Maple spice cake

 
                              Maple Spice Cake
 
 Recipe By     : 
 Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Cakes From Scratch
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
    2      To 2.5-In.    Cinnamon Stick -- -or-
    2      Teaspoons     Ground Cinnamon
      1/2  Teaspoon      Cardamom Seeds -- (minus a pinch)
      1/2  Teaspoon      Allspice Seeds
   12                    Cloves
    1      Teaspoon      Ginger Root -- freshly grated
    3 3/4  Cups          Cake Flour
    2      Teaspoons     Baking Powder
    1      Teaspoon      Baking Soda
    1      Teaspoon      Salt
    1      Cup           Unsalted Butter -- at room temperature
      3/4  Cup           Dark Brown Sugar
    3                    Egg Whites -- * see note
      3/4  Cup           Buttermilk -- or soy milk
      3/4  Cup           Maple Syrup -- (real)
    2      Tablespoons   Grand Marnier
 
 * or equivalent quantity of artificial egg substitute
 
 Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.Use a tube cake pan or
 something along those lines, if you can find something with a
 removeable bottom. Butter (or margarine) it well, and lightly
 flour it, then tap the excess flour off.
 
 Combine all the spices except the ginger in an electric coffee
 grinder, and whiz it around until it's powder. Mix the spices with
 the flour, baking powder & soda, and salt (sift them together, or
 else make sure they are thoroghly mixed up).
 
 Mash up the margarine or butter with the sugar, beat in the egg
 whites, then stir in the ginger. Add everything else to the bowl with
 the butter and egg whites, and beat it for a long time until it's
 smooth (add a bit of stuff at a time, not everything all at once).
 
 How long you cook it depends on your pan if you're using a deep
 one, it may take 50 or 60 minutes, but if you're using normal cake
 pans, it may only take a half hour. Anyway, keep an eye on it, and
 it's done when it starts to pull away from the sides, and a toothpick
 poked into it comes out clean. Let it cool for 15 minutes or so before
 you remove it from the pan.
 
 
  Adapted by Ron Lunde, from:
  The Greens Cook Book
 
 My modifications to this recipe were to change 2 eggs into 3 egg
 whites (or artificial egg substitute) and to change the rum into grand
 marnier.
 
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