Changes, hints and thoughts for the future:

- it was a little dense; I think I could have whipped the egg whites a bit longer...next time I'll whip them in the KitchenAid instead of by hand

-I just had another piece of this cake (I had dinner first!) and it was better than it had been earlier today; I guess it just needed to settle or rest for a bit

- as we were sitting in the living room with our coffees and cake I happened to spy a glimpse of a tail on the kitchen table...upon further investigation I saw that Jasmine had licked the cake clean of icing in a two inch square area ...turned out she approved of it, which made me happy

 

 

Maple Chiffon Cake with Maple ButterCream Icing

*Adapted from a recipe from Big Springs B&B in Calgary, Alberta

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup oil
3/4 cup cold water
7 egg yolks, unbeaten
1 teaspoon maple flavoring
1 cup egg whites (left from separating egg yolks)
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Maple ButterCream Icing

Instructions:
1. Sift together into bowl of electric mixer: flour, salt, sugar and baking powder.
2. Make a well in the centre and add the oil and water. With paddle attachment of electric mixer, blend wet and dry ingredients. Add egg yolks one at a time, incorporating in between each one. Beat until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff. Fold into batter by hand.
4. Pour into ungreased tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes then at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
5. Upon removal from oven quickly turn pan upside down and rest, either on pan ends or if your tube pan doesn't have them, slip it over a thin necked bottle to keep the egg whites from collapsing while the cake cools.

Maple ButterCream Icing

* from Martha Stewart's Maple ButterCream Icing

Ingredients:
6  large egg yolks
2 cups pure maple syrup
1 pound unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

Instructions:
1.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg yolks on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
2.  Meanwhile, pour maple syrup into a medium saucepan. Place pan over medium-high heat; bring syrup to a boil. Cook syrup until a candy thermometer registers 240† (just above soft-ball stage), about 15 minutes.
3.  Remove the saucepan from the heat. While the electric mixer is running, pour the syrup in a slow, steady stream down the side of the mixing bowl into the egg-yolk mixture (it is essential that the syrup touches the side of the bowl as you pour it in so the sugar will be very evenly incorporated and not splatter onto the sides of the bowl) until the syrup has been completely incorporated, about 1 1/2 minutes. Beat until the bowl is just slightly warm to the touch, 5 to 6 minutes.
4.  Add butter, one piece at a time, until all of it has been completely incorporated and the frosting is fluffy, about 4 minutes more. Use immediately.
This frosting can be stored, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to two days. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat with a hand whisk or the whisk attachment of an electric mixer for several minutes to restore the fluffiness.