Strawberry and Chocolate Maple Cake

Maple syrup cake

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 Pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cup maple syrup (preferably amber syrup for its rich flavour)
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Strawberry and maple jam

• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 1/2 cups frozen strawberries, defrosted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate-maple ganache

• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup 35% cream
• 2 tablespoons Sortilège (Canadian whisky and maple syrup liqueur)
• 2 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Maple fondant

• 1 tablespoon gelatin
• 3 c. à soupe water
• 1 tablespoon glycerin (from pharmacies)
• 1/4 cup liquid glucose (from pastry stores)
• 2 cups maple sugar
• 2 cups cornstarch
• A few drops of red gel food colouring

Maple syrup cake

1. Preheat oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Place rack in centre of oven.
2. Butter three 20-cm (8-in) diameter cake tins. Line bottom with parchment paper.
3. In a bowl, sift flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Set aside.
4. Mix oil and maple syrup together. Add eggs and vanilla, and mix well. Add sifted ingredients and stir in well. Pour batter into tins.
5. Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into centre of cake comes out clean.
6. Let cool 10 minutes, then run a thin blade around cakes to separate from tin. Remove cakes from tins and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

Strawberry and maple jam

1. In a large saucepan, whisk maple syrup and cornstarch together. Add strawberries and vanilla essence, bring to a boil and reduce to medium heat until thickened, stirring regularly.
2. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before adding filling to cake.

Chocolate-maple ganache

1. In a small saucepan, bring maple syrup and cream to a boil over low heat. Remove from heat.
2. Add Sortilège liqueur and chocolate, then stir until chocolate has melted to form a smooth ganache. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour before icing cake.

Maple fondant

1. Add gelatin and water to a saucepan. Leave to swell for a few minutes.
2. Over a low heat, dissolve gelatin, then add glycerin and glucose. Let cool for 2.
3. Using a food processor, blend maple sugar and cornstarch together. Add gelatin mixture and pulse until a ball forms.
4. Remove dough from bowl and knead on work surface, adding a little cornstarch if dough is too soft. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
5. With a rolling pin, roll out dough on work surface dusted with cornstarch.
6. Set aside some fondant for decorative white bands on bow and ribbon. Add food colouring to remaining fondant and mix well.
7. With some red fondant, create a ribbon and bow. Add to cake.
8. Use leftover fondant to make mini snowballs and place them around cake.