PASS the SYRUP

Naturally sweet, maple is a delicious addition to festive fall pies, cakes and other desserts.

Maple Tree Cake

Prep: 25 min. Bake: 30 min. + cooling Makes: 16 servings

Here's a colorful dessert-perfect for fall. A chocolate tree with pretty leaves tops the maple-flavored cake. -Lorraine Tishmack, Casselton, ND

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups sugar

2 cups sour cream

2 tsp. maple flavoring

2½ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

Dash salt

½ cup chopped pecans

FROSTING

6 Tbsp. butter, softened

4½ cups confectioners' sugar

3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. maple syrup

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup peanut butter chips

½ tsp. red paste food coloring

1/4 tsp. yellow paste food coloring

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar. Add sour cream and maple flavoring. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; add dry ingredients to sour cream mixture and mix well. Fold in the pecans.

2. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

3. For frosting, in a bowl, cream butter, and confectioners' sugar. Add syrup; mix well. Set aside 2/3 cup frosting for decoration. Spread remaining between layers and over top and side of cake.

4. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate and peanut butter chips; stir until smooth. Cut a small hole in tip of a pastry bag; insert a round tip. Transfer frosting to bag. Pipe a tree trunk and branches on the cake.