MAPLE SPICE CAKE WITH BUTTERSCOTCH MAPLE SAUCE AND SUGARED PECANS

Cake
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• Pinch salt
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 cups vanilla ice cream

BUTTER SCOTCH MAPLE SAUCE AND SUGARED PECANS.
• 2 1/2 cups pecans
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1-cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup whipping cream

In saucepan, combine pecans, brown sugar and maple syrup; bring just to simmer over low heat and simmer, without boiling, until nuts darken about 1 hour.

Reserving sauce, strain pecans and spread on greased rimmed baking sheet; bake in 350oF oven, stirring twice, until slightly crisp and sugarcoated, about 15 minutes. Let cool. In saucepan or in bowl in microwave oven, beat cream until steaming. Stir into sauce. Make-ahead; Store pecans in airtight container for up to 1 week. Refrigerate sauce in airtight container for up to 1 week.

CAKE

In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy; beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in maple syrup. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and salt; stir into maple mixture alternately with milk, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of milk.

Scrape into greased 13 x 9 inch metal cake pan. Bake in centre of 350o oven until golden and cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool on rack. Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. Or over wrap with heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.

Cut cake into 12 pieces. Drizzle 1 tbsp of the sauce onto each plate; top with cake and ice cream. Drizzle with more sauce. Sprinkle with pecans. Makes 12 servings.