Homemade on Long Island: Bon Appetit's Maple-Gingerbread Layer Cake with Salted Maple-Caramel Sauce

This weekend we are having a big family party to send off my brother who is preparing to serve our country in Afghanistan. It is November, but not yet Thanksgiving, so I was looking for a recipe that paid homage to the season. When I found this one, I knew it would be perfect to the crowd of 20 I am expecting. The caramel is sweet while the cake is savory. The frosting is light and balances out the other two ingredients.

I did have a difficult time finding the ingredients. Maple Sugar and Maple Extract had to be purchased online at Amazon.com. I went to all of the usual grocery stores, crafting stores and natural grocery stores and was unable to find what I needed. Stop and Shop had the Maple Sugar in the baking aisle but it was a small amount (not enough in one container for the recipe) for a lot of money. I was able to buy organic maple sugar from Coombs at Amazon. I also found a 2 pack of Maple Extract that I split with a friend who was also looking for it.

Creme fraiche was also elusive. I found it at Whole Foods and it was local. Mine comes from Ronnybrook Farm located upstate New York. This made me feel better about buying the other ingredients over the Internet, which was not local.

Many of the ingredients I used are organic. The only non-organic ingredients are the Maple Extract, Five spice power and the crystallized ginger. At least the ginger is from Trader Joe's. I do recommend going there to get the ginger because the small size available in the spice aisle at the grocery store is so much more expensive. You just have to cut it yourself. The five spice powder is from Whole Foods. It is an expensive recipe to make organically or conventionally, so the choice is yours.

The recipe is not difficult to make but it is time consuming. There are many different steps but only a few more than a basic cake and this cake's results are far from basic. I highly recommend making this cake in the fall or even for Christmas. It has those flavors that remind you of the holidays. Bring this to your Thanksgiving or Christmas table this year, it is a guaranteed hit.

Here is the recipe as it appears in Bon Appetit

Maple-Coated Pecans

3/4 cup pecan halves, toasted
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (preferably Grade B)
Coarse kosher salt

Cake

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/3 cup chopped crystallized ginger (1 1/2 to 2 ounces)
1 cup maple sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
3/4 cup hot water
2/3 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses

Frosting

1 1/3 cups chilled crème fraîche
1 1/3 cups chilled heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup maple sugar
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
Salted Maple-Caramel Sauce (see below)

Preparation

Maple-Coated Pecans

Place large piece of foil on work surface. Combine nuts and maple syrup in heavy medium skillet (do not use nonstick) over medium-high heat and bring to boil, tossing to coat. Cook until syrup is dark amber and almost cooked away and thickly coats nuts, tossing often, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes.

Syrup boiling and cooking down

Scrape nuts onto foil.

Done and on the foil

Working quickly with 2 forks, separate nuts. Sprinkle with coarse salt. Cool until coating is crisp and hard, about 1 hour.

DO AHEAD Pecans can be made 1 day ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Pecans are ready

Salted Maple Caramel

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup maple sugar
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
5 to 6 drops imitation maple extract

Preparation

Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add sugar. Whisk until sugar melts and mixture is thick and boiling, 2 to 3 minutes.

Maple Sugar

Butter and maple sugar cooking

Gradually whisk in cream.

Cream added, now bring to a boil and reduce

Bring sauce to boil, whisking often. Boil until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon and is reduced to 1 cup, whisking often, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in coarse salt and extract.

Caramel sauce is complete

DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cool, cover, and chill.

Frosting

Combine crème fraîche, cream, and both sugars in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until very thick and stiff.

Creme Fraiche

Ingredients ready to mix

Done

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Combine first 4 ingredients in processor; add ginger. Blend until ginger is finely ground, about 1 minute.