Louisiana Syrup Cake

This Creole confection, known also as gâteau au sirop, calls for pure cane syrup, a milder, more delicate cousin of molasses. Steen’s pure cane syrup, still made the traditional way in Abbeville, Louisiana, is the classic choice, but you could also use maple syrup, sorghum, or a combination of any two of these sweet essences. Cane syrup provides this single cake layer with a gorgeously deep, golden hue. You could crown it with a generous dusting of confectioners’ sugar, or finish it