Serves: 24, Calories: 319

Ingredients

Cake:

• 350g caster sugar.  1400
• 120ml veg oil, OR, 160g soft butter.  1202
• 3 large eggs.  225
• 1 tbsp vanilla essence (or 1.½ tsp extract).  51
• 100ml sour cream (optional).  187
• 300g plain flour, sifted.  1026
• 100g pecans, crushed.  712
• 3 tsp baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 200ml milk (room temp / microwave from cold on defrost for 40 secs).  98

Buttercream Topping: (whisked)

• 190g butter, softened.  1427
• 265g icing sugar, sifted.  1060
• 25ml maple syrup.  91
• 25g pecans, crushed, to sprinkle.  178

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4.
2. Grease and line 12x9" Pyrex roaster.
3. All ingredients must be warm room temp.
4. Cake: In large mixing bowl; Cream butter and sugar.
5. Add eggs one at a time, whisking well between additions.
6. Whisk in vanilla and sour cream.
7. Briefly fold in ½ flour, ½ pecans, plus baking powder, salt and ½ milk.
8. Fold in remaining flour, pecans and milk until just combined.
9. Pour into dish. Bake for 75 mins. Cover with foil from 35 mins.
10. Cool for 40 mins in dish. Remove. Cool completely.
11. Buttercream: In medium Pyrex bowl; Whisk butter and icing sugar, with a fork, until pale and creamy.
12. Whisk in maple syrup until smooth and spreadable.
13. Top cake with buttercream and pecans.

Calories = 7657

• 7657 / 24 = 319
• 7657 / 20 = 383

Tip: Makes 24 cupcakes. Bake for 16-20 mins.

Tip: Substitute sour cream for Greek yogurt, OR, Mascarpone, OR, leave out entirely. Cake will taste fine but not be as moist after 2 days.