Almond Candy Cake

Directions:

Filling preparation:
Whip the whipping cream with sugar and flavoring.

Maple Crisp Topping preparation:
Combine sugar, water and corn syrup in a saucepan, stirring until well blended. Boil over moderate heat to hard-crack stage (310 F.), until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water will break with a brittle snap. Remove from heat, and stir in soda and maple flavoring. Stir vigorously until well blended, but not enough to destroy foam made by soda.

Turn at once into ungreased shallow pan, about 9-inches square. Let stand without moving until completely cold. Knock out of pan and crush between sheets of waxed paper to make coarse crumbs.

Cake preparation:
Split cake into 4 equal layers. Spread about half of Filling between cake layers. Spread remainder over top and sides of cake. Cover cake very thickly with Maple Crisp Topping, and stick almond halves porcupine-fashion over top and sides of cake.