Iced Maple Leaf Cake: A Sweet Celebration

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 11×17-inch baking pan with 1-inch high sides.

2. Prepare the cake: Beat sugar and butter together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat eggs one at a time into the butter mixture; beat in sour cream and vanilla.

3. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. With the mixer at low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with milk just until combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and finish mixing with a rubber spatula. Pour batter into the prepared pan; spread to corners of the pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

4. Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Cool cake completely, about 30 minutes. To remove cake from the pan, run a paring knife between cake and the pan. Cover cake pan with a plate or cooling rack; invert to transfer cake onto a plate.

5. Make the frosting: Beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together in a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low; slowly pour in cream. Once cream is incorporated, turn mixer speed to medium-high; beat until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes.

6. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over top and sides of cake, smoothing the top.

7. Finish with decoration: Place 2 to 3 rows of overlapping strawberry slices parallel to the short sides of the cake for the two red stripes of the Canadian flag. Trace out a maple leaf shape in the center of the cake with a toothpick. Use points of strawberry slices to create points of the maple leaf. Cut a strip of strawberry for the leaf stem. Fill in the area of the maple leaf with sliced strawberries.

8. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve.

Tips

This cake can be decorated and served right in the pan for easier transport. If removing the cake from the pan, frost the sides and add sliced strawberries around the edge for a nice presentation.

Raspberries can be used for the sides of the flag, but strawberries work best for the maple leaf. You can find maple leaf templates for your cake online.

Store leftover cake, covered, in the refrigerator.