All maple syrup cake – Just like America

A friend of ours who spent his summer holiday in the USA visited us. We had everything from watching photos to loads of American souvenirs. I baked this cake for this occasion. Sure this is no authentic American recipe, but it matched the souvenirs nicely.

All maple syrup cake with pecans

For the pecan & maple syrup sponge cake:

- 8 eggs

- 150 ml maple syrup

- zest of a lemon

- a pinch of salt

- 180 g flour

- 12 g baking powder

- 100 g pecan, toasted and ground

For the maple syrup meringue:

- 2 egg whites

- 120 ml maple syrup

- 130 g sugar

- ¼ tsp. tartaric acid

- ¼ tsp. salt

- optional: zest of a lemon/ 1 vanilla pod/ 2 tbsp. rum/ 2 tbsp. apricot jam/ 2 tbsp. pecan, toasted and ground

- for the top: butter caramels, cut in pieces

Preparation:

1. For the sponge cake beat the egg yolks until light and foamy, then pour the maple syrup to the egg yolks while stirring constantly. Add the lemon zest and the salt and mix them well.

2. Sift together the flour and the baking powder and add the pecans.

3. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form, then fold the egg whites and the flour & pecan mixture to the egg yolks in turns.

4. Pour the batter to a baking pan (buttered & sprinkled with flour) and bake until golden brown (appr. 40 minutes) in the oven preheated to 160°C.

5. For the meringue beat all ingredients with the exception of the optional ingredients in a double boiler until stiff peaks form. In the end, mix in the optional ingredient(s) chosen.

6. Pile the meringue on the sponge cake and sprinkle it with the pieces of butter caramels.