SHF #44: Mmm... Canada

June 10th:
When I learned what the theme for this month's SHF was going to be (What Does Canada Taste Like to You?) I was extatic. Being Canadian and a lover of all foods/bakes Canadian (yes, even moose meat), I am possed with the challenge of attempting to compress all-Canadian goodness into a single recipe. For the original post see: http://www.domesticgoddess.ca/entries.php?entry=10310

Perhaps I will combine this month's SHF with my Father's Day brunch... I love killing two birds with one stone :)


June 23rd:
Okay, so since this SHF Blog Event required that the post be made between June 23-28 I've had to wait since Father's day to post my entry. It's been a hard and long wait, but I've gotten use to it (having to wait for the reveal date with the DBers and all). So, without further adieu... here is my Mmm... Canada entry

Maple-Bacon Pound Cake with Sweet Maple Glaze

Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup bacon drippings, cooled
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup milk (could use sour cream/yogurt if you want it more creamy)
- 1 recipe for Maple Glaze (recipe follows)
- 3 slices of bacon, cut in half
- Demarara sugar to decorate (optional)

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350F; prepare an 9x5 inch loaf pan (butter + dust with flour).

2. Prepare the bacon by cutting the 3 slices into halves, sandwiching them between 2 sheets of waxed paper and rolling them out into thin bacon sheets. Fry the bacon in a non-stick skillet until crispy, reserving the bacon drippings for the cake batter. Drain the crisp bacon on paper towel, allow to cool and crumble into pieces. Set aside

3. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. Cream together the butter, bacon drippings and sugar until fluffy, about 3mins. Add in the eggs and combine well. Add in the maple syrup and vanilla.

5. Add the flour mixture in gradually, alternating with the milk. Mix until just combined; scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

6. Bake for 35-40mins or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10mins, then completely cool the loaf on a wire rack.

7. Once cake is cooled, drizzle on Maple Glaze and decorate the cake with the bacon bits and demarara sugar.

Sweet Maple Glaze

Ingredients
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp milk

Method:
1. Combine maple syrup and confectioner's sugar, mixture will be thick.
2. Add in the milk, in small additions, until the glaze is of a good "drizzling" consistency.

If this cake doesn't scream CANADA! then I'm not quite sure what would :P (perhaps next time I'll try this recipe using Canadian, but for now I think I'll give my arteries a fighting chance by not making this cake for at least a month). This recipe was very tasty and moist; the cake was perfect, and was not too bacon-y or too maple-y. You may think that this combination in a cake would taste very odd, but it was divine and my father really enjoyed it for breakfast. The salty-sweet combination really enhances the bacon flavor and creates a very enjoyable auroma in the kitchen. Instead of waking up to the smell of fried bacon, why not wake up to a Maple Bacon Cake? Try it!!!

Update: July 1st

Check out the Mmm... Canada Round up and other blogger's SHF treats Here!