An Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake With Carmel Sauce Topping Made From Maple Syrup and A Family Update

Praising God we've been home for a bit now, settling in and ready to share this fabulous recipe! Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake with Caramel Sauce and Chocolate Chips<br />
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Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake<br />
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3/4 cup<br />
2/3 Cup butter , softened<br />
1 2/3 cups sugar<br />
3eggs<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract<br />
2 cups all-purpose flour<br />
2/3 cup cocoa<br />
1 1/4 tsps baking soda<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
1/4 tsp baking powder (or 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar and 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch)<br />
1 1/3 cup water<br />
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Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour one 13x9 nch baking pan. Combine butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in large bowl; beat until well blended. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and baking powder; add alternately with water to butter mixture, beating until blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for approximately 30 to 35 minutes or until knife or toothpick comes out clean.<br />
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Let cake cool completely.<br />
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Caramel Topping<br />
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2 cups pure maple syrup<br />
1/2 cup cream OR 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup whole milk for cream substitute (if using butter and milk melt butter in sauce pan adding milk, warm slightly.)<br />
Heat maple syrup in heavy sauce pan slowly bring to boil and let reach 230 degrees. Remove from heat. Keeping in mind that the syrup is very hot at this phase make sure all pets and children are clear of this next step. Depending on the temp of the cream or the milk/butter mixture it can (not always, but sometimes) cause the maple syrup to bubble and if your pan is too short it can bubble over the sides, not only making a mess but having the potential to burn so please use caution and common sense). Pour in (SLOWLY) cream or milk/butter mixture into syrup stirring while you do so and mix well. You may see the cream or butter fat appear to separate, but don't panic. As the sauce cools and as you stir it every so often, it will all blend together. This process of cooling will take a long time, several hours. You can put your pan in the refrigerator. You can also put the sauce in a larger pan at that time, like a 9x13 if you are in a rush for it to cool, just be sure to stir and let cool completely.<br />
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Once topping is cool, spread over the top of your cooled cake, garnish with choc chips or choc shavings and enjoy!