Ingredients
- 200 ml Quebec maple syrup
- 100 g butter
- 3 large eggs
- 280 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 200 g sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 60 ml water
- 200 g cream cheese (frosting layer)
- 100 ml maple syrup (frosting)
Method
- Heat maple syrup and butter until warm; cool slightly, then beat with eggs.
- Fold in flour, baking soda, and salt; alternate with sour cream and water.
- Divide batter into 3 greased 20 cm pans; bake at 160 °C for 18–20 min each layer.
- Cool layers completely.
- Layer cakes with frosting made from cream cheese beaten with 100 ml maple syrup; refrigerate 2 hours before serving.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 250 g granulated sugar (batter) + 150 g powdered sugar (frosting)
Conversion used: Batter: use 200 ml maple syrup (replaces 250 g sugar); reduce water to 60 ml; adjust baking soda to 1 tsp for syrup acidity. Frosting: use 100 ml maple syrup (replaces powdered sugar); creates silky spread. Oven −15 °C.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple syrup mimics honey's deep caramel complexity in this Central/Eastern European cake tradition. Local Quebec product sustains culinary heritage while reducing carbon footprint.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →