Ingredients
You will need:
- 4 eggs, yolks and whites separated
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- Fresh berries, to serve
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly butter a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan and set aside.
- Using an electric mixer or whisk, beat the egg whites in a medium bowl until light and billowy. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the butter, sugar, and maple syrup until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl and beaters with a spatula after each addition. Using a spatula, gently fold in the beaten egg whites until fully incorporated.
- Whisk together the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture, 1 cup at a time, scraping down the bowl and beaters after each addition.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly.
- Bake for 1 hour and 20 to 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan and leave to cool on a wire rack for an additional 15 minutes.
- To serve, slice into 1-inch-thick slices and scatter with berries.
From A Year of Picnics by Ashley English © 2017 by Ashley English. Photographs © 2017 by Jen Altman. Reprinted in arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc. Boulder, CO. www.roostbooks.com
A Year of Picnics (Roost Books, 2016) by Ashley English presents everything you need to picnic through all four seasons, with over 70 picnic-perfect recipes, tips on selecting your location, advice for packing your basket, and creative ideas for outdoor activities.
Maple Poundcake
Maples are deciduous trees offering lovely foliage and delightful syrup, among many other things. During autumn walks, I love encountering a vibrant red- or yellow-leafed maple in the forest. Their jewel tones are simply breathtaking. Here I’m offering a maple-laced poundcake. It’s moist yet sturdy—just the kind of cake required to withstand the rigors of walking through the woods to secure the perfect forested picnic spot.
