MAPLE TREE CAKE

Maple Tree Cake image

Here's a colorful dessert-perfect for fall. A chocolate tree with pretty dried-fruit leaves tops off this maple-flavored cake. -Lorraine Tishmack, Casselton, North Dakota

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 55m

Yield 12 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

4 large eggs, room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 cups sour cream
2 teaspoons maple flavoring
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
Dash salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
6 tablespoons butter, softened
4-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 teaspoon red paste food coloring
1/4 teaspoon yellow paste food coloring

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar. Add sour cream and maple flavoring. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to sour cream mixture and mix well. Fold in pecans. , Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For frosting, in a bowl, cream butter and confectioners' sugar. Add syrup; mix well. Set aside 2/3 cup frosting for decoration. Spread remaining frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake., In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and peanut butter chips; stir until smooth. Transfer to a pastry bag or heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in the corner of bag. Pipe a tree trunk and branches on top of cake. , For decorative leaves, divide the reserved frosting between 2 small bowls. Add red food coloring to 1 bowl; stir to combine. Add yellow food coloring to other bowl; stir to combine. Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag; insert #21 star tip. Spoon the frostings alternately into the bag. Pipe frosting on top of cake to resemble leaves of tree.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 475 calories, Fat 11g fat (5g saturated fat), Cholesterol 54mg cholesterol, Sodium 205mg sodium, Carbohydrate 90g carbohydrate (72g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 6g protein.