Hostess Cake

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups of unbleached flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of white sugar
• 1 cup of water
• 4 squares semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste
• 2 large eggs
• 1 stick of butter
• 1/3 cup of pure maple syrup

Filling

• 1/2 to a full half pint of whipping cream (amount depends on how thick you want the cream filling to be in the center of the cake.  For the cake shown, 1/2 of a half pint was used)
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of white sugar (use a full teaspoon if you use the full half pint of whipping cream)
• Fresh strawberries, washed and sliced.

Chocolate Topping

• 3 squares of semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 1/2 cups of sifted icing sugar
• 4 tablespoons of cold milk

Method

Cake

1. Sift all the dry ingredients (except the sugar) together in a bowl and set aside.
2. In a small pot add 1 cup of water and your sugar.  Bring to a boil while stirring until sugar is dissolved.
3. Once at a boil, remove from heat and add the maple syrup.
4. Pour into a large bowl, add the chopped chocolate and butter and stir until all the chocolate is melted.
5. Stir in vanilla bean paste, then beat in eggs and add the dry ingredients.
6. Pour batter in two 8 inch round prepared cake pans.
7. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until tester comes out clean from center of cakes.