Maple Cake

1 Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Toast nuts until fragrant, approximately 4-6 minutes. Let cool.

2 Combine 2/3 nuts, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a food processor or blender. Process until nuts are finely ground.

3 In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Set aside.

4 In a large bowl beat eggs, egg whites, SPLENDA and non-fat, dry milk with an electric mixer on high speed, until mixture is thick and pale, approximately 3-5 minutes.

5 Fold a portion of the dry ingredients into the egg mixture. Then fold a portion of the wet ingredients into the egg mixture. Continue process until both the dry and wet ingredients are combined with the egg mixture. Start and end with the dry ingredients.

6 Bake in two greased and floured 2x9 pans at 325 degrees F for 25 minutes.

7 Maple Cream Frosting and Drizzle: In a small bowl, combine water and vanilla. Sprinkle with gelatin and let soften for 1 minute.

8 In a double boiler bring about 1 inch of water to a slight simmer. In a heatproof mixing bowl, combine egg whites, syrup, cream of tartar and salt. Set bowl over simmering water and beat with an electric mixer on low speed, moving beaters constantly, until an instant thermometer reads 140 degrees F. This should take approximately 3-5 minutes.

9 Increase mixer speed to high and continue beating for 3 minutes. Remove bowl from heat. Add gelatin mixture and continue to beat until cooled to room temperature, approximately 4-5 minutes.

10 In a chilled bowl, beat cream with electric mixer until firm peaks form. Fold into meringue with rubber spatula.

11 Cake Assembling and Decorating: Place 1 cake layer, top-side down, on a cake plate. Spread 1 cup frosting on cake. Top with second cake layer top-side up. Spread remaining frosting over top.