extract, this cake delivers on maple flavor. It's not a flavor often associated with cakes, so it's nice change from the ordinary.   It's great in the afternoon with a cup of coffee or tea. I think I might make this cake in a bundt pan the next time I make it.  It would make a pretty bundt cake!

There is an area to the northeast of me that is known for its Ohio maple syrup.  I'm lucky because it's pretty easy to find the pure stuff, although the price is still pretty high.  I wonder how the harvest has gone this season with all the really cold weather we've had?  If you love maple like I do, you might want to give this recipe for Maple-Walnut Candies a try too!

It seems that the weather, just maybe, has finally decided to corporate with the calendar.  We've got a slow climb in temps coming this week.  I've got a ton of outside work to get done!  It would be great if I could get out and get started on it.  My daffodils and tulips are trying their hardest to appear out of the ground.