Ingredients
Method
1.Have butter and eggs at room temperature.
2.Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan forced). Grease 20cm x 30cm rectangular pan, line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 5cm (2-inches) above edges.
3.Beat butter, sugar and syrup in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Transfer mixture to large bowl, stir in kumara, sifted dry ingredients and buttermilk.
4.Spread mixture into pan. Bake cake about 35 minutes. Stand cake in pan 10 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto wire rack to cool.
5.Make cream cheese frosting. Have cream cheese at room temperature. Beat cream cheese and sifted icing sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Beat in maple syrup and cinnamon.
6.Candied pecans Combine sugar and the water in medium saucepan. Stir over high heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, boil, without stirring, until toffee turns golden. Remove from heat, add nuts, swirl pan until nuts are coated with toffee mixture. Remove nuts with a slotted spoon. Transfer to a baking-paper-lined oven tray in a single layer. Pour remaining toffee onto tray away from the nuts. Stand until set. Cut nuts in half lengthways. Break toffee into pieces.
7.Spread cake with frosting, sprinkle with candied pecans and pieces of toffee.
