Bride of Magazine Challenge: Maple Cake

So.
For March Break, J and I spent our tax refund and went to Montreal for most of the week.  It was cold, but relaxing.  We relaxed in the most amazing spa, and ate in some fantastic restaurants.  We ate a lot.
I had some definite plans for food when we went to Montreal.  J wanted to go to a jazz club one night, and we did.  I wanted to eat raclette and relive my time in France.  We did that too.  We had poutine for lunch one day, and ate gigantic breakfasts.  It was lovely.  We do, however, need to go back.  I didn't make it to Leche Donuts, nor did we go to a deli for Montreal Smoked meat.  And there's always fondue.  We only had raclette.
Our last morning in Montreal, before catching the train home, I ordered crepes with maple syrup.  Inexplicably, the hotel was out of maple syrup.  In the province that produces the most maple syrup in Canada and is one of the leading producers in the world, there was no syrup for me.  Shocking, and sad.
Happily, I came home and made this cake.  You don't pour syrup over the cake, but I suppose you could.  The icing will probably keep you happy.  It's full of syrup too.
From the November 2006 issue of Everyday Food, I present to you now Maple Cake:

Ingredients:
For the cake:
1 c butter, softened
2-1/2 c flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c maple syrup
1/2 c white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 c sour cream
For the icing:
1/3 c maple syrup
3 Tbsp butter, softened
2-1/2 c icing sugar

Method:
1.  Make the cake:  Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease and flour a 9" square cake pan and set aside.  In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter, syrup and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated.  Beat in vanilla.
3.  Working in 3 batches, alternately add flour mixture and sour cream, ending with flour.  Pour batter in prepared pan, and smooth the top.  Bake cake at 350F for 40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool cake completely.
4.  Make the icing:  Beat syrup and butter together.  Add icing sugar, beating well.  Add syrup or icing sugar until a spreading consistency.  Spread icing over the top of the cooled cake.  Allow to sit at least 15 minutes before serving.

From Everyday Food, November 2006

This is a really good cake.  Almost a coffee cake, but the sour cream keeps it so moist.  The maple isn't overpowering, but it's there.

Especially when iced.  How to remember my vacation, even if I didn't have my syrup while away.