1/3 cup shortening

½ cup sugar

¾ cup Maple Syrup 

2¼ cups sifted cake flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup milk

3 egg whites

Maple Icing (recipe follows)

¾ cup chopped walnuts

CREAM the shortening and sugar. Stir in maple syrup. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk. Beat egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Fold into mixture. TURN onto greased 23cm square pane lined with wax paper (or parchment). Bake in preheated 180C oven for 45-50 minutes. Turn out onto cooling rack, remove the paper and cool. SPREAD top and sides of cake with the maple icing; sprinkle with chopped nuts.

MAPLE ICING

2 cups Maple Syrup 

Pinch of salt

2 egg whites

BOIL maple syrup until it spins a thread (110C on candy thermometer).

POUR slowly over the stiffly beaten salted egg whites, beating constantly with hand mixer or wire whisk. Continue beating until mixture is stiff enough to stand up in soft peaks.