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Yield:

1 (9×13-inch) cake, 2 (9×2-inch)

round cakes, or 24 to 30 cup-

cakes

Prep time:

40 to 45

minutes

Bake time:

20 to 45 minutes

Serving size:

1 slice cake, or 1 cupcake

2½ cups unbleached all-purpose

flour

½ cup cornstarch

2 tsp. baking soda

1 TB. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. salt

2 cups light brown sugar, firmly

packed

⅓ cup canola or vegetable oil

⅓ cup pure maple syrup, dark

amber or Grade B

2 tsp. pure maple extract

2 TB. white or apple cider vinegar

2 cups lukewarm water

1 cup walnuts, finely chopped

(optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly coat a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking oil spray, or line 24 to 30 muffin cups with paper cupcake liners. If using 9×2-inch round cake pans, oil 2 pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

2. Into a medium bowl, sift together unbleached all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt, or blend with a wire whisk. Add light brown sugar, and blend with a wooden spoon or a whisk, breaking up lumps as needed.

3. In a large bowl, and using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed, mix canola oil, maple syrup, maple extract, white vinegar, and lukewarm water. Reduce speed to low, add ½ of dry ingredients to liquid ingredients, and mix to combine, scraping the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula. Add remaining dry ingredients, and mix for 1 or 2 more minutes, scraping down the bowl, until batter is nice and smooth with no lumps.

4. Pour batter into the prepared pans, or divide evenly among the cupcake tins, filling each cup about ¾ full. Bake 9×13-inch cake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Bake round cake layers for 25 to 35 minutes. Bake cupcakes for 20 to 30 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched.

5. Cool 9×13-inch cake and cupcakes completely on wire racks before frosting or freezing. Cool round layers and cupcakes 10 minutes before loosening from the pans. Gently remove round layers and cupcakes from the pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Cool 9×13-inch cake in its pan.

6. Frost with your choice of frosting (try Maple Walnut Frosting, variation in Chapter 21), and sprinkle chopped walnuts (if using), over top of cake. Or double-wrap in plastic and freeze.

BATTER UP!

Don’t skimp and get the cheap maple syrup for this recipe. Go for the real stuff!

Lemon Bundt Cake

This moist “sour cream” pound cake, flavored with fresh-squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest, is baked in a Bundt pan, and drizzled with lemon powdered sugar glaze. It’s sweet and tart and very pretty.

Yield:

1 (12-cup) Bundt cake

Prep time:

40 minutes

Bake time:

50 to 60 minutes

Serving size:

1 slice

3 TB. plain vegan breadcrumbs,

homemade or store-bought,

finely crushed

3 cups unbleached all-purpose

flour

2 tsp. cornstarch

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

¾ cup nonhydrogenated vegan

margarine, softened

2½ cups unbleached cane sugar

Egg substitute for 3 large eggs

2 tsp. pure lemon extract

1½ TB. grated lemon zest

1 cup vegan sour cream

1 cup vegan confectioners’ sugar

2 TB. fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 1 large (12-cup) Bundt cake pan with nonhydrogenated shortening, tapping out excess flour. Sprinkle the inside of the pan with breadcrumbs.

2. Into a medium bowl, sift together unbleached all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt, or blend with a wire whisk.

3. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed, beat softened vegan margarine until creamy. Add unbleached cane sugar ½ cup at a time, and beat until light, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. Add egg substitute a little at a time, beating after each addition. Add lemon extract and lemon zest, and scrape the bowl once more.

4. Reduce speed to low, and add ½ of dry ingredients to batter until well blended. Add remaining dry ingredients,